I am old enough to be your grandfather, I remember when a 1957 Chevy was a brand new car. I was a flat rate mechanic in Tampa Florida in 1973. You taught me something Sonny and I just wanted to thank you for it. You're a smart young man, your Daddy should be proud of you.
I ran 1inch schedule 80 gray pvc 18 years ago. No problem yet. And surprisingly it has not rusted. It’s rated at 630psi at 75f and 140psi at 140f. I have a hydraulic oil cooler with an electric fan cooling the air prior to the tank. All my condensation is now drained at the tank drain.
Interesting, I like it. I mounted a couple of used vehicle AC condenser coils up in the overhead then followed with a condensate drain to cool and dehumidify my shop air. I lucked into 4, 50 foot rolls of 1/2" copper tubing at a garage sale one time so used that for plumbing my shop.
Another great video, thanks Garrett. One other suggestion, I learned first hand, from a whip line blow-out (a couple of times), the cheezy whips you buy dry-rot and crack, always use a hydraulic line from a farm supply store to isolate your compressors vibration/movement to the run lines. These never dry and crack, plus they're rated for 4000 psi and they're not really all that expensive, plus, you'll only do it once.
I have used an air cooled system in the past, they work ok, better than nothing. I now use water cooled system and it just works much better. Mine has 50 foot of 1/2 copper coiled into a 10 gallon barrel with a relief valve at the bottom in the water where water inside the line will collect and is pushed out automatically every time the compressor airs up. You just hear bubbles for 2 or 3 seconds or so after the compressor shuts off. The line from the compressor runs out in copper to a short high pressure/high temp stainless jacketed hose back to the copper tubing in the water barrel, back out to another short air hose and into my tank. I use 1 duel dryer for good measure but it has never shown any signs of moisture where when I ran air cooled the dryer still got a bit of moisture in it. Runs from the dryer uphill to my 1 regulator then T's out to 2 copper lines going to hose reels on each side of my shop. I have run this for about 5 years now and have never had any moisture at all in my tank. I actually scoped inside the tank last summer, it looks shiny and new inside, no rust whatsoever and I open the valve at the bottom of my tank periodically just to check, but have never seen a single drop of water come out. As for the water in the barrel, it has a nice sealing screw on top with slightly loose seals on the copper lines to allow a little air out of the barrel and I generally end up putting in about a gallon or 2 of water a month.
@@willowmobilesystems4008 If you constantly circulated air I would imagine larger water storage could be viable. But I generally use just a few air tools now and then. Only time I ever noticed the water get warm was when running a sand blaster for an extended amount of time, about 2 hours straight. Even then the water was just lukewarm.
An alternative idea that worked for me was using commercial truck air line. It was a much cheaper solution here in Ontario Canada. Great points on the heat exchanger and filters, often over looked.
@@LynxStarAuto You are correct, the biggest plastic air line on most trucks is 1/2 inch. The inside diameter would be closer to 3/4" PEX since PEX fittings are barbs that go inside the 3/4" ID tubing.
One thing to keep in mind, copper pipe won't rust, but it will build a patina, and that patina can break off and cause the same problems as rust breaking off. You mentioned the rapidair system which is great, but what I like even better is Infinity pipe, which is a powder coated rigid aluminum pipe system. Definitely more expensive than PEX, but worth it in my opinion.
At my garage door I have a hole poked through to the outside and an air outlet on the outside of my garage - protected by a utility box like my outlets. I have a leg down and a dump valve inside at that point so I can dump any moisture. I have a drop in the middle of my garage to a reel in the ceiling too so I don't have to drag the hose around much.
Hey Garrett, Like your videos. But, may I suggest you consider a couple things. A very old school way, used in countless auto body paint booths, for decades, was to take 3/4" copper coil water pipe and submerge it into a water bath. These are new construction service lines and generally come in 60' rolls. Then, create a blow down tee-connection just past the water bath. Now you have a cheap and efficient water cooled compressed air dryer. And frankly the best air dryers ain't worth a hoot if they are closer than 50' to the compressor. A dryer next to a compressor passes wet and hot air on thru. Second reason this solution should be considered is because each tight 90 deg. ell results in a 25% pressure drop on your air line. If you put a pressure gage at the front and another at the end of your apparatus the results will astound you. So always avoid ells if humanly possible. Hey, your production quality is outstanding.
i would put a pressure regulator/filter on a quick connect nipple on the input and a coupler on the output that way you only have to have one regulator / filter you can move it wherever you need regulated air i do like the dedicated regulator /filter on the sandblaster great vid
And for a heat exchanger i just used a power steering/ transmission cooler that had 3/8” tube.. works awesome.. right after i put a water/oil separator and its the lowest point on the compressor.. never had any water in the tanks..
Keep us posted on how much you use it and if there are any issues. Two potential problems is the retriction of airflow by using a 3/8 id tube of your cooler/heat exchanger. Many compressor outlets are 3/4 inch or 1/2 inch (if you are concerned about volume of air your system can deliver). Second is fatigue cracking from all the vibration ... I would think something automotive or heavy equipment repurposed would be robust enought to stand up to that kind of duty cycle. I have been considering doing something like this myself.
An air compressor after cooler might be a more efficient way to cool and dry air before hitting PEX lines. Planning a fan cooled radiator between the compressor and tank with a water separator. Should remove 80%+ of the moisture and nearly all the heat before air enters the tank.
thank you for sharing this video. I am setting up my system, but on a smaller scale than yours, and I learned a bit more on what and what not to do when constructing an air system. Others have also recommended PEX with the same cautions. If you would comment, what do you think of heat exchangers (basically automobile heaters) that are mounted to the air compressor itself. I have seen these on some DIY projects and the owners claim they do a good job of cooling the compressed air. Thank you.
Gave it a like as soon as you mentioned to never use PVC. Another thing to stay away from is CPVC. It suffers the same dangers as PVC, with the added concern that it is very susceptible to cracking when it is exposed to oils, such as might be included in air from an oil lubricated compressor.
I have been running PVC since 1987 with no issues. Having said that, my system only holds air when I'm using it, and I live in the south where temps never get below freezing (inside my garage). I probably wouldn't use it up north.
I used pvc in a 2400 s ft machine shop . This was 1977. no rust or galvanize particles in my nose. All air tools last longer. Just used it the other day. Minor breaks, but would do it again. More dangerous in the craft of compressing air is rusty exploding air tanks. Be cautious of old compressors. Some never drain the tank. You should learn how.
A simple almost no cost solution to protect the pex from uv, is the foil tape you use on HVAC systems, no need to wrap it, just run the tape down the length of the pipe. The aluminum foil blocks 100% of the UV
I have been airbrushing with my air compressor, and put a 12ft 1/4 inch coiled line between the air compressor and the filter/pressure regulator. The air compressor has about a 5% duty cycle, and after a few hours I fill the filter twice. We get high humidity along the gulf coast. When the filter was on the air compressor it gathered no water.
Happy new year! What can you teach us about drilling/building irrigation wells? Mind you, I'm in Florida, so my ground is sand, maybe clay, and limestone. Mostly sand.
Heat exchanger brilliant idea, I'm thinking that using a copper pipe with aluminum fins made for baseboard heating would be a neat alternative to your neat exchanger.
@@Challenged1 Purchase a standard hot water baseboard radiator one could optionally leave the radiator housing or use just copper pipe with its aluminum fins.
@@Challenged1 There's also the heat spreaders that are used for pex heating; not as good as a full radiator but inexpensive: www.houseneeds.com/heating/radiant-heat-pex-tubing/pex-pipe-aluminum-stamped-heat-transfer-plate-12-inch-htp-20m You could also install a temperature relay or alarm on the end in case the air temperature is too high at the end of your cooler, such as this cheap one: www.amazon.com/DZS-Elec-Temperature-Controller-Programmable/dp/B07K68JJY1/ Obviously a system which never fails is better, but you can save a ton of money with a system like yours; 99% of the time it stays within temp, and the remaining 1% you can know about it with an alarm. Probably the first step is to manually measure temps after heavy use, to see if this is even a problem to worry about in practice.
Also, I'm curious why you didn't do more of a home-run kind of system. Not having intermediate fittings which might leak seems like a nice plus, and pex-a is affordable enough this isn't out of the question.
Hey Garrett, I'm going to be setting up my own pneumatic system in my house soon and I am doing background research. One of the things I am looking at connecting up is a sand blasting cabinet. I was looking at FRLs, would it be bad to pre-lubricate air prior to entering the Sand blaster? I noticed yours went in prior to a regulator and filter but did not have a lubricator. Also, is lubricated air not good when you are filling up tires? I'm wondering if its better to just have a regulator and then pre-lubricate at the points where you are connecting up pneumatic tools, OR will the lubricated air work fine when filling up car tires
The main drawbacks to PEX in compressed air systems are its highest-rated burst rating is 200psi and the variability of manufacture. Frankly PEX is not uniform over a test batch even. with the PSI rating bouncing between 125-200. For me Lcopper is the best choice as its minimum PSI is 300. Easy choice.
Next time use HEAT PEX (for heating system work not the red for hot water lines) it has a higher burst rating and is much better than the reg water line pex
ALL pvc suffers from the same degradation and becomes brittle. You will have a failure and it will explode, it's not an if but a when. Stupidity, replace it with something appropriate.
@@michaelkey3915 mine has been there for 17 years and no blow out with 165 psi going through it everyday 10 hrs everyday big difference between pvc and cpvc
I guessed on the length. I know when the compressor is running a lot, the inlet to the heat exchanger is almost too hot to touch and the outlet is just slightly warm.
I've used blk iron pipe for yrs..for air..dad's shop built in 1959 had blk iron for air..never did we any issues in 45 yrs..in the automobile repair shop...with plex..tubbing..after about 10 yrs I've noticed it starts peeling from the inside out nearest to the comprsoir..from the heat..as u said heat not good ..copper is good , but vary expensive..to run ..lasty any time u run air lines ..you need to ad a drip leg with a ball valve to remove water build up..near the comprsoir, and any air plug in couper..also if u have an inground lift..air over oil.. use a drip leg..too ..befor air go,s into lift casing..il never use plex..only for water.use.. great video
True I only use it for my air tools and my inground lift..here at home ..I have drip legs at my air filter unit....I hope it catches anyrust..ty ..I have a filter unit at the comprsoir..air exiting near the tank .and at the air hose hook up..near my lift controls .to raise my car up..
If you are wanting to use iron/steel pipes and worried about the rust I personally wouldn't. Either your compressor requires oil abd you can add inline oilers for your tools or it's going to rust as fast as your tank will. I'd rather see the pipe go before having a huge tank explode.
I just worry about using pex for a compressed air just because of the uv exposure making them brittle. But i guess if one did blow out it wouldnt be that big of a deal , ive had air hoses blow on me and itll make ya jump but isnt as bad as youd think itd be..
Isn’t your heat exchanger in the wrong place? The air coming out of the compressor is hot and full of water, but the way you’ve got it configured that hot wet air is going straight into the tank. In the tank the air cools and the water falls to the bottom of the tank. The air coming out of the tank when the compressor isn’t actively running has already cooled and there’s not heat to exchange. It makes a lot more sense to have the hot, wet air coming out of the compressor plumbed into the heat exchanger first so it can do it’s job, then send that dried air into the tank. That way you’ve pulled all of the water out of the system before it ever gets to the tank.
You have a good point. As I was watching the video my critical thinking kicked in. Yes, the air coming off of the COMPRESSOR is quite hot. It's hot enough to melt closed cell or expanded bead foam. At the tank the air is still warm but the tank is a large heat sink and helps cool the air it contains. The only way truly hot air is going to come out of the tank is in the case of very high air consumption as with continuous sandblasting where the compressor runs continuously for an extended period. I once worked in an airplane hangar that had a big two stage compressor with a 5 hp 3 phase motor and a 100 gallon tank. The air coming out of the tank was no longer hot. Warm, perhaps, but the air temperature in the hangar was pretty warm, too, at 95° of Gulf Coast heat. My personal compressor has a 25 gallon tank and probably 1.5 to 2 real horsepower (it's 4 "Craftsman horsepower" but you can't get 4 HP out of a 20 amp 120 VAC breaker). As the compressed air leaves the tank it expands as it's used, which cools the air. I'm not convinced that the copper heat exchanger is doing as much as the author thinks.
Installing a 60 gallon air compressor. Using it to power a 4 post vehicle lift, impact wrench, and potentially other handheld tools. No painting, sand blasting, plasma table, etc. Would you even worry about copper after cooler given my application? Would Pex alone be good enough? Thanks for your video and feedback. I really appreciate it.
The drop legs should be before the regulators/quick connects (using a T and 12 inches of pipe running to a purge valve/cock. You designed your system for the water to drop into your regulator /tools.
@@davek6630 I must have misunderstood what you were talking about. If you are talking about the walls, they are separate from the trusses. Since these are old chicken coup trusses, the drop leg of the truss sticks out further horizontally at the top than the bottom which makes walls tough to build. Basically, the trusses are the roof system, and then walls were framed more traditionally so I could maximize space.
Cool idea, but don't true aftercoolers take the air directly off the compressor head, before entering (and expanding) inside the tank? It would be my understanding that this is how condensation begins. Probably more effective to go compressor to cooler, to tank, then feed the air lines that run thru the shop. Just my 2¢.
Why does no one plumb the heat exchanger before the tank? The pressure switch is mounted in the tank, or another mounted to the exchanger line. With a soft whip and the tank mounted after the exchanger, the tank should never see moist air at all as the temperature will be lower, and lower air temp is at less pressure for given volume than hot air. Something to think about
Why didn't you just use maxline piping so you don't have to worry about UV, its dirt cheap. Better safe than sorry. and you could have used a electrical timer water and condensation auto drain. Instead of make that huge manifold. Thanks Mate👍
On the radiator section , is that really that useful? The compressed air in the big tank will give off its heat via the tank body as it sits there, so most of it is already at ambient. For what ends in the pipe, it cannot cool further than just above the temp up there under the garage roof , which is likely warm especially in summer. So what is it getting you in reality? Is the compressor heating up the air that much?
The copper at the beginning of the radiator is hot to the touch when the compressor is running something like my blast cabinet. The copper at the end of the radiator is cool to the touch, so it's dropping 20-30 degrees.
You can use it, but the pressure drop per foot will be greater than that of 3/4". If you aren't putting huge loads on the system, it will probably be fine.
I own a millwork shop with many machines including a large cnc router, several 80 gallon compressors, spray rig, etc. When I first moved into the building the previous tenant had already installed 3/4” pvc airlines with about 8 ports around the entire perimeter of the building, about 400 feet of line. I could tell by looking at them they were very old and had been installed in the building for many years already. I was skeptical about using them as I thought the same thing as you. I am not advocating installing them. However I will say there has not been a single problem or blow out since I have been in the building now which has been about 5 years. The pvc lines had been there at least 10 years prior to that. I’ve had way more tires blow out on my car in that time (and potentially far more dangerous than an air line break). Based on your recommendation I shouldn’t drive on tires since it’s not a matter of if a tire will blow, but when. I keep the air compressor pressure at/below 115 psi, which is plenty for 99% of any shop applications. So don’t be stupid. But don’t talk like you are an expert either since clearly a shop with our capacity using pvc airlines without a single problem seems to contradict your premise. I’m not saying this is ideal. Just that there are valid opinions.
How many comments have pointed out that your Heat Exchanger needs to be hooked up between your compressor and tank? Unless you're using it to cool your shop I mean.
Someone explain this air cooling idea please. Iv never seen it before in any setup and can only think of a few rare ocations that could happen or even would be a problem. 1. The tank is under preasure right? so the air in there cools down quickly.. meaning whenever you go to use the air you are using cold air unless you empty the whole tank = not often 2. Worring about condensation in the air system is solved by emptying the tank once every 6 months, at most.. or having a water bleed valve that does this autoatically.. 3. what system is damaged by this "hot air" ? where would you use air that could damage the thing u are blowin on or into that takes damage from hot air? or marginally condenced air? Honestly I hope someone can explain this
1) The air will cool in the tank, but not enough to release all of the moisture in it. Regardless of how much air is stored/used, only a percentage of the moisture will be left in the tank. 2) It is recommended to drain your tank after each use. Look up "Air Compressor Explosion" here on CZcams.. These explosions are caused by water left in the tank which in turn causes the inside of the tank to begin to rust. When the rust deteriorates the structural integrity of tank, or the welds on the tank, the tank becomes susceptible to explosion because it drastically reduces the tank's pressure rating. 3) Some examples include plasma cutters, sandblasting cabinets, paint sprayers, etc. Moisture in the air not only shortens the lifespan of this equipment, but also reduces the quality of its performance drastically.
Apologies if covered as I didn't listen to whole video, but in your intro you mentioned some PEX downsides, however - the most important one and the reason our local AHJ told me he will not approve ANY plastic air lines is fire. PEX and others will soften and fail really quickly, then the compressor is just a nice oxygen source feeding your fire locally and accelerating it (try it, it's fun with 150 cfm at 135 psi). If this is not enough for you, polyethylene, even cross-linked, is susceptible to creep (exacerbated by temp). Heavy use of air tools will lead to lines warming up and creep at the higher pressures (125-135 psi), failing more quickly than copper. Go stainless or copper only (shut-down chemical plants or food processors typically have SS available for salvage fairly inexpensively.)
@@Challenged1 Good idea, not something I could do as certain pieces of equipment need to be continuously pressurized. If we ever did have a fire and AHJ hadn't approved system then our insurance would have been invalid. Aloha!
@@geoffwood2712 It's interesting to think about the fire issue. Say a person has a retractable reel permanently mounted like what I showed in my video or a whip hose going from the compressor to the system, these would burn the same as pex and cause the same issue. Any idea if they have objections to those or even just having a hose plugged in?
@@Challenged1 Kind of like electrical inspections - appeared to only apply to the permanent installation, what you plug into system after the fact was never discussed (and we certainly didn't want to bring it up!) It is a concern as we have to leave our press bladders pressurized. Here the compressor was hard-piped to dryer and then to air systems.
@@geoffwood2712 Gotcha. If I didn't have all the pex leftover, I probably would have bought a large roll of copper and done it all that way. If I ever upgrade my compressor to a higher pressure unit, I'll definitely make the switch.
@@Challenged1 You are correct. I was just referring to the max to avoid going over. Thinking about running this in my shop. Good video!! In reality the max would be lower, youre right.
@@joshlepley3725 When I'm running the heck out of my compressor, it's pretty incredible how hot the tank gets. I've done the feel test on my copper heat exchanger and it's really hot at the beginning and close to ambient temp at the end of it. I was amazed how effective it was.
@@Challenged1 i was getting at most people wouldnt need it. Somebody like you who might be running the hell out of it would be good... But i think most people would be fine without it.
Why didn't you put a transmission cooler in between the air compressor pump and your tank? Most ppl try and cool down the air before the tank. Holly hell, talk about over thinking something and placing the cart after the horse. I cool my air down right away straight out of the air compressor pump before it hits the tank. I also have a coper manifold vertical with only 2 runs with moisture catches and ball valves at the bottom of each. Lastly, at the end of my air lines at the bottom a ball valve drain. 6 inches higher is a T that goes to air outlets for my retractable hoses. This has proven to be extremely dry air for many years and no need for cheap drier beads. Tip use 1 size larger pipe than your flexible shop hoses.... that's really the trick. Hope this helps you. PEX is cool idea but understanding air volume versus air friction is hilariously over looked. Old timers cry lol at set ups these days.
Mr. Ski - Just curious, what size tube comes out of compressor? What size are fittings and tube for your trans fluid to air cooler (liquid to air heat exchanger)? Have you every measured air temps at compressor outlet, trans cooler outet, storage tank outlet and at the dryer/filter/regulators where hose reels are attached? I like the idea of taking water out of the air that is compressed before it can accumulate in the tank, hoses or elsewhere in the system but a concern is does a trans cooler have enough surface area on inside of tube to allow water to condense during the brief period of time it is exposed before it enters the storage tank? Is supplemental airflow required to do the job? When operating in a truck there is significant airlow across cooler required for it to work effectively. I would love to go to school on the designs of others but to know if these things work the temp data is really needed.
Never use PEX for air supply! Same as using PVC. The pressure holding capability of PEX drops significantly as the temperature rises. Hot air from a compressor in use can raise the temp of the supply line to or above it's failure point.
A compressor after cooler installed before the tank can mitigate that. Fan cooling the radiator will remove nearly all the heat before the air hits the tank.
Nope. Copper and pex plumbing fittings are not designed to carry compressed air like this. Best just to stick to air hoses and fittings. If I had to use pipe, I would keep to threaded pipe fittings. I've seen copper solder joints crack and blow off, and pex for compressed air sounds like a bad idea.
I keep seeing this copper pipe and all those $150 double dryer things... think yall waste $ ....I work on large yachts, the painter has it down with a simple solution.....if your pushing 150 lbs just use 100 to 150 ft of 1" PVC (sch40 good to 270 lbs, if above 75 degrees might go to 215 bursts at 1450) and use a Motor Guard filter. even better the filters are cheap, sounds weird but just use a roll of toilet paper and rip off about 20 layers and use that in the filter..... Think about this....the guys been doing this for well over 30 years, using high end ( AwlGrip) paint spraying 1 or 2 million dollar yachts no problems !!! the filter case is $80 on Amazon, 1" PVC is less than by an easy 80%... you can use 3/4" pvc just ran a little more. has a just less than 10% more pressure and burst factor. My opinion is just too much hype over this whole thing, the yacht paint is no fool and a smart man and well quality is his key to success.
PVC and compressed air is an eventual bomb. When it eventually fails, you get rapidly propelled shrapnel. Water doesn't compress much, so when PVC fails containing water, it doesn't propel the shards like air does. Metal pipe, PEX, etc. tend to fail by cracking, but otherwise stay intact.
I had a plasma cutter the filter looked like 1/2 roll of blue toilet paper. I just pick up a 15-year-old Binks filter all aluminum looks like 20 layers of paper towels will work in it. plastic mesh is all that was left inside. we only run 60 PSI on this $5000. cutter. tips last 2x if air is dry. thanks for the tip, dude.
I am old enough to be your grandfather, I remember when a 1957 Chevy was a brand new car. I was a flat rate mechanic in Tampa Florida in 1973. You taught me something Sonny and I just wanted to thank you for it. You're a smart young man, your Daddy should be proud of you.
Thank you for the kind words. BTW, the 1957 Chevy is my favorite car!
UV light no problem, paint it.
Job done.
I ran 1inch schedule 80 gray pvc 18 years ago. No problem yet. And surprisingly it has not rusted. It’s rated at 630psi at 75f and 140psi at 140f. I have a hydraulic oil cooler with an electric fan cooling the air prior to the tank. All my condensation is now drained at the tank drain.
Interesting, I like it.
I mounted a couple of used vehicle AC condenser coils up in the overhead then followed with a condensate drain to cool and dehumidify my shop air. I lucked into 4, 50 foot rolls of 1/2" copper tubing at a garage sale one time so used that for plumbing my shop.
That's a great idea and great find at the garage sale!!!
Run the air from the compressor, to the exchanger, then to an auto drain, then to the tank.. Nice system!
Another great video, thanks Garrett.
One other suggestion, I learned first hand, from a whip line blow-out (a couple of times), the cheezy whips you buy dry-rot and crack, always use a hydraulic line from a farm supply store to isolate your compressors vibration/movement to the run lines. These never dry and crack, plus they're rated for 4000 psi and they're not really all that expensive, plus, you'll only do it once.
Good Point!!! My whip lines are hydraulic lines as well
Great planning and execution of the shop air system. Gave me some ideas I'll be implementing.
I have used an air cooled system in the past, they work ok, better than nothing. I now use water cooled system and it just works much better. Mine has 50 foot of 1/2 copper coiled into a 10 gallon barrel with a relief valve at the bottom in the water where water inside the line will collect and is pushed out automatically every time the compressor airs up. You just hear bubbles for 2 or 3 seconds or so after the compressor shuts off. The line from the compressor runs out in copper to a short high pressure/high temp stainless jacketed hose back to the copper tubing in the water barrel, back out to another short air hose and into my tank. I use 1 duel dryer for good measure but it has never shown any signs of moisture where when I ran air cooled the dryer still got a bit of moisture in it. Runs from the dryer uphill to my 1 regulator then T's out to 2 copper lines going to hose reels on each side of my shop. I have run this for about 5 years now and have never had any moisture at all in my tank. I actually scoped inside the tank last summer, it looks shiny and new inside, no rust whatsoever and I open the valve at the bottom of my tank periodically just to check, but have never seen a single drop of water come out. As for the water in the barrel, it has a nice sealing screw on top with slightly loose seals on the copper lines to allow a little air out of the barrel and I generally end up putting in about a gallon or 2 of water a month.
a TEN gallon barrel? Do you ever need to worry about cycling the water due to heat transfer from the air?
@@willowmobilesystems4008 If you constantly circulated air I would imagine larger water storage could be viable. But I generally use just a few air tools now and then. Only time I ever noticed the water get warm was when running a sand blaster for an extended amount of time, about 2 hours straight. Even then the water was just lukewarm.
An alternative idea that worked for me was using commercial truck air line. It was a much cheaper solution here in Ontario Canada. Great points on the heat exchanger and filters, often over looked.
That's an interesting idea that I haven't heard of. Thanks for sharing!!!
@@Challenged1 Because the air line can be purchased in spools of various lengths and the fittings in bulk, it was very cost efficient.
@@johnroethel5527but they come in the proper diameters? I've never seen 3/4 air line on a truck.
@@LynxStarAuto You are correct, the biggest plastic air line on most trucks is 1/2 inch. The inside diameter would be closer to 3/4" PEX since PEX fittings are barbs that go inside the 3/4" ID tubing.
One thing to keep in mind, copper pipe won't rust, but it will build a patina, and that patina can break off and cause the same problems as rust breaking off. You mentioned the rapidair system which is great, but what I like even better is Infinity pipe, which is a powder coated rigid aluminum pipe system. Definitely more expensive than PEX, but worth it in my opinion.
At my garage door I have a hole poked through to the outside and an air outlet on the outside of my garage - protected by a utility box like my outlets. I have a leg down and a dump valve inside at that point so I can dump any moisture. I have a drop in the middle of my garage to a reel in the ceiling too so I don't have to drag the hose around much.
Hey Garrett, Like your videos. But, may I suggest you consider a couple things. A very old school way, used in countless auto body paint booths, for decades, was to take 3/4" copper coil water pipe and submerge it into a water bath. These are new construction service lines and generally come in 60' rolls. Then, create a blow down tee-connection just past the water bath. Now you have a cheap and efficient water cooled compressed air dryer. And frankly the best air dryers ain't worth a hoot if they are closer than 50' to the compressor. A dryer next to a compressor passes wet and hot air on thru. Second reason this solution should be considered is because each tight 90 deg. ell results in a 25% pressure drop on your air line. If you put a pressure gage at the front and another at the end of your apparatus the results will astound you. So always avoid ells if humanly possible. Hey, your production quality is outstanding.
i would put a pressure regulator/filter on a quick connect nipple on the input and a coupler on the output that way you only have to have one regulator / filter you can move it wherever you need regulated air i do like the dedicated regulator /filter on the sandblaster great vid
Hockey Pucks work great for compressor feet/vibration dampers
Ive used ppr pipe for the last 6 yrs. No problem ever since
And for a heat exchanger i just used a power steering/ transmission cooler that had 3/8” tube.. works awesome.. right after i put a water/oil separator and its the lowest point on the compressor.. never had any water in the tanks..
Keep us posted on how much you use it and if there are any issues. Two potential problems is the retriction of airflow by using a 3/8 id tube of your cooler/heat exchanger. Many compressor outlets are 3/4 inch or 1/2 inch (if you are concerned about volume of air your system can deliver). Second is fatigue cracking from all the vibration ... I would think something automotive or heavy equipment repurposed would be robust enought to stand up to that kind of duty cycle. I have been considering doing something like this myself.
Nice setup, thanks for sharing. :-)
An air compressor after cooler might be a more efficient way to cool and dry air before hitting PEX lines. Planning a fan cooled radiator between the compressor and tank with a water separator. Should remove 80%+ of the moisture and nearly all the heat before air enters the tank.
thank you for sharing this video. I am setting up my system, but on a smaller scale than yours, and I learned a bit more on what and what not to do when constructing an air system. Others have also recommended PEX with the same cautions. If you would comment, what do you think of heat exchangers (basically automobile heaters) that are mounted to the air compressor itself. I have seen these on some DIY projects and the owners claim they do a good job of cooling the compressed air. Thank you.
As long as they could take the pressure, I think it would be a great idea.
Gave it a like as soon as you mentioned to never use PVC.
Another thing to stay away from is CPVC. It suffers the same dangers as PVC, with the added concern that it is very susceptible to cracking when it is exposed to oils, such as might be included in air from an oil lubricated compressor.
I have probably 100 foot of PVC pipe in my shop for my airline system and I have never yet had a problem
I have been running PVC since 1987 with no issues. Having said that, my system only holds air when I'm using it, and I live in the south where temps never get below freezing (inside my garage). I probably wouldn't use it up north.
I used pvc in a 2400 s ft machine shop . This was 1977. no rust or galvanize particles in my nose. All air tools last longer. Just used it the other day. Minor breaks, but would do it again. More dangerous in the craft of compressing air is rusty exploding air tanks. Be cautious of old compressors. Some never drain the tank. You should learn how.
A simple almost no cost solution to protect the pex from uv, is the foil tape you use on HVAC systems, no need to wrap it, just run the tape down the length of the pipe.
The aluminum foil blocks 100% of the UV
Yeah but that would look like pure crap.
great video
I have been airbrushing with my air compressor, and put a 12ft 1/4 inch coiled line between the air compressor and the filter/pressure regulator. The air compressor has about a 5% duty cycle, and after a few hours I fill the filter twice. We get high humidity along the gulf coast.
When the filter was on the air compressor it gathered no water.
You hit the nail on the head. The filter needs to be as far as possible from the compressor.
Happy new year! What can you teach us about drilling/building irrigation wells? Mind you, I'm in Florida, so my ground is sand, maybe clay, and limestone. Mostly sand.
Happy New Year!!! I don't have much knowledge into drilling wells. I just hire that out.
Heat exchanger brilliant idea,
I'm thinking that using a copper pipe with aluminum fins made for baseboard heating would be a neat alternative to your neat exchanger.
Excellent idea. Where does one get something like that in long lengths?
@@Challenged1 Purchase a standard hot water baseboard radiator one could optionally leave the radiator housing or use just copper pipe with its aluminum fins.
@@mackfisher4487 Makes sense
@@Challenged1 There's also the heat spreaders that are used for pex heating; not as good as a full radiator but inexpensive:
www.houseneeds.com/heating/radiant-heat-pex-tubing/pex-pipe-aluminum-stamped-heat-transfer-plate-12-inch-htp-20m
You could also install a temperature relay or alarm on the end in case the air temperature is too high at the end of your cooler, such as this cheap one:
www.amazon.com/DZS-Elec-Temperature-Controller-Programmable/dp/B07K68JJY1/
Obviously a system which never fails is better, but you can save a ton of money with a system like yours; 99% of the time it stays within temp, and the remaining 1% you can know about it with an alarm. Probably the first step is to manually measure temps after heavy use, to see if this is even a problem to worry about in practice.
Also, I'm curious why you didn't do more of a home-run kind of system. Not having intermediate fittings which might leak seems like a nice plus, and pex-a is affordable enough this isn't out of the question.
This is insane. Just searching for shop ideas here... Hey, Garrett.
Hey buddy!!! I have all kinds of ideas.
Congrats on your success with your music!!! I plan to stop at one of your shows when I'm down south some time.
Do you drain the air compressor of air after each day of use or just shut it off but leave the air in the system?
Hey Garrett, I'm going to be setting up my own pneumatic system in my house soon and I am doing background research. One of the things I am looking at connecting up is a sand blasting cabinet. I was looking at FRLs, would it be bad to pre-lubricate air prior to entering the Sand blaster? I noticed yours went in prior to a regulator and filter but did not have a lubricator. Also, is lubricated air not good when you are filling up tires? I'm wondering if its better to just have a regulator and then pre-lubricate at the points where you are connecting up pneumatic tools, OR will the lubricated air work fine when filling up car tires
Nice set up. Also curious on what regulator/ dryer your using ??
The main drawbacks to PEX in compressed air systems are its highest-rated burst rating is 200psi and the variability of manufacture. Frankly PEX is not uniform over a test batch even. with the PSI rating bouncing between 125-200. For me Lcopper is the best choice as its minimum PSI is 300. Easy choice.
Next time use HEAT PEX (for heating system work not the red for hot water lines) it has a higher burst rating and is much better than the reg water line pex
My dad had a PVC airline system in the garage and kennel for the last 28 years still no issues
I used cpvc pipe works great 👍
ALL pvc suffers from the same degradation and becomes brittle. You will have a failure and it will explode, it's not an if but a when. Stupidity, replace it with something appropriate.
@@michaelkey3915 mine has been there for 17 years and no blow out with 165 psi going through it everyday 10 hrs everyday big difference between pvc and cpvc
@@charliesgarageusa4986 mine has been in for 30 years and no blow outs
Mines been in for 28 years. Two stage compressor at 150 PSI
Cool setup. One question, why not have a regulator at the tank and set it to 90 or so, then the rest of system is under less stress?
Personal preference. I find I get less volume through the system if the regulator is far away from the hose.
I spy a nice C10 project in your shop!
Good eye!!! 72 shortbed needing stupid amounts of work. Hoping for that to be a father/son project as he grows older (he's about to turn 5)
@@Challenged1 love it. I finished my 72 about 2 years ago. They ate fun trucks!
Yep I have seen pvc pipe explode bet it looks kind like it is being cut on a power saw
Have you measured the temperature delta in your heat exchanger? How did you calculate the length for your system?
I guessed on the length. I know when the compressor is running a lot, the inlet to the heat exchanger is almost too hot to touch and the outlet is just slightly warm.
I've used blk iron pipe for yrs..for air..dad's shop built in 1959 had blk iron for air..never did we any issues in 45 yrs..in the automobile repair shop...with plex..tubbing..after about 10 yrs I've noticed it starts peeling from the inside out nearest to the comprsoir..from the heat..as u said heat not good ..copper is good , but vary expensive..to run ..lasty any time u run air lines ..you need to ad a drip leg with a ball valve to remove water build up..near the comprsoir, and any air plug in couper..also if u have an inground lift..air over oil.. use a drip leg..too ..befor air go,s into lift casing..il never use plex..only for water.use.. great video
Black iron rusts like crazy. Galvanized creates white slime corrosion.
It's lasted over 45 yrs blk iron piping ..
@@stepheneggert7388 The piping does, but your equipment/paint gets rust in it.
True I only use it for my air tools and my inground lift..here at home ..I have drip legs at my air filter unit....I hope it catches anyrust..ty ..I have a filter unit at the comprsoir..air exiting near the tank .and at the air hose hook up..near my lift controls .to raise my car up..
I thought pex was for water, and maxline piping was for air? Thanks Mate☺👍
If you are wanting to use iron/steel pipes and worried about the rust I personally wouldn't. Either your compressor requires oil abd you can add inline oilers for your tools or it's going to rust as fast as your tank will. I'd rather see the pipe go before having a huge tank explode.
I just worry about using pex for a compressed air just because of the uv exposure making them brittle. But i guess if one did blow out it wouldnt be that big of a deal , ive had air hoses blow on me and itll make ya jump but isnt as bad as youd think itd be..
The real question is, where is the UV coming from? If you route it correctly, it shouldn't ever be a problem
How long does it take for UV from overhead lights to create a hose blow situation? All big box stores have fluorescent lighting.
@@Pterodactyl-kn3ve Most nowadays have LED fixtures. I don't know on the length of exposure though.
Isn’t your heat exchanger in the wrong place? The air coming out of the compressor is hot and full of water, but the way you’ve got it configured that hot wet air is going straight into the tank. In the tank the air cools and the water falls to the bottom of the tank. The air coming out of the tank when the compressor isn’t actively running has already cooled and there’s not heat to exchange. It makes a lot more sense to have the hot, wet air coming out of the compressor plumbed into the heat exchanger first so it can do it’s job, then send that dried air into the tank. That way you’ve pulled all of the water out of the system before it ever gets to the tank.
You have a good point. As I was watching the video my critical thinking kicked in. Yes, the air coming off of the COMPRESSOR is quite hot. It's hot enough to melt closed cell or expanded bead foam. At the tank the air is still warm but the tank is a large heat sink and helps cool the air it contains. The only way truly hot air is going to come out of the tank is in the case of very high air consumption as with continuous sandblasting where the compressor runs continuously for an extended period. I once worked in an airplane hangar that had a big two stage compressor with a 5 hp 3 phase motor and a 100 gallon tank. The air coming out of the tank was no longer hot. Warm, perhaps, but the air temperature in the hangar was pretty warm, too, at 95° of Gulf Coast heat. My personal compressor has a 25 gallon tank and probably 1.5 to 2 real horsepower (it's 4 "Craftsman horsepower" but you can't get 4 HP out of a 20 amp 120 VAC breaker). As the compressed air leaves the tank it expands as it's used, which cools the air. I'm not convinced that the copper heat exchanger is doing as much as the author thinks.
Installing a 60 gallon air compressor. Using it to power a 4 post vehicle lift, impact wrench, and potentially other handheld tools. No painting, sand blasting, plasma table, etc. Would you even worry about copper after cooler given my application? Would Pex alone be good enough? Thanks for your video and feedback. I really appreciate it.
I hate moisture in my tools, so I'll always say to go copper first. You'd be fine either way
@@Challenged1 Thanks for the advice.
@@Challenged1 Did you use type M or type L copper pipe? Thanks again.
@@chadpotter565 M
if i have a refrigerated air dryer for my rotary screw compressor do I need to worry about the heat?
I wouldn't worry about it
The drop legs should be before the regulators/quick connects (using a T and 12 inches of pipe running to a purge valve/cock. You designed your system for the water to drop into your regulator /tools.
The main drop leg is on the left side of the copper radiator well before any of the regulators.
What he is referring to is you constantly mention the water running back down to your low points which are the regulators.
One thing no one realize is your heat exchanger will work a lot better if it's between the pump and tank.
You are correct, it's just more complicated to plumb. So far, it's worked great
Gary question:
Did you do a blower door test on your home?
No. It would be interesting to do though.
I like your air system! Interesting shop trusses! It looks like the vertical upright framing is installed backwards?
It would appear, but they aren't. You'd have to see the attachment points up close for it to make sense.
@@Challenged1I’ve never seen it done like that and it just looked odd and seams to take up lots of space. But I guess some engineer knows better! 😂
@@davek6630 I must have misunderstood what you were talking about. If you are talking about the walls, they are separate from the trusses. Since these are old chicken coup trusses, the drop leg of the truss sticks out further horizontally at the top than the bottom which makes walls tough to build. Basically, the trusses are the roof system, and then walls were framed more traditionally so I could maximize space.
@@Challenged1 ok that makes sense!
airplane hangar trusses are like that sometimes.
Cool idea, but don't true aftercoolers take the air directly off the compressor head, before entering (and expanding) inside the tank? It would be my understanding that this is how condensation begins.
Probably more effective to go compressor to cooler, to tank, then feed the air lines that run thru the shop.
Just my 2¢.
I agree
3/4" PVC has a 400psi rating. Tjis has not failed in 9 years running 4 hoses in the shop
Why does no one plumb the heat exchanger before the tank? The pressure switch is mounted in the tank, or another mounted to the exchanger line. With a soft whip and the tank mounted after the exchanger, the tank should never see moist air at all as the temperature will be lower, and lower air temp is at less pressure for given volume than hot air. Something to think about
Did you solder or braze the copper tube?
solder
Why didn't you just use maxline piping so you don't have to worry about UV, its dirt cheap. Better safe than sorry. and you could have used a electrical timer water and condensation auto drain. Instead of make that huge manifold. Thanks Mate👍
On the radiator section , is that really that useful? The compressed air in the big tank will give off its heat via the tank body as it sits there, so most of it is already at ambient.
For what ends in the pipe, it cannot cool further than just above the temp up there under the garage roof , which is likely warm especially in summer.
So what is it getting you in reality? Is the compressor heating up the air that much?
The copper at the beginning of the radiator is hot to the touch when the compressor is running something like my blast cabinet. The copper at the end of the radiator is cool to the touch, so it's dropping 20-30 degrees.
Is 3/4 inch really required . Can 1/2 inch copper pipe be used i have alot of those .
You can use it, but the pressure drop per foot will be greater than that of 3/4". If you aren't putting huge loads on the system, it will probably be fine.
I own a millwork shop with many machines including a large cnc router, several 80 gallon compressors, spray rig, etc. When I first moved into the building the previous tenant had already installed 3/4” pvc airlines with about 8 ports around the entire perimeter of the building, about 400 feet of line. I could tell by looking at them they were very old and had been installed in the building for many years already. I was skeptical about using them as I thought the same thing as you.
I am not advocating installing them. However I will say there has not been a single problem or blow out since I have been in the building now which has been about 5 years. The pvc lines had been there at least 10 years prior to that. I’ve had way more tires blow out on my car in that time (and potentially far more dangerous than an air line break). Based on your recommendation I shouldn’t drive on tires since it’s not a matter of if a tire will blow, but when.
I keep the air compressor pressure at/below 115 psi, which is plenty for 99% of any shop applications. So don’t be stupid. But don’t talk like you are an expert either since clearly a shop with our capacity using pvc airlines without a single problem seems to contradict your premise. I’m not saying this is ideal. Just that there are valid opinions.
How many comments have pointed out that your Heat Exchanger needs to be hooked up between your compressor and tank? Unless you're using it to cool your shop I mean.
It works incredibly well as it is.
Your cooler setup would work better if you use it as a after cooler before it goes in your tank. Look it up I promise you won’t regret it
You should of sheeted your wall before putting your air line up first. It will be hard now.
Could you share more about your 3/4" whip hose please? I am having a heck of a time finding one rated for the proper pressure. Thanks!
Hydraulic hose
You need a bigger compressor.😂
2 stages..
Someone explain this air cooling idea please. Iv never seen it before in any setup and can only think of a few rare ocations that could happen or even would be a problem.
1. The tank is under preasure right? so the air in there cools down quickly.. meaning whenever you go to use the air you are using cold air unless you empty the whole tank = not often
2. Worring about condensation in the air system is solved by emptying the tank once every 6 months, at most.. or having a water bleed valve that does this autoatically..
3. what system is damaged by this "hot air" ? where would you use air that could damage the thing u are blowin on or into that takes damage from hot air? or marginally condenced air?
Honestly I hope someone can explain this
1) The air will cool in the tank, but not enough to release all of the moisture in it. Regardless of how much air is stored/used, only a percentage of the moisture will be left in the tank.
2) It is recommended to drain your tank after each use. Look up "Air Compressor Explosion" here on CZcams.. These explosions are caused by water left in the tank which in turn causes the inside of the tank to begin to rust. When the rust deteriorates the structural integrity of tank, or the welds on the tank, the tank becomes susceptible to explosion because it drastically reduces the tank's pressure rating.
3) Some examples include plasma cutters, sandblasting cabinets, paint sprayers, etc. Moisture in the air not only shortens the lifespan of this equipment, but also reduces the quality of its performance drastically.
Not sure if I missed it, but the copper is 3/4", so is all the pex 3/4" too? Was not sure about regulator inlet size as well. Thanks!!
Copper is 3/4" and part of the pex is 3/4". The pex does neck down to 1/2" on part of it. I think the regulators are 3/8"
$150 in copper or a $40 oil cooler.
Where can I get the CRT with VHS and DVD combo? I can re-sell it to a museum as a dinosaur so I can afford to plumb my entire shop in copper.
Apologies if covered as I didn't listen to whole video, but in your intro you mentioned some PEX downsides, however - the most important one and the reason our local AHJ told me he will not approve ANY plastic air lines is fire. PEX and others will soften and fail really quickly, then the compressor is just a nice oxygen source feeding your fire locally and accelerating it (try it, it's fun with 150 cfm at 135 psi). If this is not enough for you, polyethylene, even cross-linked, is susceptible to creep (exacerbated by temp). Heavy use of air tools will lead to lines warming up and creep at the higher pressures (125-135 psi), failing more quickly than copper. Go stainless or copper only (shut-down chemical plants or food processors typically have SS available for salvage fairly inexpensively.)
Good info. I turn off/close the main shutoff valve after every day of use, so the fire risk should be minimized.
@@Challenged1 Good idea, not something I could do as certain pieces of equipment need to be continuously pressurized. If we ever did have a fire and AHJ hadn't approved system then our insurance would have been invalid. Aloha!
@@geoffwood2712 It's interesting to think about the fire issue. Say a person has a retractable reel permanently mounted like what I showed in my video or a whip hose going from the compressor to the system, these would burn the same as pex and cause the same issue. Any idea if they have objections to those or even just having a hose plugged in?
@@Challenged1 Kind of like electrical inspections - appeared to only apply to the permanent installation, what you plug into system after the fact was never discussed (and we certainly didn't want to bring it up!) It is a concern as we have to leave our press bladders pressurized. Here the compressor was hard-piped to dryer and then to air systems.
@@geoffwood2712 Gotcha. If I didn't have all the pex leftover, I probably would have bought a large roll of copper and done it all that way. If I ever upgrade my compressor to a higher pressure unit, I'll definitely make the switch.
you could have just used rhe run of copper the whole way as your radiator
PEX is good up to 200psi. That heat exchanger is a little unnecessary
Depends on the temperature. PEX drops off quickly with heat
@@Challenged1 You are correct. I was just referring to the max to avoid going over. Thinking about running this in my shop. Good video!! In reality the max would be lower, youre right.
@@joshlepley3725 When I'm running the heck out of my compressor, it's pretty incredible how hot the tank gets. I've done the feel test on my copper heat exchanger and it's really hot at the beginning and close to ambient temp at the end of it. I was amazed how effective it was.
@@Challenged1 i was getting at most people wouldnt need it. Somebody like you who might be running the hell out of it would be good... But i think most people would be fine without it.
😁✌🖖👌👍 😎
Why didn't you put a transmission cooler in between the air compressor pump and your tank? Most ppl try and cool down the air before the tank. Holly hell, talk about over thinking something and placing the cart after the horse. I cool my air down right away straight out of the air compressor pump before it hits the tank. I also have a coper manifold vertical with only 2 runs with moisture catches and ball valves at the bottom of each. Lastly, at the end of my air lines at the bottom a ball valve drain. 6 inches higher is a T that goes to air outlets for my retractable hoses. This has proven to be extremely dry air for many years and no need for cheap drier beads. Tip use 1 size larger pipe than your flexible shop hoses.... that's really the trick. Hope this helps you. PEX is cool idea but understanding air volume versus air friction is hilariously over looked. Old timers cry lol at set ups these days.
Mr. Ski - Just curious, what size tube comes out of compressor? What size are fittings and tube for your trans fluid to air cooler (liquid to air heat exchanger)? Have you every measured air temps at compressor outlet, trans cooler outet, storage tank outlet and at the dryer/filter/regulators where hose reels are attached? I like the idea of taking water out of the air that is compressed before it can accumulate in the tank, hoses or elsewhere in the system but a concern is does a trans cooler have enough surface area on inside of tube to allow water to condense during the brief period of time it is exposed before it enters the storage tank? Is supplemental airflow required to do the job? When operating in a truck there is significant airlow across cooler required for it to work effectively. I would love to go to school on the designs of others but to know if these things work the temp data is really needed.
Spend the money on covering those walls before the place burns down.
What size pipe do you use buddy?
3/4" for the main lines and 1/2" for the drops
Never use PEX for air supply! Same as using PVC. The pressure holding capability of PEX drops significantly as the temperature rises. Hot air from a compressor in use can raise the temp of the supply line to or above it's failure point.
A compressor after cooler installed before the tank can mitigate that. Fan cooling the radiator will remove nearly all the heat before the air hits the tank.
Nope. Copper and pex plumbing fittings are not designed to carry compressed air like this. Best just to stick to air hoses and fittings. If I had to use pipe, I would keep to threaded pipe fittings. I've seen copper solder joints crack and blow off, and pex for compressed air sounds like a bad idea.
I’ve had PVC in my shops for over 30 years. Zero problems. I understand the risk, but the probability is low.
Same here. Risk? Sure. Just like everything else in a shop.
black pipe is cheap man the cheapest one besides plastic
The moment I saw 90 degrees bends at multiple places, I said Nah! this video is not for me. Good luck.
I keep seeing this copper pipe and all those $150 double dryer things... think yall waste $ ....I work on large yachts, the painter has it down with a simple solution.....if your pushing 150 lbs just use 100 to 150 ft of 1" PVC (sch40 good to 270 lbs, if above 75 degrees might go to 215 bursts at 1450) and use a Motor Guard filter. even better the filters are cheap, sounds weird but just use a roll of toilet paper and rip off about 20 layers and use that in the filter..... Think about this....the guys been doing this for well over 30 years, using high end ( AwlGrip) paint spraying 1 or 2 million dollar yachts no problems !!! the filter case is $80 on Amazon, 1" PVC is less than by an easy 80%... you can use 3/4" pvc just ran a little more. has a just less than 10% more pressure and burst factor. My opinion is just too much hype over this whole thing, the yacht paint is no fool and a smart man and well quality is his key to success.
PVC and compressed air is an eventual bomb. When it eventually fails, you get rapidly propelled shrapnel. Water doesn't compress much, so when PVC fails containing water, it doesn't propel the shards like air does. Metal pipe, PEX, etc. tend to fail by cracking, but otherwise stay intact.
I had a plasma cutter the filter looked like 1/2 roll of blue toilet paper. I just pick up a 15-year-old Binks filter all aluminum looks like 20 layers of paper towels will work in it. plastic mesh is all that was left inside. we only run 60 PSI on this $5000. cutter. tips last 2x if air is dry. thanks for the tip, dude.
So full of it use pvc
Seems excessive