started on my 1650 teardown

[thenrie]

My biggest problem is time. Too much to do, too little time. The blaster is great, but with the humidity here in VA I can't use it long. As soon as my compressor starts getting hot the condensation starts making water in the blaster tank, in spite of the water trap. I may try putting a better water trap on it.

[thenrie]

Decided on a comfortable-looking seat from Northern Tool. $69.99 + shipping. I've read a couple posts that indicate it will fit and is very comfortable. We'll see when it gets here. For 1/2 the price of an OEM seat, I thought I'd give it a try. Ordered it this evening.

[Lmercer]

Originally Posted by thenrie

Decided on a comfortable-looking seat from Northern Tool. $69.99 + shipping. I've read a couple posts that indicate it will fit and is very comfortable. We'll see when it gets here. For 1/2 the price of an OEM seat, I thought I'd give it a try. Ordered it this evening.

I think after all this I'm going to have to spring for a different seat. Any pics yet?

[NealC]

Tony,

Before you put a bigger water trap on your compressor, you should know that if it is attached right at the tank, it will never work properly. Water traps need to be at least 25' from the air receiver to allow the air to cool and condense the moisture. Attached is an abreviated version of a properly installed air piping system. Note, the the line with the water trap comes off the TOP of the mainline (called a gooseneck). The lighter air flows up and leaves the heavier moisture in the main line to be removed at the drain legs.

Try to keep use of hoses and hose length to a minimum. They are notorious for condensing water with no way to remove it, other than watch it spray out of whatever tool you have it attached to. A properly installed hard pipe line will remove 75% of the condensation in a compressed air system. The water traps can then remove most of the rest, about 95% moisture free.

You can always go the route of installing a refrigerated air dryer to get completely dry air, but it is usually outside of the budget for most home shops.

Here's a great resource http://www.binks.com/Resources/Liter...6/Default.aspx put abc in the search box, download the "ABC's of Spray Finishing-English"

[bsyphrit]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#compressed-air-filters/=96eufz

years ago at work they used this style filter, to me the main advantage was that for replacement cartridges you use rolls of toilet paper. i can think of little else that would act as such a good filter and be so economical to replace. there is a high up front price for the cartridge holder but if you do a lot of painting and air tool use over the years it would pay for it self. listed under super ultra-fine submicron air filters

[thenrie]

Thanks for the info and links, guys. I'm gonna change things around a bit. Back in AZ I didn't have to worry much about it. Here in VA it's a mess.

NealC: Will PVC or CPVC work for the hard lines, or should it be galv steel? How about copper? I have been planning to plumb my whole shop for air. Just haven't gotten around to it. I was planning to do it with PVC - cheap, simple, easy, cheap, requires only a few cheap tools I already have, and did I mention cheap?

[jkier]

I plumbed my fathers barn with PVC ten years ago, been holding 100psi ever since.

Originally Posted by thenrie

Thanks for the info and links, guys. I'm gonna change things around a bit. Back in AZ I didn't have to worry much about it. Here in VA it's a mess.

NealC: Will PVC or CPVC work for the hard lines, or should it be galv steel? How about copper? I have been planning to plumb my whole shop for air. Just haven't gotten around to it. I was planning to do it with PVC - cheap, simple, easy, cheap, requires only a few cheap tools I already have, and did I mention cheap?

[NealC]

Tony,

Although PVC is capable of handling air and pressure, it is against OSHA rules to use it. PVC will break into pieces (very sharp pieces) if impacted. Said pieces then become projectiles from the air pressure. I cannot recommend it's use due to the potential for injury.

Steel "blackpipe" is a popular choice in most factories due to the low cost and OSHA approval. It is subject to rust on the interior which then contaminates your equipment. Using galvanized reduces the majority of the areas subject to rust. But, you can still get some at the threaded joints.

You also need some special tools to cut and thread steel to the correct lengths if you cannot get pre-threaded lengths that you need. It can also be a challenge to get elbows turned the direction you want them and not leak or cause you a hernia. You can always hire a plumber to install, they will have the tools, but you will have to make sure they install it properly as most just install it like water piping, and that causes moisture problems.

Aluminum air piping with push-to-connect or twist-to-connect installation has become very popular in the last few years. http://www.prevostusa.com/products.p...adfdce9005ab39 or http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com...px-am_en-33032 It can be a little pricey, but there are places that sell it at a reasonable price.

Copper too is a good choice, although the price keeps going up every year. Copper also takes a bit of skill because you have to "sweat" (solder) the connections together. It's a simple enough process, but you need patience.

The most important thing about installing air piping is keeping the restrictions to a minimum. You have to think of air like electricity. Air pressure is like voltage, air flow (cfm) is like amperage. You reduce either one from a bad piping job and you reduce the amount of total power (wattage) available for the job. Use the biggest dia. pipe that is practical (wire gauge) and try not to use a lot of elbows (bend the piping to a large radius) and quick disconnects (resistors).

Hope this helps you in you piping job.

[bsyphrit]

Originally Posted by thenrie

Thanks for the info and links, guys. I'm gonna change things around a bit. Back in AZ I didn't have to worry much about it. Here in VA it's a mess.

NealC: Will PVC or CPVC work for the hard lines, or should it be galv steel? How about copper? I have been planning to plumb my whole shop for air. Just haven't gotten around to it. I was planning to do it with PVC - cheap, simple, easy, cheap, requires only a few cheap tools I already have, and did I mention cheap?

i am all about cheap and saving money for other things but if it were mine i would not go the PVC route. PVC not safe if it warms and tends to get brittle over the years i feel. cheap would be to use normal air line designed for air pressure but you do lose volume over distance like stated previously. this could be over come with second balance tank but then you are adding more money and taking up more room

[thenrie]

Has anybody tried PEX? That stuff is tough! I wonder about the moisture thing though. I think the problem with using regular air hose, even the poly stuff, is the fact that it allows the air in the hose to cool so rapidly that moisture condenses on the inside of the air hose. Am I right?

I have used PVC and CPVC a lot through the years for water. It gets brittle when it is exposed to the sun. CPVC is used in hot water applications, because PVC can get brittle from the heat over the years. For air that would not be an issue except right at the compressor. CPVC should be fine there, or running a few feet of steel or copper would fix that issue. The safety issue, however, should it ever be hit with a tool, or cracked by movement, is something I had not thought about. That is a real issue. I'm glad that was brought up. I won't go that route.

I am going to research using PEX a bit and see what I come up with. I already have the tools for that and it is fairly inexpensive in large rolls. Otherwise I guess I'll go with copper. Expensive, but I understand its use and I know how to plumb it.

Anything anybody knows about using PEX for air would be appreciated.