Thanks in advance!
@Domo welcome to the forum! I’m also in central VA, C’ville area. Lots of great info and people in here that are extremely helpful.
-Dan
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@Domo was going to pm you the way your profile is set up or being a new user for some reason it won’t let me.
i was going to pm you to keep clutter down on this thread… oh well.
so my air set up i have a 7.5 hp 80-gallon compressor that for tightwad reasons i slowed my speed down 20% i did at one time have a aftercooler pre tank. i have a aftercooler post tank with a water separator and fan that now sees a of moisture after removing the pre tank cooler. then a refrigerated air dryer then a bead cell dryer with filter to catch the dust from the beads. this hits a airline system that has drop lines around my garage i have 2 30-gallon dry air tanks for storage and to keep pressure drops down from the dryer setup and long lines. i pull air for my table plasma and powder coating gun out of one tank that has a filter to catch any dust that may be in the dry air tank.
my setup isn’t fancy doesn’t need to be. just sit down and think before you spend money on unnecessary stuff.
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It made sense to me to use a condensing coil from an air conditioner to condense water vapor.
Phone one of your local HVAC companies this is the time of year when they’ll be switching out lots of equipment. I’m sure they’ll have some old units that are pumped down, tagged and ready to go to the scrap yard. in particular I’d look for American standard or Trane units with the spline fin coil.
I am also not an engineer.
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@danbrown Hey, I’m about 45min west of Richmond in Powertan 
I love the C-ville/Nelson area! I’ve spent a fair amount of time in that area hiking, camping, dirtbiking, whitewater kayaking over the years. My son and I geared up and took up snowboarding this past winter; many trips to Wintergreen were had!
@Phillipw Thank you for that! Yeah, I need to pause any more spending until I really wrap my head around what I want to accomplish, and as you said, it just needs to be effective. I’m going to peruse a many of threads and ideas in this forum before going hog wild. You mention powdercoating… damn, that will be my next great adventure if I can get my current project buttoned up and running smoothly! Did you build your oven?
I took a look at my settings and found that PM’s are allowed, maybe I am still in a probation/vetting stage, we’ll see.
@TinWhisperer Man, GREAT idea on getting with HVAC co’s to snag an old unit! It’s that time of year no doubt and the company that serviced us last year is a mom/pop good-ol-boy operation that would probably be inclined to assist! My only concern is (due to my rinky dink shop) that I would have to mount it outside and would encounter freezing issues in the winter. But as I type this, I am remembering that I have 11.5’ ceilings and some OSB shelving material… frigg… 
Yeah, much thought… The table assemble and other stuff that I have to take care of prior to air drying will buy me time.
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Ahh, I see some of this oven building discussion going on…
This is a really neat forum, which I already like better than some of the other plasma related forums out there, if for nothing else that it’s Langmuir centric. I used to post on Weldingweb years ago, but didn’t feel the connection. Lot’s of old school mindsets (not bad, great actually), but not a lot of innovative home shop designs, thus responsiveness to some topics low. Also the ego’s of some hangouts… meh, not much on ego, more so on actual.
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I need to either familiarize myself with the mobile interface of this site better, else just post from a PC. That link is a little wonky, but point delivered…
Actually I bought my oven from light armor. I looked at building one there was a lot of unknowns if it isn’t right your paint will either be over or undercooked. The time to figure it out and get it right I didn’t have.
Just stick around we will help you spend all the money you don’t want to:rofl:
.
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@Phillipw “The time to figure it out and get it right I didn’t have”
Totally feel you on this…
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I don’t want to start a new thread for a couple of misc questions, so will just append to this thread in hopes that I might get a confirmation/answer…
So, I’ve been a busy boy awaiting my table’s arrival. Two boxes were delivered last Monday and the 3rd (controls/hardware) has been lost in transit for the last 8 days… 
I’ll withold any comments to stay in good grace with Langmuir until the situation is resolved, but my patience is running thin. Good thing that I have much prep to do prior tho, else I’d be sweating them now…
After reading and re-reading the air dryer thread among many other build ideas, etc… I think that I am going to condition my air after the tank, and through 2 stages; a copper condensation array and a dessicant filter. Still dabbling a bit on rung orientation, but thinking horizontal with a trap b4 and after maze (saw a decent build on YT by Jeff Willard)
The questions that I have are:
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any decent dessicant filter build tutorials put there that shine compared to the others? I found this one made from PVC that this 15yr old girl ironicalky built and it looks like a really decent setup tbh, and CHEAP. The others that I have found have been re-purposing Pentek style water filters… Not totally keen on this one, but curious if there is an end-all-be-all homebrew dessicant setup out there that I have yet to stumble across?
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I got my 60gal 3.5HP Quincy wired and fired up over the weekend. Small shop/loud compressor. Outside of adding a muffler to the intake, anybody have long term experience with a compressor enclosure? I saw a thread where @fosterelli set one up for his compressor and shed 30db. Curious about real world experience re: longevity of the head if setup properly with an active fan at either intake or exhaust of said enclosure… Any thoughts?
Thanks!
-Domo
As far as a bead cell goes don’t waste your time making one it would be dangerous if it ever blows. I wish I had a compressor room myself my compressor isn’t loud. They are certainly safer in a contained room. Look up the aftermath of a failure. It is always in the back of my mind.
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That’s my concern about the dessicant. These plastic parts/components are rated for water psi, not air psi. I would have a regulator setting pressure prior to entering though.
As silly as it might seem, this 15yr old (and I presume her dad) have a neat dessicant setup (assuming safe).
My biggest hangup with the OTC systems is cost for such small filters, which is why I’m considering a go at it.
And the copper system that I think I am going to roll with:
Yeah, catastrophic AC tank failures are concerning no doubt. I thought about adding a compressor shed to the back of my shop, but it’s a lot of work. Maybe eventually, but until then I’ll install an auto drain on my tank and regularly keep tabs on the pressure switch functionality. Outside of that, I’ll have to keep my fingers crossed. Maybe an armored enclosure?
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I think there are many other things you could worry about besides you compressor tank exploding, like a million of them. Unless you made your own and are just learning to weld.
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Tbh, I agree completely. It’s not a HF compressor and the tanks have to be pressure tested even if it were. The one vid where I actually saw a cata is where the dumb dumb welded a scab over an existing leak (rust)… Darwin awards don’t exclude those who lack logic, as those are the typical recipients of the said awards… some others looked to be a failed pressure relief, rust, or sucked in some flammable fumes on the intake side… Certainly a few ways they can go. Being as it’s a new quincy and I involve myself in dicey extracurricular activities outside of the shop (this upcoming weekend in WVA included:smile:), I’m more concerned with compressor head longevity in a sound enclosure than a cata. I will keep the tank dry and monitor pressure switch functionality though, nonetheless.
-Domo
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Having a compressor outside or on a shed is done for noise reduction and space. The idea of being isolated Incase of a failure is a bonus… The reason I mentioned it I have seen the aftermath in video it will make you think about it. I try to watch how I stand airing up a tire. I am sure that doesn’t help. Neither is a very common thing but should be in the back of everyone’s mind. As far as a shed for a compressor for sure you will need to address keeping it cool.
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In a number of dangerous jobs, sports and leisure activities, especially among the seasoned folks who technically should know better, complacency is a killer. That said, absolutely not trying to minimize the threat. I feel you on filling tires and things like not standing in front of regulators when you crack a 2000psi bottle. I try to be “conscientious and careful” to the best of my understandings of my enviro wherever I go, the worlds a dangerous place, “happenings” are… “spontaneous” … I know of a few who have lost digits, limbs or left this world too soon due to complacency or never bothering to evaluate to begin with; I’ll never discount the time and effort it takes to be safe in ones endeavors.
I would love to get it outside eventually, but due to 15 pokers already filling my fire I’m gonna have to lean on the fact that it’s new, reputable and hopefully properly safety tested for now. Fingers crossed I can relocate for space, sound and safety in a couple/few years though. It’s in a corner with a pretty heavy brake next to it. I wonder if I attached a 2 sided steel framed enclosure to the wall studs, would it offer any protection or add to the shrapnel? 
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Getting chit straight and reorganized prepping for the last package, when it eventually shows up. Utilizing/Revamping (the loft is new) a cubby to hopefully keep it safe. By my estimate I’ll have access to 3 sides, which should give me ample access for routine maintenance. 
I have been tooling around in and feeling out 360 as well trying to work up an initial design, hoping to be able to dick with some of the folding features and brake point marks. Stoked level increasing!! Can’t wait to get this puppy running!
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Don’t do it unless you’re going to encase it or bury it. PVC is probably one of the worst materials you could use for compressed air.
As long as that enclosure isn’t sealed because it’s going to need to bring in a ton of air to compress and and be able to get rid of heat that is going to build up from compressing air.
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Thanks for that @TinWhisperer. Back to the drawing board on that idea then… still very much brain storming as it will follow my condenser build, which I’m still brainstorming on as well. I may just have to buy the dessicant filter.
On the enclosure, it would have an intake at the bottom and exhaust above, forced air, maybe tie a 220v/low amperage intake fan to pressure switch. Free flowing/non-restrictive, but with “z-gates” at intake/exhaust to break up the acoustic path. I’m just the spitballing though, so curious if it would be a detriment to my compressor despite the efforts to consider cooling requirements.
If you take the inlet side of your compressor and pull from a sheet meat box that is insulated it will quite it down considerably.
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