On Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:47:36 -0400, Ecnerwal
wrote:

In article ,
"Bob La Londe" wrote:

Wadda ya think?

Bad idea.

P.S. I have seen other shops use PVC also, and they said they never had any
problems.


And they'll keep saying that right up until the fragmentation bomb hits.
Then they'll be "shocked, just shocked" to find that this has been a
known dumb idea for *decades*. You can get special (green?) plastic pipe
(Not PVC) rated for air service, but at last look it was more expensive
than regular pipe. Copper or iron can be had any any hardware/building
supply.

http://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Basics/HazAlerts/902.asp

My personal preference is copper. Costs a fair amount, once. Relatively
clean. Easy to add on to.

The usual litany - slope the lines away from the compressor, and put
drain legs on the bottom of the line. Take air off from the top of the
line (Up over down) and provide additional drain legs at the bottom of
each drop leg, extending well below the air connector. Decouple the
compressor from the piping system with a section of flex, and decouple
the compressor from the tank to reduce one cause of tank fatigue
failure. Plumb your air intake outside.

My shop is all galv steel. 3/4" main with 3/4 x3/4 x 1/2 tee's all
pointing straight up, two 90 deg street ells to turn it down the wall
90 deg ell out from wall then a ball valve and a QC coupler. no drip
legs anywhere, never had water anywhere except in the compressor tank.

All Milton type "A" QC's, you can just push to connect without pulling
back the collar. Very nice feature.

CNC machine has a built in filter/oiler/regulator. And I have a
filter/oiler that I plug in where needed.

Champion compressor 5hp 80 gal., 175 PSI. Located on other side of
wall in the unheated warehouse side of my building.

I held the pipe in my lathe and used a Ridgid pipe theader head to
thread it. ( model 00-R)

If you do use copper, you might want to use a few steel nipples and
ell's at the end of each leg. My uncle did his garage in copper,
tripped over a hose and bent the hell out of the copper tubing.

Thank You,
Randy

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