[PHSS]

So after 8 years of pain I get to switch from on crappy CNC milling machine to a Tormach. We are a small high school and I teach the drafting and metalwork programs. I recently took possession of a Tormach after we got a grant to our school. I was able to get all the bells and whistles, including ATC, power drawbar, Fog Buster and enclosure.

I am looking for ideas on how people have managed their air supplies to the various tools. I was thinking of making a manifold or something, and having the filter/lubricator that came with the mill package output into the manifold and then have a regulator from the manifold out to the ATC, drawbar, fogbuster, as well as my high speed air tool engraver, and an air wand.

Before I set off making anything, I was just wondering what you have done for ideas?

[Jim Dawson]

A manifold as you describe would be the way to do it. I would connect the air wand to shop air ahead of the regulator/oiler.

Or you could just do it like I have mine with air lines all over the machine, not really the best way to do it.

[Dozer56]

The push to connect type fittings and airline in 6 or 8 mm makes it easy to route lines cleanly and you can just chain a few T's together for a manifold, very inexpensive. I just ran it here on my PDB and koolmist and really like it. Or something like this is $8

[GLCarlson]

A supply manifold is the way to go. Best practice would be to use individual regulators. I built a small distribution manifold that hides on the back of the tool rack arm- doesn't need to be big.

One caution- don't use PVC. I've seen several high school shop air systems that did, probably for cost reasons. PVC isn't rated for that use -pressure vessel- and has been known to explode- the shards are very dangerous.

[kstrauss]

I have installed air plumbing on the ceiling of my shop using 1/2-inch iron pipe. By each machine I have one or more drops from the ceiling to perhaps 6.5 feet from the floor. Each drop has a regulator + water trap and a female quick connect. This allows me to easily change things or attach additional tools without turning off the entire shop. For example, I can quickly attach a small impact wrench to replace soft jaws in the vise. Everything is connected with coiled polyurethane hoses which keeps the setup reasonably tidy.

[RCaffin]

air plumbing on the ceiling of my shop using 1/2-inch iron pipe
Nice idea in principle, but around here (Sydney, Australia) we have very high humidity and wet compressed air, and there is always liquid water in all the lines. I worry you might get a lot of rust inside your plumbing after a while - which would play merry hell with everything else.
Have you checked the insides recently?

Cheers
Roger

[kstrauss]

Most of the year it is reasonably low humidity here plus I have water traps for each drop plus a dryer for the bead blast cabinet. Copper plumbing is rather expensive and the iron pipe walls are thick enough that I doubt that corrosion will be an issue in my lifetime.

[RCaffin]

It's not the plumbing I would worry about; it's where the rust goes that matters!
You don't have to use copper plumbing; you could use large-bore pnuematic hose instead. Could be a whole lot cheaper and easier to set up too.

Cheers
Roger

[109jb]

I had some left over PEX tubing from plumbing the house I built and used it for my shop air lines. It is rated to 160 PSI @ 73F and 100 PSI @ 180F. I only run the shop lines at 90 PSI.

[CadRhino]

What kind of water trap do you use and where did you get them?
Thanks

I have installed air plumbing on the ceiling of my shop using 1/2-inch iron pipe. By each machine I have one or more drops from the ceiling to perhaps 6.5 feet from the floor. Each drop has a regulator + water trap and a female quick connect. This allows me to easily change things or attach additional tools without turning off the entire shop. For example, I can quickly attach a small impact wrench to replace soft jaws in the vise. Everything is connected with coiled polyurethane hoses which keeps the setup reasonably tidy.

[kstrauss]

I have an assortment. There is a local junkyard that allows me to wander about and some local businesses occasionally dispose of serviceable used pneumatic components as scrap. I have purchased filters, lubricators, gauges, electric valves, etc. (mostly SMC branded) for $0.20/pound! See Air Control Unit Filter Regulator Lubricator Water Trap Compressor SMC Type | eBay for a typical (but Chinese made) unit. Note that both water and particulates are removed.

[popspipes]

Every plant I have worked in had steel pipe lines for air, there is usually some oil in the air as well as some water, rust didnt seem to be a problem in them.