Many years ago, an old hand showed me a cute trick, which I have
replicated. I run an oilless compressor, so my setup is easier; I
don't have to worry about removing oil from the line leaving the tank.
All my tools have 'M' style plumbing fittings. All my painting
gear has 'T' style fittings. Almost all my hoses and all my fixed
fittings are M style. I have a small unit that has
M-male -> ball valve -> water sep | ball valve -> oiler -> M-female
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V
T-female
I run a hose to wherever I'm working, then plop this unit down. If
I'm using an air tool, I open both ball valves and use the M outlet
on one of my oily hoses. If I want clean air, I close the ball valve
before the oiler and use a clean hose. That ball valve is important;
without it, the pressure pulse of making/breaking the junction
at the T-female can pull some oil into the air stream.
It works very well. Another trick I like it to have a T fitting
at the end of the hose that plugs into the M-female; one end to
the hose, one end to a male, and the last to a female. This lets
me plug in two hoses at the same point, and run two tools without
switching.
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