Compressor Air Lines

[beerdog]

There is a reason black pipe is pretty much the standard air line throughout industry. It is cheap, dependable, and works. Use black pipe. You can't go wrong.

[Chuck McB]

Black iron pipe all the way with no regrets later.

[pattenp]

Other than the internal corrosion over time from moisture in the line.

Originally Posted by Chuck McB

Black iron pipe all the way with no regrets later.

[Chuck McB]

I'm coming up on 50 so if a black iron air line system survives say 30 or 40 years I'll be happy.BTW use a water separator at the compressor & an oiler .

[POPSTAGE2]

I worked at a new car dealership that used PVC in the body shop. Someone left the compressor on one night that had nothing to do with the explosion other than the fact it exploded when nobody was in the shop.
It made quite the mess, and I would not want to be in there when it happened!!
It was near the ceiling where they used a bigger diameter PVC.

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Your friend should be familiar with copper pipe, have him run type "L" copper around the shop. it's easy to solder, looks good, is easy to modify if your needs change, it should always be available (what if Rapid Aire goes out of business?) and you don't need to worry about rust in your air system.

My big complaint with plastic airline (made for compressed air use) is the appearance on the wall. It sags and droops between supports and the connectors are more expensive than copper pipe.

[Outlawmws]

Originally Posted by jake26

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

The Department of Labor & Industries warned consumers and employers in May 1988 that plastic-polyvinyl- chloride (PVC) pipe cannot be used in compressed air piping systems without risk of explosion. By law, employers must protect their workers by avoiding the use of unapproved PVC pipe in such systems.

Not sure if this has changed.

It hasn't...

[ptschram]

I like my nylon air lines.

[akdiesel]

Most people will support their choice of product simply cause they don't want to admit to failure if that certain product has deficiencies.
With that being said the copper or black pipe. Type L copper or schedule 40 would be fine for any air system.
Black pipe rust concerns are valid if you have lots of moisture in your air, and if so than you need to worry more about your tools more than your pipe since they are going to be first to take the hit. Eliminate the moisture first and then no problem.

[Ben Buck]

KA_ BOOM !!! Here it is AGAIN !!. . I'm going to drink another beer, and listen for the EXPLOSION !!

[BARN ONE]

I used 1/2" heavy wall conduit for air lines. My buddy is an electrician and gave me a bunch of it, so the price was right. It is the same size as 1/2" black pipe, but conduit has straight threads and pipe thread is tapered. So I cut the ends off and rethreaded it. It works great, I have over 100" of run through the building and its been in use over 15 years now.

I have the compressor at the other end of the building, away from my shop, to save shop space and keep the noise down. I installed a on off switch in the shop by the work bench to remotely turn the compressor on. I don't like to leave the compressor on when I am not there, so to make sure, just in case I forget to turn it off, I used a spring wound timer switch. You can turn it on for 1 hour at a time, then it times out and turns off.
I also installed a pressure guage over the bench to easily see what pressure I have.