plumbing shop air

[Sean Hughes]

Just a quick question. I've looked at some old posts but haven't run across an answer. When plumbing your shop for air, couldn't air hose be cut and sliced to make an easy layout. The hose is cheap and the fittings would be easy to attach. What am I missing by trying this idea.?

[Jim Becker]

Yes, you can do that and the fittings are available. The down-side is that it's difficult to do a properly sloped layout so you can drain condensation out. Hoses are great for temporary or very infrequent use, but not the best solution long-term. Copper (type L or K) or black iron are better choices for that.

[Steve LaFara]

By the time you buy all of the fittings and clamps and hose, you could have put in copper with soldered joints and be done with it. Either way, you need to allow for drains throughout the system to get rid of condensation, plus a regulator and water sperator if you plan on sraying finishes. Do it right the first time and it will last longer than you.

[Sean Hughes]

Thanks for the info. I feel like I keep changing things around in my shop and this might be a short term solution.

[Frank Chaffee]

Sean,
After cutting, threading and running hundreds of feet of iron pipe for airlines, I became a fan of copper.

…But noting current copper pipe prices, I have retreated ground.

As Jim and Steve have just suggested, rubber lines will have costs in proper slopes and fittings that will put your system cost over that of a permanent metal install. Rubber hose will be fine for a temp set-up if you snake it across the floor as needed, but cannot in the long run replace a larger diameter, well drained, metal system.

Frank

[Al Willits]

Air hoses would work for temp, wouldn't be my choice fwiw, copper might be easier to work with and change though.

I have mine in 3/4" pipe, but I'm not gonna need to change the location of my outlets, and have enough of them and hose to reach at least anywhere in the garage and then some.
I picked up 2- 50' and 1- 100' air lines and can reach the basement of the house if need be.

Don't scrimp on line filters and water seperators, I used to do automotive painting and nothing worse than having a bit of moisture spurt out of the gun onto whatever your painting, I have 2 filters and 2 water seperators, probably a bit of over kill, but I don't get anything other than air coming out of my air lines.

Al