Black pipe or galvanized for shop air lines?

[LD1]

In industrial applications, black pipe is always used for the compressed air.

"Always" is a bold statement. And an incorrect one at that.

 

[Thompsen]

I did my shop in copper and have been very happy with the results. 84' of 3/4" along the top and four drops using 1/2". All my takeoffs rise vertically with a drain at the bottom of each drop.

 

[dragoneggs]

Looks good! And :welcome: to TBN! Amazing there is 113 posts and 8180 views on the subject, eh?

 

[4shorts]

I would caution against using copper if in an unheated building. Want to know why the hot water pipe freezes before the cold one? Metalworkers do. During normal use, expansion/contraction over the wider temperature range 'work hardens' the metal (google that term) & it becomes brittle, has less 'give' at the onset of freeze and splits. Copper is ductile, but water pipe is not pure copper and even that has its limitations

btw: Same applies to brass, so when you bury ammo in the yard make sure it's below the frost line. Split necks and case head separations can lead to cycling issues, and you could be zombie food before your MREs run out when you-know-what happens, & you know it will or there wouldn't be several $k of ordnance under the petunias.

I don't know 20 years ago I put type L copper lines through our shop. It's got 180psi on them all the time. No heat on at night and the temps get down pretty good here and never had one issue in the 20 years. If I had to do it all over again I do it the exact same way.

 

[mikehaugen]

Deleted

 

[chopped]

OK Ill bite. or more like nibble lol Whats with the fancy 'door latch' there. I assume its to pull the door in with? Interesting design....

I did my shop in copper and have been very happy with the results. 84' of 3/4" along the top and four drops using 1/2". All my takeoffs rise vertically with a drain at the bottom of each drop.

 

[Thompsen]

OK Ill bite. or more like nibble lol Whats with the fancy 'door latch' there. I assume its to pull the door in with? Interesting design....

It's an over-center type latch that sucks the door up against the jam after it's been slid into place. The door is about 12' x 12' and hangs from a track. It's a metal skinned door, with steel channel frame, 1.5" thick. The door and latch system were existing when I moved here but I added rigid foam panels between the frame members of teh door to insulate. The wood you see is 1/8" luan plywood that I skinned the inside of the door with to protect the rigid insulation. I then had to drill a hole in the luan so the latch could still reach in and catch the lip of the door. One thing leads to another and soon you have a very expensive shop remodel.

 

[setxjd]

After being a auto/motorcycle mechanic for almost 40 years, the best for the money in my experience has been black pipe. That being said, no matter what you need some method to drain at every low point. Also fairly cheap is an auto drain near tank, can set timer etc, depending on use. My issue with water has been the damage to very expensive air tools, even with daily air tool oil, enough water not only corrodes but I'm sure others have noticed overspeed when water hits. As you say, just another opinion. Haha

 

[ray66v]

Water and debris destroy tools. That is why, if you are serious, you need to invest in a drier.

Clean, dry air= happy tools, and quality paint jobs.

And, yes it is possible.

 

[kencunningham]

I work for a large pipe company and our cost difference between 3/4 type L hard and 3/4 s40 304L ss pipe is .29 cents per foot. The ss pipe being the higher price. Just to throw another option in the mix. The ss pipe can be butt welded for long runs without any additional cost for couplings, and the drops could be welded or threaded. 3/4 40 304L pipe has a burst pressure of 16,143 pounds, using a safety factor of four, the safe upper limit of daily working pressure would be 4,000 psi.