Rapid Air Compressed Air System For Your Shop

mksj brought a interesting point. I wasn't aware of the difference between Maxline and Rapidair tubing diameters. I will keep that in mind,
Thanks.
 
I have done a couple of compressed air systems. The biggest, about 300' of pipe and 15 air stations, was done with copper tubing, it worked great but probably too expensive these days.
I also did a smaller one with threaded steel pipe. about 80' of pipe and 4 stations. It also worked great but a pain to install.
I am planning to install one in my home shop and will use PEX, which is probably what those kits are. It is readily available at home centers and very inexpensive. I will use the compression band fittings as I already have the tool but one may also use push connect fittings also available at the big box stores. PEX is not brittle like PVC so no worries of bursting.
 
Ken, I put in a manifold in my shop early last year.

Studied copper, packaged stuff available like Rapid Air, and HDPE. I eventually decided to simply buy PEX and do it myself using PEX pipe and brass fittings. I had the PEX plumbing crimping tool already so I was off to the races.

I bought a big roll of PEX, brass fittings, and valves in bulk at Lowes. My mistake was buying the PEX in a roll. The stuff was horrible to straighten out. I fought it like crazy and used a heat gun when needed. So for anyone using HDPE/PEX, my suggestion is to buy the straight lengths of pipe and avoid rolls.

I didn't make it too complicated and it has worked find thus far. I still have the ability to run hose from the compressor if needed plus I recently acquired a small "super quiet" portable compressor that I can move around easily in the shop and elsewhere as needed. Plus if I need to modify the header, that can be done in a matter of minutes.

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I installed the 3/8" RapidAir system in my shop about 4 years ago. It makes a complete wrap around the perimeter of my 20x24 shop (both ends go to the tank). Very easy and quick to install. Giving the coils a chance to straighten out takes longer than installing the system.
I've changed air station locations and added a few since the original install since it is so easy to do. I needed to buy another roll of tubing and some fittings to enlarge the original kit. Never had a problem and will hold 125 psi for days without leaking (if I unhook the cheap couplers).
All-in-all I'm very happy with the price, quality and ease of installation.

I don't have any experience with the solid pipe (used steel pipe at work).

If you have more than one user of air tools at a time consider using the 1/2".
 
If you are a glutton for reading, popover to GarageJournal and search on air systems. Lots of users of the various systems and lots of comments.

As to PVC and CPVC.....the ratings you see stamped on the piping is for incompressible fluids only. There is no rating for pressurized gasses for *ANY* PVC based piping. Should you want to run the allowable calculations for gaseous pressurized piping, per the codes, you would come up with a pressure limit of about 4 PSIG., for PVC.

The only rigid plastic piping rated for gaseous pressure usage is ABS, and it's not the stuff you find at HomeDespot/Lowes/Menards/ et al. You will only find it at an industrial supplier and it will cost you more to run than paying someone to come in and install 1" copper for you. I used to run it in our chemical treatment facility and processing skids and it wasn't cheap. In 1997, we were paying about 28$ for a 20' stick of 3/4" ABS and about 4$ a fitting.
 
All the comments reminds me of dad's shop. He plumbed it with 1/2 PVC pipe. Twenty years later, it was still holding pressure. But we limited pressure to 40 psi. Once in a while we would increase it to 60 psi to use the air drill we used. For any other air tools, there was a tap off the tank we would use. Amazing none of it blew up.
On another note, the place I worked at Huntsville, TX, that 20,000 sq/ft facility was plumbed in with 2" PVC pipe also. It did blow one day, an ell gave way on the pipe coming from the tank outside. Blew out ceiling tiles, insulation, wires, etc., all over the place. I don't know if any of that piping ever got replaced or not.
I'm liking the idea of DYI using PEX tubing with brass fittings that you can get locally from the big box store. Really have no need to run over 100-125 psi. Some more to think about.
 
Bought the Maxline 3/4" kit on Ebay. I now have a quick-disconnect drop between the hand-bench and the parts washer, one at the mill, and another at the lathe. Been happy with it so far. :)
 
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In my other shop years ago I ran PVC for air. It was OK. But was flimsy at the quick connect stations because the plastic was not rigid enough. In my current shop I have copper and love it. The quick connect stations are solid. There was no issue with marriage of materials. All my connections are hard soldered together. No air leaks! No rust! 10ft of ½” copper pipe is about 14 bucks, please think about it.
 
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