[Workingwoods]

Well, after pestering you guys with questions for the past month or so, I figured I should show you all what I ended up with. This whole rig is serious overkill for my current needs, but it'll have me covered for about anything else I decide to do in the future that needs air power.

Here's the Eaton compressor...5 HP twin cylinder single stage 60 gallon rig:



And a more detailed pic of the working parts:



Everything about this thing is oversized compared to any other 5 HP compressors I've seen. Here's the motor:



And here's the 1 1/2 HP motor on my bandsaw, as a comparison:



Here's the air drying rack. This pic was taken while I was pressure testing it during the installation, so the gauges and valves in shown are not the final configuration, but it's the only uncluttered photo I have of it.



And a more detailed shot of the moisture drops and much-discussed check valves:



The piping is under my bar clamp rack:



And a shot of the compressor in place. It's positioned this way to allow my skinny self to get to the clamps. (As a woodturner, I don't end up using the clamps very often.) I'm gonna have to move the vise on the bench.



The main regulator is a 3/4" Parker, mounted at the beginning of the drying rack:



Not far from the drying rack is one outlet for SWMBO to use for sweeping off the back porch. You can also see the drain valve that comes off the bottom of the drying rack. The gray box is a 40 amp disconnect for the compressor. Not really necessary, since the breaker is in the same room, but it wasn't a lot of extra expense, and it's easier to get to than the breaker box.



Then there's about 10' of overhead pipe going to a flex hose drop to my "air station".



The air station is mounted to a piece of scrap OSB that's attached to the side of a rolling steel cabinet at the end of my lathe, where 99% of my compressed air is used.



And a bit more detail of the air station:



I picked up the slightly-used Beach filter/dryer for about $50 on eBay. With the extra bleeder valve, it sells new for about $1000. I made up for it by using cheap HF mini-regulators at the two outlets. I can set one at about 85 PSI for my sander, and run the other one at about 120 to 130 PSI for my blow nozzle. I use the blower a lot removing chips and dust when hollowing out something like this:



I used the new rig last night for the first time. It almost makes sanding a pleasurable experience. The sander no longer slows down, and when the compressor is running, it doesn't wake the dead as my old portable compressor does.

Thanks again to all you guys who offered ideas and suggestions along the way. Let me know if I can help with any wood-related questions in the future.

[robs ss]

Looks like a really nice compressor, all your stuff looks good.

Rob

http://www.1969supersport.com

[oldred]

Amazing what a little attention to detail will do! I can imagine all sorts of good things about your woodworking skills.

[Workingwoods]

Thanks for the compliments guys. Oldred, I've still got a lot to learn when it comes to woodworking, but I paid for the air system with the proceeds from the last couple art shows I displayed (and sold) my work at. I have a decent day job as a tech writer, but the wood stuff helps pay for new tools.

[SteveU]

From the color of your lathe I would guess it is a Powermatic Check the air filters in your compressor, mine were a bit loose & I replaced them with wix 42719 filters which fit the housings real nice. For some reason I got mismatched filters with mine which didn't fit too well, glad I didn't do too much running with abrasive dust in the air but now it's not a problem. I think you will be happy with that setup,even running air hog tools I've never run out of air just made the compressor run a lot which it handles no problem. If you are really using a lot of air there is a constant run feature which keeps the heads a lot cooler but they say to only run it when your duty cycle is above 40%. Nice work on the turning, I have a Legacy ornamental mill that I want to start doing more with but haven't found the time

[Rambo_The_Dog]

Nice job - quality looking work!

The only thing you're missing is an automotic drain valve for the compressor tank.

[schnitz]

Originally Posted by Rambo_The_Dog

Nice job - quality looking work!

The only thing you're missing is an automotic drain valve for the compressor tank.

Close to perfect, but as far as safety goes, I'd like to suggest something like this...


In our main plant at work I've seen, heard, and had to try to hit the air shut-off a few too many times (more than 1 time is enough...) an air line that has been accidently bumped off from hose sections like are seen in pictures 11 and 12. Just one time of having one come off and being restrained and you'll be glad you have the cable restraint there. I got glancingly hit once by a 1 inch ID hose (without any restraint) at a full 120 psi. My leg was sore for over a month, and the bruise was still faintly there 6 months later.

Then just watch the video seen here... to see the difference between single and dual wire restraints. Scary stuff. And it's nothing that should be taken lightly.


In a while, Chet.

[Workingwoods]

Thanks for the suggestions Rambo and Chet.

Any recommendations for an auto-drain?

I don't think I've seen the hose restraints before, but they look like a good idea. Sort of like a fire extinguisher...one of those things you hope to never use, but you really appreciate having it when you do need it.

[SteveU]

Mine came with an auto drain right from Eaton so you could call them up & see what they're using & call around & compare prices. Realistically, unless you are using tons of air on a humid day you could just crack the ball valve at the bottom of the tank for a second or two at the end of the day & call it good. I only leave mine plugged in if I'm using a lot of air or just plug it for a second or two to do the same thing when I'm done on smaller jobs.