How much power for the shop

Tim9 said:
I seldom have more than one machine running at a time. If I’m welding, the lathes or mill isn’t running. i don’t have a big compressor anymore. Not really running a lot of air tools. I use air to supply the air gun more than anything else. So a little Makita compressor has been more than sufficient for me. I have a 100 amp sub panel in my shop. I have more than what I need in my opinion. My Miller 211 is more than happy. Now, if I had a 5000 sf shop...yeah, I’d have a 200 amp serviced. But I’d also have climate control in at least 1500 sf of it too.
FWIW... I just found some real narrow air supply line which is designed for air cylinders. I’m probably going to run some copper pipe on the ceiling and branch down with the poly lines to supply my air guns at each machine. I’m tired of tripping over the damned air hose.
Click to expand...

You might want to try the Rapid Air system for your shop. It's relatively inexpensive and a starter kit comes with enough tube and fittings for 2 outlets. I bought 2 starter kits for my shop from our local farm store when they were on sale for $69.00 each. It took about a day to install all the outlets and plumb them to the compressor.

Here's a link to the system I purchased. They do go on sale from time to time.

RapidAir 1/2in. 100ft. Master Compressed Air Piping Kit, Model# 90500 | Northern Tool

The RapidAir 1/2in. 100ft. Master Kit is a compressed air piping system designed for automotive and woodworking shops, trailers or home garages. Us...
www.northerntool.com www.northerntool.com
 
projectnut said:
You might want to try the Rapid Air system for your shop. It's relatively inexpensive and a starter kit comes with enough tube and fittings for 2 outlets. I bought 2 starter kits for my shop from our local farm store when they were on sale for $69.00 each. It took about a day to install all the outlets and plumb them to the compressor.

Here's a link to the system I purchased. They do go on sale from time to time.

RapidAir 1/2in. 100ft. Master Compressed Air Piping Kit, Model# 90500 | Northern Tool

The RapidAir 1/2in. 100ft. Master Kit is a compressed air piping system designed for automotive and woodworking shops, trailers or home garages. Us...
www.northerntool.com www.northerntool.com
Click to expand...

That is an interesting system. Limit of run from compressor to the farthest point must be 50 feet or less. The hose ID is 3/8" which is comparable to a rubber air hose. Depending on how you install it, would be fine for a very small shop as long as you can protect the lines.

A couple of concerns I have with something like this and these are just my concerns as I have designed and built several commercial shops:

1) There will be a pretty good loss of pressure over the length of the PEX type hose. Then you you will have the length of rubber hose from the bib to the tool. This will also effect the flow of air.

2) Having the PEX type hose exposed also puts you at risk of damaging/puncturing the hose and if you have every been near a hose/pipe that lets go it is not a good place. I was lucky once when a ABS pipe was hit by a cylinder head being put on the bench next to me by a coworker. Luckily, I had a face shield on because I was grinding at the time. Still hurt like hell.

3) No where in the system that they are dipicting do they provide water drains. Moisture builds up in air systems as the compressed air cools. We all know this. Generally one would expect the water to remain in the tank but it doesn't. When I have designed air systems I run the lines high on the wall horizontally then drop to the outlet but carry the line at least 2 feet below the bib. I then terminate the extension with a drain value, usually a ball valve. I have also added drop lines with drain valves near the compressor to act as distrillery cooling tubes, usually copper to help remove the moisture before it reaches my tools.
 
A lot of great thoughts provided here. Thank you very much. Has given me a lot to think about and a lot of questions that I will need to pose to the electricians and county in the planning stages once we have identified the property.
 
I used 1/2 id rubber air hose from HF to plumb my shop air. I just cut it to length and installed barbed tees and fittings with hose clamps as required. This the same hose you would have on the floor walking on dropping things on etc. I ran it along the very corner of the wall and joists so it is hard to get to with anything that might damage it, and there is a clamp at every joist so that if it is cut or punctured, the whipping snake is not very long. I ran all 1/2 lines to reduce pressure drop, My shop is only a 20 x 30 basement and a lot of that is taken by furnace, water heater, washer, dryer, laundry tub.
But now I think I will need to add some drains, I never thought of that. Simple, just a few more barbed fittings and hose clamps
 
That is an interesting system. Limit of run from compressor to the farthest point must be 50 feet or less. The hose ID is 3/8" which is comparable to a rubber air hose. Depending on how you install it, would be fine for a very small shop as long as you can protect the lines.

A couple of concerns I have with something like this and these are just my concerns as I have designed and built several commercial shops:

1) There will be a pretty good loss of pressure over the length of the PEX type hose. Then you you will have the length of rubber hose from the bib to the tool. This will also effect the flow of air.

I have one outlet approximately 40' from the compressor without any problems of pressure or volume loss. The feed line runs along a joist and drops to the outlet. There is over 50' of Nylon tube if you include right angle turns and the vertical sections. The basic kit comes with 100' of tubing

2) Having the PEX type hose exposed also puts you at risk of damaging/puncturing the hose and if you have every been near a hose/pipe that lets go it is not a good place. I was lucky once when a ABS pipe was hit by a cylinder head being put on the bench next to me by a coworker. Luckily, I had a face shield on because I was grinding at the time. Still hurt like hell.

As mentioned earlier the main line runs along a joist with drops to the outlets. The outlets in my shop are all about 6' off the floor. Each has a quick connect fitting and a coiled hose. There is another quick connect fitting at the operator end. The only outlet that's near a bench is on the wall . The bench itself is 36" wide so there's little chance of running into a feed line.


3) No where in the system that they are dipicting do they provide water drains. Moisture builds up in air systems as the compressed air cools. We all know this. Generally one would expect the water to remain in the tank but it doesn't. When I have designed air systems I run the lines high on the wall horizontally then drop to the outlet but carry the line at least 2 feet below the bib. I then terminate the extension with a drain value, usually a ball valve. I have also added drop lines with drain valves near the compressor to act as distrillery cooling tubes, usually copper to help remove the moisture before it reaches my tools.

There is a drain on the compressor, a dryer just down stream, and a drain at each outlet. If you look at the parts list it includes a manifold, outlets, and fittings. The drains are some of the fittings included. About the only additional items needed are the quick connectors, and the brackets to hold the line to the wall or ceiling.
 
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Well we all have our own ideas when it comes to air systems. I am not saying that anyone is doing it wrong, as it is obvious that there are many ways to skin the cat in this situation.
 
projectnut said:
You might want to try the Rapid Air system for your shop. It's relatively inexpensive and a starter kit comes with enough tube and fittings for 2 outlets. I bought 2 starter kits for my shop from our local farm store when they were on sale for $69.00 each. It took about a day to install all the outlets and plumb them to the compressor.

Here's a link to the system I purchased. They do go on sale from time to time.

RapidAir 1/2in. 100ft. Master Compressed Air Piping Kit, Model# 90500 | Northern Tool

The RapidAir 1/2in. 100ft. Master Kit is a compressed air piping system designed for automotive and woodworking shops, trailers or home garages. Us...
www.northerntool.com www.northerntool.com
Click to expand...
I really like the Rapid Air system. And I’d go that route if I have my “dedicated shop” but.... I’m kind of in the mindset that everything I’m doing now is temporary. What I have now is small...just half a carport. Plus, I moved in my mothers house because she’s up in age now and just needed help. So it’s like I always have this feeling that sometime in the next year or three....I’m going to have to move when she passes. Because my siblings are going to want me out so they can sell the house. It is what it is.
So.... I’m just going to go with what I have. I have the copper...have the poly hose...and the entire run to both lathe and mill is less than 20‘
 
Tim9 said:
I really like the Rapid Air system. And I’d go that route if I have my “dedicated shop” but.... I’m kind of in the mindset that everything I’m doing now is temporary. What I have now is small...just half a carport. Plus, I moved in my mothers house because she’s up in age now and just needed help. So it’s like I always have this feeling that sometime in the next year or three....I’m going to have to move when she passes. Because my siblings are going to want me out so they can sell the house. It is what it is.
So.... I’m just going to go with what I have. I have the copper...have the poly hose...and the entire run to both lathe and mill is less than 20‘
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear of your mothers failing health.

Your run is so short you could run a single hose to the tool you are using for now. But, it is hard not to want to make those improvements.
 
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