I too use copper heavy wall pipe. Has less isssues with rust build up inside the pipe. I also oil the tool not the line. I have two lines inside the garage, one for shop use, one for painting (wall mounted regulator), one piped into my basement (attached garage) for biulding the basement and upholstery work and one more planned for outside to blow down the underground sprinkler system.

 

The Granddaddy of Ingersoll-Rand's uprights
I also went with copper tubing and three remote locations with the quick release hookups, this is where the spiral-slinky type plastic hoses come in handy.

There is a water trap at the main tank outlet.
I will most likely build a quiet room for it when the new house gets built.

Follow manufacturer recommended maintenance intervals. I usually drop a few drops of oil into the equipment at the end of the lines. ieA sanders, Die Grinders etc.

 

Black pipe works well for airlines, used it all over the shop and never had any problems.
As far as PVC, I would never use it!!!! Years ago I worked in a shop where the owner would not spend the extra $$ for the black pipe and used pvc. That stuff would Blow at least once a year, sounds like a bomb going off. Thankfully no one was ever injured, I sure would hate to be near it when it goes :horror:

 

PVC is supposed to get brittle over time from the oil vapor that gets into the lines either from a lubricator or form the compressor itself. This can cause it to come apart in extreme cases and create a small explosion. There are several types of plastic piping that are made for this use, but they are pretty expensive. That said, I ran regular old shedule 40 PVC in the garage at my old house for over 10 years without any problems at all. My opinion is that this is something that has enough potential to create a problem that organizations like OSHA must not recommend it, but in reality it will likely never cause you a problem. When I moved a few years back, I disconnected the PVC piping and took it with me. This allowed me to inspect it, and I found no degredation of the piping at all. I never ran a lubricator for the same reasons that others stated, and if you choose to use PVC (CYA - I'm not recomending it!) I wouldn't run a lubricator.

 

Is it a portable comperssor? 110 or 220? Single Stage or two stage?

My general thoughts are that if it is a 110v portable compressor , it isn't worth running hard lines. I have the crafstman that is a 33 gallon tank. Can't remember if it is a 5 or 6 hp motor. Either way, I wouldn't run hard lines for mine. I have a 50ft rubber hose that I keep coiled up around the tank. Drop a few drops of oil into the tool before use and that is it.

If you keep your tool selection to those that you listed, it is unlikely that you will be doing anything with constant, extended use that would require an in line oiler. Now, if you step up and decide you are going to do some body work and will use a die grinder and D/A sander extensively, you may want to think about an in line oiler that you can put on those tools. However, if your compressor is the same as mine...it will not like the D/A sander or the die grinder too much. It just doesn't have the SCFM to keep up with the tool (mine cycles on and off between 120-140 psi, but using those tools, the tank gets sucked down to less than 80 and I have to stop and let it catch up).

 

We've discussed this before. Please read this before considering using any material (such as PVC water line) that is not designed to handle high pressure gasses.

OSHA Hazardous Information Bulletins - (Prohibiting) The Use of Polyvinyl Chloride Pipe in Above Ground Installations (for compressed gasses)

I know several people have use PVC and haven't been injured yet. You might consider this information before recommending that others use PVC. Also, be aware that most plastics are subject to fatigue and degradation due to the environment (especially UV Rays)...so as it gets older...it's going to become more dangerous.

Phil

p.s. I intended to respond to the general thread. This post was not intended to be a dig at any individual...and Huskinahno in particular. I just hit the wrong button. Sorry.

Here's a quote from the link I posted:

The main problem with using PVC pipe and fittings for compressed gas is not that it spontaneously explodes but that PVC is a brittle material that can be broken or shattered with external force unless properly protected. Compressed gasses can be best described as being analogous to a coiled spring. When a PVC pipe or fitting fails when under stress from compressed gas it literally explodes like a bomb, sending shards of plastic flying several feet in all directions. Liquids, on the other hand, being compressed by only 1/10th of 1% contain very little stored energy. When pressurized systems with liquids fail, the energy is dissipated very quickly, thereby creating a much lower potential for hazard.

 

I have a regulator/seperator at my compressor with hoses for now. I just put a couple of drops of oil into the tool before I use it. At some point I'll run 1/2" black pipe. I don't feel comfotable with PVC.

 

I also use plastic---worked great for 10 years----i dropped down with plastic to brass shutoff's

 

I do the same as Dean. The one hose i have is enough to reach any where in the garage even if I am painting a car. Some day may install PVC for an air supply line around the garage. I would like to have an external air hook up in the front of my garage so I don't have to open my door to get air for the car tires ro what ever else would need air.

 

I use 1/2" SCH 40 PVC pipe for my air lines. Works great and cost is very minimal.

 

I'm just setting up my piping system now (that was one project for today actually). I'm using 3/4" black pipe for the main line (horizontal and initial riser off the compressor) and 1/2" black pipe for the drops. And, yes, it does get expensive...

I'm more or less following a mix of:
1. http://www.tptools.com/statictext/airline-piping-diagram.pdf
2. The free tear-off at the Home Depot by the air tool fittings
3. Common sense.

For your specific situation, I would run the air dry (oil-free, it would still have water in it of course) in the main piping system and place two in-line oilers, one at each "half" outlet. (Two outlets at each location, one before and one after the oiler.) Another good alternative it to run an oiled line to the center point and two outlets to the workbench and resign yourself to using flexible lines if you want an oil-free line off the workbench. Personally, I don't think the in-line oilers are particular good when they are too far from the tools as there's too much wall friction to help pull the oil out of the air, so I'd be inclined to multiple in-line oilers anyway.

(Whatever you do, don't use PVC!!! Use a metal pipe of some sort, slope the main line for condensation clearing, and take your drops off "up" to minimize the water you get in them. The metal pipe will help cool the air, remove condensation and PVC is just plain unsafe in this application! Slope the main line down away from the compressor to a drain drop. 6" in 50ft is probably enough slope.)

For four drops and 50' or so of horizontal run (it's an airplane hangar and car repair shop), I'm looking at around $350 for the whole piping system, but it's done right and it will be so nice to not have to trip over air lines for the next 20 years.

---Jim

 

This may not be recommended but since I just use a hose and roll out the compressor, I put a few drops of air tool oil into the air tool I finish using at the end of the day. I do that so as not to get oil in the air hose since I also use it to spray paint.

Regards,

Dean T