Places to purchase Milton air couplings in quantity to use when plumbing a new shop.

[Dan_69GTX]

In the new shop I'll running air line and I'll need to purchase a bunch of Milton couplers to put on each drop. Some will have the type "P", type "M", or both.

Looks like landmessertools.com is still about the cheapest place to get these and they are a great company to deal with. Do you recommend another place that would be good to get these from?

In the new shop I'll be using copper for the air line. I like copper because of the ease of changes/install and it has better heat dissipation to help condense any moisture in the air line. I was going to use 1", but I'll probably go with 3/4 in to save some $$ and then place my air tanks in different locations outside the shop. I have several 125 gal propane tanks I use for air storage. Compressor doesn't have to cycle as often and plenty of storage for bead/sand blasting. I run the line into the tank and then come out a different spot to help trap moisture and keep the air cool. I also use an old Modine heat exchanger after the compressor to cool the air before it reaches the lines going to the air tanks (instead of running hot water through the Modine heater I just run the air through it and let the fan pull air over the coils to cool the air running through it). In doing this I don't know the last time I ever found moisture in the filter before my main regulator I use. I modified the propane tanks to have a drain in the bottom to remove moisture. I've got over 400 gal of air storage.

 

[Timd32]

That sounds like a great set up, I read somewhere 50' of copper past the compressor is pretty good set up then do some headers off of that.

I want to do copper as well, figure just type M copper, 1" around here is cost prohibitive for sure the uptick out weights the benefit for me. I know nothing technical but I have all 1" at the house for my water, and it's pricey for the fittings if you don't have a resource and they are not locally stocked around me.

They have come such a long way with the shark bite connectors they have air rated ones now, its not shark bite brand. But they have some really good ratings. I would just sweat them.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Thanks! I didn't know that there were shark bite style couplings rated for air. You are right - too expensive for major use. I plan on sweating all connections. I'm wondering if it would be worth going to some form of plastic line inside and use copper to "cool" the air between tanks.

Eastwood has this for $250
https://www.eastwood.com/3-4-in-professsional-compressed-air-line-kit.html

However, I can get 3/4" type L copper for 1.80/ft (maybe cheaper in bulk) which would be cheaper than eastwood plastic and more durable.

Are you aware of any plastic that can hold the pressure of an air line - max 175 psi. Temp range of whatever it is outside max, down to 40 degree winter time. I looked at PEX, but working pressure with the max temp is too low. Besides, the ID of 3/4" Pex is too much smaller than the ID of 3/4 copper - especially if I'd use the in-line pex ball valves.

I thought about limiting the pressure of the air line in the shop, but that is too much of a pain since certain tools require more pressure (tire changer for example).

 

[Jim W]

Dan, have you done any Goggle activity looking for non-metallic systems?

I did a simple search and found this site called Rapid Air they do commercial and home garage workshops. The plastic tubing is limited to 150PSI at 70DEG with a min/max temps of -40 to 180F.

See the attached link. https://www.rapidairproducts.com/rapidair-home-garage

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Jim - Thanks for the link. Yes, that is the same product in the Eastwood link. Haven't spent much time looking for the cheapest place to buy since it appears to be so close in price to what I can get copper for. And it is only rated for 150 psi, where the tire changer requires 175 (for the really tough to replace tires).

 

[TFucili]

Interesting that they have rigid aluminum rated to 190, also.

https://www.rapidairproducts.com/shop/fastpipe/fastpipe-19-8-blue-aluminum-pipe

 

[Jim W]

Dan, if you went to the industrial side of the link you will find that the plastic tubing is rated for 200PSI @ 73F and 160PSI @ 140F. This is slightly more at $219.99 for the 1/2" line kit. The industrial side also sells plastic tubing in the following IDS also 3/4 and 1 and up to 2". Where the home garage kit is $139.99 for ½ size only. But wouldn’t the industrial plastic tubing still be cheaper than Copper tubing and all of the connectors and fittings required.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Dan, if you went to the industrial side of the link you will find that the plastic tubing is rated for 200PSI @ 73F and 160PSI @ 140F. This is slightly more at $219.99 for the 1/2" line kit. The industrial side also sells plastic tubing in the following IDS also 3/4 and 1 and up to 2". Where the home garage kit is $139.99 for ½ size only. But wouldn’t the industrial plastic tubing still be cheaper than Copper tubing and all of the connectors and fittings required.

My Bad! - I didn't look at it other than glancing at the link you sent. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

I'll have to get pricing on the fittings for the copper and go from there. I can get plumbing supplies at my employer cost - much cheaper than big box stores. So, time to do some calculations.

Hmm wonder life expectancy of rubber house compared to the plastic stuff. 50 cents per foot. I've been using 1/2 " hose from the compressor to the copper for years and never replaced it (no UV exposure). That would be very easy to run and modify.

 

[mwilson]

Don't overlook the Parker plastic air line used on commercial vehicles....

https://www.parker.com/literature/Parflex/4660-1120.pdf

 

[BoeingDiesel]

Have you calculated you calculated CFM demand under maximum use?

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Yes, - max air consumption is about 15-17 CFM. That would be the blast cabinet or the sand blaster.

Why do you ask?

 

[Timd32]

I was doing some CFM debate on my system, agree on the blast cabinet was also the largest CFM requirement for sustained use. Its something I was considering due to some of the duty cycles on the compressors I was looking at.

Found this article from Quincy.

https://www.quincycompressor.com/all-about-compressed-air-piping-systems/

If your Cu fittings are a good price, the Cu is hard to beat from what I was finding, all roads led to Cu on my home build. Sounds like you have a soild plan either way you go.

 

[BoeingDiesel]

Yes, - max air consumption is about 15-17 CFM. That would be the blast cabinet or the sand blaster.

Why do you ask?

Pipe sizing is critical when moving large amounts of gas or liquid media. I was kind of under the impression that you would be running multiple tools, etc that may exceed your mention of using 3/4" copper tube. My company engineers gas, steam, water systems etc and was going to offer some suggestions...but using 3/4" may work fine. I might mention that nozzle size for sand increases CFM demand e.g. 1/8" nozzle rated at 24 CFM...1/4" 96 CFM @ 90 PSI.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Pipe sizing is critical when moving large amounts of gas or liquid media. I was kind of under the impression that you would be running multiple tools, etc that may exceed your mention of using 3/4" copper tube. My company engineers gas, steam, water systems etc and was going to offer some suggestions...but using 3/4" may work fine. I might mention that nozzle size for sand increases CFM demand e.g. 1/8" nozzle rated at 24 CFM...1/4" 96 CFM @ 90 PSI.

Thanks for the info! 3/4 copper should be fine. Yup - I have several nozzle sizes to compensate for air supply. I don't think the plastic 3/4" would be ok since the ID is just over 1/2 inch. Copper 3/4 is what I use in my current small shop. Being the new shop is 3+ the size, my concern is air flow/loss over the distance, which is why I'm considering staggering my air storage around the outside (literally and figuratively) of the shop. Years ago I ran a 3/4 black pipe about 100' and the loss was too great for the sand blaster, so I added air storage at that end to solve that. My current compressor is rated at just over 23 CFM at 175 PSI. If, for whatever reason I'd exceed that, I'll attach to the system my PTO driven air compressor I made. If I run out of air then.....something major is going to break (or broke).

 

[Cummins12V98]

I like these push to connect units.

 

[Jim W]

Dan did you check out the link that I provided. The industry 3/4 plastic tubing is .80ID and there is a Flow RateCalaculator for you to size your equipment and air flow needs. This is under products and prices in the header.

 

[Wayne M.]

Dan, looks like nobody answered your question about couplings. I haven’t dealt with landmesser in a while, but I’d bet they’d have the best deal and probably one of the only sources for genuine Milton brand stuff.
I think I like the 3/4 copper idea. How will you hang/ support this if you decide this route?

 

[Wayne M.]

I wanted to get some pictures first before I explain what the city buys, so here it is. It’s made by Parker, called EZ mate. It’s a female venting coupler that takes the common short male (I believe type M).

When you connect, the black ring pops up, and when you twist the silver ring, air is delivered.

Connected.

To release, twist the silver ring to the left, and that vents the tool. Then pull back the black like any other coupler.
Pretty trick but not cheap.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Jim - Yes I did glance at it. The "maxline" 3/4"ID tubing is 1.74 per foot. And the fittings are expensive so I'll be staying with copper. Thanks for the link - helps to make a decision.

Wayne - got any part numbers for those fittings? They look similar to what we use at the fire dept for the high pressure air lines (for vehicle extraction stuff).

How I plan on hanging it - not much thought on it yet, but most likely with a tubing strap that has a screw hole on each side of the pipe. That is what I use now.

Of course first I need to finish studding out, wire, insulate, etc the garage.

 

[Wayne M.]

Dan, that one has an internal number, but I found Parker’s data sheet. Here

https://www.parker.com/Literature/Q..._sections/EZ Series-Catalog 3800_SectionA.pdf