# Workshop Piping Size Guidance



## enwood (Apr 12, 2021)

Hi all;
Setting up a home DIY shop to restore a vehicle and would like recommendations on piping from a new 60-gallon/2-stage compressor. There is a 3/4" outlet on the side of the tank. Given that I intend to do high-volume activities (soda blasting, cabinet blasting, sanding, painting), and some low-pressure activities.

What steel or copper pipe size can or should I drop down to at the tank outlet? 1/2" or 3/8"? Or, stay at 3/4"?
Can these high-volume activities be serviced adequately with a 1/2" or 3/8" line? 
Should there be a main 3/4" run from the tank to a few local drops and then 1/2" or 3/8" regulators?
I'm diverting the pump output (3/8") through 50 feet of 3/8" copper coil suspended like a spring, with a vertical manual water trap leg, then into a 3/8" water separator, and then into the tank. This will give me dry air in the tank. I have a silica-bead dryer tube that can be on the output side of the tank. 

I'm just not sure whether to take on the expense of 3/4" piping or whether 1/2" or 3/8" is adequate for these home activities? 

Thanks
Tim


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

run 3/4 is the best.


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## stevon (Mar 5, 2019)

enwood,

I have done well with 1" black pipe purchased at a scrapyard then cut and threaded to fit.

Stephen









enwood said:


> Hi all;
> Setting up a home DIY shop to restore a vehicle and would like recommendations on piping from a new 60-gallon/2-stage compressor. There is a 3/4" outlet on the side of the tank. Given that I intend to do high-volume activities (soda blasting, cabinet blasting, sanding, painting), and some low-pressure activities.
> 
> What steel or copper pipe size can or should I drop down to at the tank outlet? 1/2" or 3/8"? Or, stay at 3/4"?
> ...


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## enwood (Apr 12, 2021)

Wow, 1". Even better to keep volume up. Thanks for the diagram, Steve - those are good ideas, with slope and condensate vent. 

Tim


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

see if you can get a larger bung on the tank..
it maybe sized down to the 3/4????
auto tank water drains are nice as well!


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## enwood (Apr 12, 2021)

Oh, right, Paul. I hadn't considered changing that part. Good idea. Thanks!
Tim


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

grin been there done that!!
lol!
any restriction affects total cfm.flow out of the tank or down stream.
so full flow or full port fittings and ball valves as well.

they make them both ways....
most of the time the full port size is a bit higher.


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## stevon (Mar 5, 2019)

enwood, 

Yeah, a larger pipe/heat sink slows down velocity in the air flow to better condensate water. with a compressor you can only "manage" the water produced from the air but never really eliminate it, at least not at a reasonable cost. With this setup and some "fisheye eliminator" added to paint, my setup has gotten me by for years on end without problems. Expensive initially but pays off in the long run, use "leak lock" on the pipe threads, seal them real good.

Stephen



enwood said:


> Wow, 1". Even better to keep volume up. Thanks for the diagram, Steve - those are good ideas, with slope and condensate vent.
> 
> Tim


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