Air compressor fittings?

[russ57]

So,  a friend donated his spare 2hp air compressor to a good cause (ie,  me... :-) ).  It was reputed to have a fault,  ie,  didn't run.  However that turned out to be a hidden circuit breaker. 
My problem now is that I need hose,  tools and fittings.  I'm a bit confused as to what is usually used,(in australia) what the difference between 'nitto'  jaco, is,  etc.

I'm planning to put the compressor under the floor of my 'shed'  run a 5m hose to a convenient place and have an outlet 'fixed'  so I can plug in a recoil type hose for light use,

Any good references which explains fittings?  Also,  what have you found to be the most useful tools?  Thinking duster,  die grinder,  small abrasive blaster, inflation and maybe small spray gun.

Thanks

-russ

[PekkaNF]

Guaa....different fixings irk me to no end. Specially, when I visit anotherer garage. Therefore I have a little box filled with fixing assortement and one short airhose I screw in an offending fixing to make an adapter. I chose one preffered type that works and bought a box of receptables or whatever they are.

However, I'm allergic to cheap hoses. One of my friend paintted a car and forgot to unplug one el-cheapo hose. When he returned, one side of the car was whipped with a broken hose. Also, I have those spiral ones, all cheap ones failed on me, before they caused any real damage. There must be good ones too, but I haven't got any. Hard colorful plastic one fails on winter.

I think a pipe should be inclined and equiped with a condense cock at the lowest point. There must be somewhere standard how to bolt them on the wall. My friends just use plenty good fixings near outlets to avoid stress induced fractures. I'm still using hoses that I unplug after use. Only problem is that I have four long hoses each hung on different parts of my small property. Probably a pipe would be a whole lot more efficient use of space.

Pekka

[stig]

From my own experience I found that its not advisable to mix paint lines with tool lines. The tool lines are better off with an inline oiler to protect the inner workings of the tools whereas oil is the last thing you want in a paint line. i found it better to split the system as it leaves the tank with an isolator valve on the tank and each of the individual lines. That way I can close off the whole lot or each individual line when not required. As said, you'll need a moisture trap (especially in the paint line) This line doesnt need to be a serious inner diameter as you'll not be needing high pressures at the end of it, coiled lines are OK but a PIA if you're trying to walk around a car with wet paint on the panels.
Tool lines are best with a larger inner diameter. i found to my cost when setting up the shop that small bores dont pack the necessary oomph to be able to run nut guns and sand blast cabinets...most coiled lines have small inner diameters. the tools turn but dont have the pressure behind them to work correctly
When choosing fittings try to keep to a single type PCL thats readily availalbe and local to you...it'll make life a hell of a lot easier when swapping over tooling
hope this helps
Paul

[awemawson]

I've run 25 mm blue MDPE around my various buildings close to ceiling height, and underground between them, and then have 'drops' to where I need the air. Each drop has it's own tap and a q/d fitting. If something needs an oiler it fits inline. I have isolating valves at strategic points for testing and maintenance so I don't have to depressurise the whole system.

This arrangement has several advantages:

Firstly my main compressor, a Hydrovane, sits in a Portakabin outside the main workshop, so although it isn't as noisy as a conventional compressor, what noise it does make isn't intrusive when I'm head scratching

Secondly when I'm using my blasting cabinet the main compressor is ok for small stuff, but for bigger and longer lasting jobs I have a 'road compressor' sitting outside the welding shop with a handy 3/4" large bore q/d that connects it into the main 'air trunk' that allows me a greater volume of air very easily

And thirdly, the significant length of 25 mm pipe ( probably about 100  metres) greatly adds to the storage of air in the system and I suspect outnumbers that stored in the compressor receiver.

When I put all this is I was extremely diligent searching out and curing the slightest leak, and now it will stay pressurised for weeks on end. The Hydrovane is permanently powered up and only 'off' if it's pressure switch says it should be. I did fit a running hours clock to the hydrovane to check it's not running all night and bankrupting me !

I have an air drier in the line from the hydrovane, but normally it is powered down, and I only bring it into use if I'm paint spraying as it's rather power hungry.

[Jonny]

Second Stig stick with a common PCL.

You don't say the capacity of the tank, even so trying to power a small bead blaster would render that motor permanently running and having to keep waiting for pressure to build up. I had a spare 1.5hp when main compressor went down, I forget the tank capacity but motor permanently ran and had to wait around half the time for it to build back up. 3hp you could get away with running at a lower pressure relying on regged pressure in the tank.
Die grinders much the same.
Currently run a 3hp 90 litre and plan on plumbing in additional storage of my old 3hp 45 litre.

3/8" bore has transformed bead blasting and just going to have an hour session now. Avoid the handheld units you will be there all day doing 6" square.

[Arbalist]

Use the most common fittings available in your area, they'll be cheaper and easier to get hold of.

I've found a small blasting cabinet very useful.

[russ57]

Thanks all for your comments.  I went with the 'nitto'  style,  for 3 reasons - seem to very common around here,  a little research indicates nitto offers slightly higher airflow than others,  and the clincher,  I visited aldi for groceries and discovered special of the week is 'air tools'  - all with nitto fittings!

[Arbalist]

Excellent! Glad you're sorted.

[DavidA]

Andrew,

...I've run 25 mm blue MDPE around my various buildings close to ceiling height, and underground between them,...

Don't you get problems with condensation causing water to collect in the pipe at the low points between the buildings ?

Dave.

[awemawson]

No, not so far and it's been in place for 5 years. When doing critical stuff like spraying paint I run my air drier for a bit to clear the pipe work.

[John Stevenson]

Andrew is being very modest here.
His main workshop is just outside Hastings in the UK, his spray shop is in Calais, France and the underground bit he speaks of is the 22 miles of the Channel Tunnel. 

[Pete W.]

Andrew is being very modest here.
His main workshop is just outside Hastings in the UK, his spray shop is in Calais, France and the underground bit he speaks of is the 22 miles of the Channel Tunnel. 

Now then John, you shouldn't exagerpate!          

[awemawson]

Good heavens man not France

Did you not know I've mined the Channel Tunnel, and as soon as UKIP win I'm pressing the button