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I need to plumb the air in my garage, and this setup looks pretty straight forward, in addition to being easy to install. Does anyone have opinions they'd be willing to share?
Last edited by BackInTheGame; April 27th, 2020 at 08:44 AM.
Reason: add pic
While I'm sure it works fine, and is simple to install, I'm less than enthusiastic about plastic air line. The whole reason for using iron pipe is to provide thermal mass that cools the hot compressed air, allowing the water vapor to condense out. If one lives in the desert southwest this may not be an issue, but I live in the humid mid-Atlantic and I'm constantly fighting water in my air, particularly when media blasting and painting.
While I'm sure it works fine, and is simple to install, I'm less than enthusiastic about plastic air line. The whole reason for using iron pipe is to provide thermal mass that cools the hot compressed air, allowing the water vapor to condense out. If one lives in the desert southwest this may not be an issue, but I live in the humid mid-Atlantic and I'm constantly fighting water in my air, particularly when media blasting and painting.
That's what dryers and coalescing filters are for. Don't get me wrong, I love good old iron pipe but some people don't have tools to work with it at home. The plastic stuff is pretty rugged and will last a long time. Seems everything including water pipe in new houses are moving to it.
The initial run from my compressor tank is a two foot flex line to a "black pipe" line which consists of about 15 feet of pipe, a couple elbows, drain-****, regulator, etc., before connecting to a pair of soft lines for access on the far side of the garage. I intend to add an air cooler with drain line between the compressor heads and tank at or about the same time as installation of the hard lines. Something along the lines of this, but larger (I already have the cooler):
The initial run from my compressor tank is a two foot flex line to a "black pipe" line which consists of about 15 feet of pipe, a couple elbows, drain-****, regulator, etc., before connecting to a pair of soft lines for access on the far side of the garage.
In that case, yeah, you're probably not going to see a difference with plastic vs iron piping for the extension.
I have used the Rapid Air in my 3 car garage. I have the junction to my air compressor and 6 drops (1 each door, 1 ceiling with a Flexzilla reel, and 2 along the side wall). I wish I had extended it around to my work bench and will probably extend it over there at some point.
I love the stuff. Very easy to put it and zero maintenance. I put in a dryer and a ball valve under each vertical drop and don't have that much water buildup here in Michigan. It is more pricey than using other DIY alternatives, but the simplicity makes it all worth while. I will have it in my next garage also.
Thanks for the perspective, BDJ. I am in process now of deciding where I want drops, etc., so I can generate a parts list to go along with whichever pre-made kit I decide upon.
I found the best pricing / delivery on Amazon. I just looked and the pricing has gone down slightly from when I bought.
I went with the 100' 1/2" Master kit -
Don't fret too much about 3/4 vs 1/2. Mine pushes all the air I need (~120lbs) for anything I have in my garage - Unless you are massive tool user, and for that multiple tools at the same time.
This stuff is REALLY easy to install. It is also easy to bend but I bought a conduit bender to make it pretty and easier -
Here's some pics of how I ran across the garage door header, and then where one of the drops to the Flexzilla reel is at.
I also include a pic of the main connection block. I use a flex piece (old air hose) to connect from the air compressor into the MaxLine. I use a shutoff there then into the water separator/dryer and then to a block where I can put an airhose connection and then up to the rest of the MaxLine runs...
Jake, thanks for sharing your setup info and pics! It helps to see the product in action in a real setting. I currently have my hose reel in the same place, between garage doors. Right now it is fed by a hose coming from my "black pipe" manifold setup, and is unregulated. I have another soft line hose going from the manifold to a "main" regulator, then to water and oil traps with a built-in regulator. I have a media blast cabinet that will be plumbed along with the other drops when I do the project in the next month or two. The blast cabinet (cheap HF unit with custom light and media recovery add-ons) has a water trap and regulator that I attached.
I found the best pricing / delivery on Amazon. I just looked and the pricing has gone down slightly from when I bought.
I went with the 100' 1/2" Master kit - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CZ7GTLU/
I bought some extra T's - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CZ7GRY4
And some extra outlet drops - these come with the ball valve water bleeders for your vertical drops - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CZ7GTRE
Don't fret too much about 3/4 vs 1/2. Mine pushes all the air I need (~120lbs) for anything I have in my garage - Unless you are massive tool user, and for that multiple tools at the same time.
This stuff is REALLY easy to install. It is also easy to bend but I bought a conduit bender to make it pretty and easier - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CTVQ60G
Here's some pics of how I ran across the garage door header, and then where one of the drops to the Flexzilla reel is at.
I also include a pic of the main connection block. I use a flex piece (old air hose) to connect from the air compressor into the MaxLine. I use a shutoff there then into the water separator/dryer and then to a block where I can put an airhose connection and then up to the rest of the MaxLine runs...
It looks like you used the Maxline with the aluminum inside. I think this an option I might use. Did you buy the straightener rig they sell to get the pipe straight? If so, did it work well? The reviews are mixed on Amazon.
Yes, this is the Maxline with aluminum inside. I didn't have any issues straightening. I let it sit outside in the sun a while and did my best to flatten/straighten it. You can see along long runs that it's not perfect, but it's good enough. I don't think I would buy any straightening rig.
April 27th, 2020, 08:42 AM
