Thread: reticulating compressed air

Gents,
My little 6.5 CFM Clisby compressor lives on the other side of a wall in my workshop. I'd like to reticulate the air to three points in the shop.
1. At the lathe for blowing swarf off QCTP holders before returning them to the drawer, and for feeding my mist cooler,
2. At one side of the shop for my spray gun,
3. At the other side of the shop for plugging in a hose for filling car/motorbike tyres.

I found this kit https://sydneytools.com.au/product/c...SABEgI3hPD_BwE

For the price, I doubt the fittings are top notch. But are they good enough for my purposes? Or am I better off buying individual parts? If so, any suggestions where to get air pipe & fittings in Melbourne?

PS. I have 5.4m of 3/4" copper pipe, which isn't enough to do the job. But would it make a good initial run to cool the air and condense out any water?

Given the current restrictions etc I’d say that’s not a bad way to go.
Getting a kit saves a lot of rooting around chasing parts.
Doesn’t sound like you’re needing big volumes of air, so I wouldn’t bother with adding copper line for cooler etc to start with as most of the moisture will condense out in the compressor tank.

Steve.

Kit looks pretty good but I would not hard connect any of the end point devices. Instead I would terminate using quick-fit air fitting and then use some flexible hose between the terminal point an the devices so you will be up for a bit more than the kit . I really recommend the Nitto Hi-Cupla series fittings (Blackwoods have them) - they cost a bit more than the SCA budget fittings but they will last a lot longer and are easier to use.

I'd still be putting a low point near the end of the Spray line and insert a drain tap. at this point.

A Copper pipe won't do that much but can't hurt so I would use that too.

Originally Posted by BobL

Kit looks pretty good but I would not hard connect any of the end point devices.

Thanks. Are you referring to the rectangular blocks of metal? It's not clear to me what they are for.

Originally Posted by jack620

Thanks. Are you referring to the rectangular blocks of metal? It's not clear to me what they are for.

I'm not certain what those blocks are either. Some sort of multi-way junction by teh looks.

By end point devices I mean spray guns, blow guns etc.

Originally Posted by jack620

Thanks. Are you referring to the rectangular blocks of metal? It's not clear to me what they are for.

The blocks are for the outlets, they are screwed to the wall the airline comes in from the side and mount your outlets to the face.

Originally Posted by jack620

It's not clear to me what they are for.

They would mount to a wall so that you don't have the inlet airline flopping around, instead of using saddles and the like.
The double one would be handy by the lathe, to run your mister while you blow off the QCTP and return it to where it belongs.
Kryn

Thanks gents. They offer free shipping over $99, so I think I just found my next project.

For outlet fittings I absolutely agree with BobL. Don’t buy cheap they are crap.
I’ve been really happy with these Nitto style “Sumake” brand ones. Not sure where I got these ones from (possibly Totaltools) but they work well.
Just push the male fitting in and they automatically lock. Push the collar back again and they spit the male out.
Coincidentally I’ve been bitching quietly to myself lately every time I used my hose reel connector as it had a very nice looking brass Nitto style fitting but it was almost a 3 handed operation. Hold the collar back, push in the fitting and then hold it there while the collar came back. Finally swapped with a Sumake one on my air receiver that hardly ever gets disconnected. Bliss.......
You can get them on eBay for around $40 for 5 so reasonably priced I reckon.



Steve

Originally Posted by OxxAndBert

Doesn’t sound like you’re needing big volumes of air, so I wouldn’t bother with adding copper line for cooler etc to start with as most of the moisture will condense out in the compressor tank.

Steve.

I'm not so sure. Given that Jack is running a small compressor with presumably a smallish receiver and also uses the air for spray painting it will mean that the compressor will be spending a fair percentage of it's time pumping and relatively little resting (cooling) time while spraying. I reckon any improvement to the condensing ability of the reticulated circuit would be a good investment.

Thanks - I actually missed the spray gun bit and only registered the duster and inflation requirements.
If there’s painting involved then obviously more air required and anything to help remove moisture is worthwhile.

Steve

Thanks. My compressor pretty much runs continuously when I’m spray painting.

To quote a sticker I saw on a plumbers van once many years ago.. Do it proper, use copper

Originally Posted by jack620

Gents,
I found this kit https://sydneytools.com.au/product/c...SABEgI3hPD_BwE

Chris, thanks for that link. The cheapest kit I had found was nearly double the price: https://rapidairsystems.com.au/produ...me-garage-kit/

Note that these guys also offer extra parts for expanding your kit,
and kits based around 3/4" pipe: https://rapidairsystems.com.au/produ...ne-master-kit/


I have been thinking about installing something like that for a while. The experts all say a large main pipe, maybe in a loop, and then smaller piped that drop down to your tool outlets. But, being cheap, I was tossing up an extra tank (a receiver) with small pipes, instead of large bore pipes.


P.S. This is a typical setup. The blocks are screwed onto your walls as a solid base for your quick connect sockets:
865031c0e3dc1310893094cb14388d76.jpg

Originally Posted by nigelpearson

Chris, thanks for that link. The cheapest kit I had found was nearly double the price:

No worries Nigel. That kit has fewer parts too, assuming the picture is accurate.