[TheForge] Re: Shop Air using Copper

[Mike Spencer]

> Old high pressure tanks work pretty well for air storage,...

Since new Halon installations were banned, when a Halon-based setup
needs to be re-filled or upgraded, it's completely replaced and lovely
high-pressure tanks are scrapped.  These tanks (at least the ones I
found) are rated for 650 PSI.  I got a big one, 60 or 80 gal (I
forget) There was some welding to do, one fitting had to be bored
and threaded and a drain valve installed in the bottom.  But there was
no risk from explosion of combustible contents and its rating exceeds
my 150 PSI shop pressure by a factor of 4.

> Overkill is good..under kill equals kill dead.

I felt that the factor-of-4 overkill with an old tank was as good as,
or better than, whatever guarantee I'd get with a shiny new one built
in China to minimum specs by underpaid employees of the lowest bidder.

No plumbing, though.  The (jiggly, vibrating) compressor is connected
to the (heavy, stationary) tank by heavy hydraulic hose.  A 50'
airhose reaches the anywhere in the shop and two of them reach all the
outside places I'm likely to work.  I scrupulously coil up the hose
before I spray or fling hot metal/slag around the floor.


- Mike

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~. 
                                                           /V\ 
mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^