Air compressor set ups

[furz4]

I just got my new 60 gallon upright off the truck and into the garage and am thinking about how I want to set this up. Should I bolt it down or leave on the pallet, do I want to build it it's own little room? I will probably have to rearrange some anyway so I would love to see or hear what everyone has been doing with thier compressor set ups. I am looking forward to retiring my noisy direct drive 5 horse craftsman, it has served me well but broke a rod again.

 

[earthmover]

leave it on the pallet and put it in its own room.. all the noise will run you crazy when you run it to those hard times.....I have my comp. setting out side with a top over it...makes a world of diff. to me...

 

[clhyer]

Good questions you've asked. A couple things I did that have & have not worked out so well.
I left mine on the pallet. Good move, when I needed access to the belt I was able to spin it around.
I have mine in a 5' x 10' tool room. Bad move (in Georgia). Thinking it would be great to shut the door because even my 60 gal. is noisy, it promptly heats up the room. Hot air = water in the tank, big time. To combat this I installed a fan in the ceiling to bring outside air in and cool the compressor and I never close the door. Not a problem in the winter, but a problem in the summer even with the fan on.
I have a quick coupler on the compressor and hook into the shops hard line with a short piece of hose with a quick coupler. Good move, see above.

You didn't ask anything about plumbing hard lines, so I guess you have that done or figured out already.
C

 

[Wolfy2U]

I worked in a garage where the guy had the compressor in a crate outside next to the building. Ran pvc piping all around the garage with drop down hook ups with drains at the bottom of each drop down. Worked out really well, could hook up a hose wherever it was needed.

 

[furz4]

I have some hard line for old compressor already and two long hoses one on reel, my garage is only 18x20 so I probably wont run much for additional lines. I might add an outside one though. Here in Iowa I am worried about having compressor outside it can get pretty cold and plenty humid some winters, but summer is hot as hell too so a little room while fine in winter may be problematic here in summer as well.

 

[6pk2goDemon]

Drill holes in hockey pucks and mount them under the compressor feet to absorb vibration.

 

[ducter]

Just reading this thread, figured I would offer my input even though its a bit late. I have a 60 gallon upright as well and have painted a few cars with mine but always suffered with moisture at some point or another. Did some reading and heres what solved it for me giving me best I can tell good clean dry air.

I moved the compressor to the corner in my garage, got a 3 foot whip connection that goes from the compressor to 3/4 inch iron pipe about 30 foot long that runs down one side of my garage and turns and runs back up the garage attached to the rafters slightly angled away from the compressor. A few feet from the end of the run of pipe I have a T connection that runs up almost a foot then back down...you know what, this is getting hard to explain lol..let me find an image explaining it. I have a filter where I hook up my air lines and I can say the last car I painted I did not have any moisture issues. My garage is not long enough for a solid straight run like in the image which is why mine lines u turn back up again.

You really dont want to use pvc as it does get brittle over time and you run the risk of running into it, whacking it with something etc., pvc flys like shrapnel when it breaks because it can explode when struck if under pressure. Matter of fact its a major code violation in most parts of the country...really not a good idea to use it. They do make a plastic pvc type piping thats made just for air compressors but is costly.

 

[nuttyprof]

Use a section of hydraulic hose between the tank and the hard lines. It will handle the pressure no problem and isolates the piping from vibration.

 

[Newf]

Use a section of hydraulic hose between the tank and the hard lines. It will handle the pressure no problem and isolates the piping from vibration.

Hydraulic will work, but even better if you can find a local air line/hose fitting center they can make you up a custom length for your setup. I went with a copper coil on the wall spaced one inch and also left the compressor on the pallet. If you go with copper you need to use the right type for the pressure you are using as well it wouldn't hurt to do a hydrostatic test on it with water to at least 1.5 times the compressor rating. I choose to go the copper route for coolling effect as well as good water trap followed by a branch for air tools(one with an oiler see pic) and further tees off to a dessicant dryer for the painting/blasting that I will be doing. Hope this helps.

Cheers

 

[ducter]

and further tees off to a dessicant dryer for the painting/blasting that I will be doing. Hope this helps.

Cheers

I imagine you know already, but for those that don't never use the air line you used with an oiler for painting as you will get oil in your paint. Always have a hose that's clean for painting.

 

[moparmat2000]

I cant let my compressor chug away to all hours of the night outside i live in the city limits. I have a 60 gallon upright, and i attached it to a 1/2" thick square 2'x2'aluminum plate, with rounded corners and sears tool box castors underneath. I removed the drain petcock and threaded in brass tubing along with a brass elbow, and a small ball valve with a length.of hose. I can open the ball valve with hose positioned out my door to blow out the moisture. I have a.10 foot whip.hose connecting the compressor to the air manifold in my shop, and a 10 foot long electrical cord to my compressor. Its parked near my garage door. I wheel it outside and close my door when im working during the day, and wheel it back in at night. With the castors locked it doesnt walk around at all. Plus the plastic in the wheels insulates.from the noise.

Works good for me.