[Shop-talk] Plumbing a shop (it's that time of the year again)

[David Scheidt]

On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 4:38 PM, John T. Blair <jblair1948 at cox.net> wrote:

>
>
> I can't say that this is the "final" word on the subject, but I've been
> been told
> NOT to use PVC.  A friend had his commercial shop plumbed in PVC and it
> exploded.  Luckily it was a pretty tall building and now one got hurt.
>
> I've also been told not to use copper.  However, another friend has his
> garage
> done in copper and so far hasn't had any problems.
>
> When I did my garage, I used black pipe.  The draw back to it is having to
> have
> a thread cutter.  This allowed my to just buy something like 6 or 8 10'
> sticks,
> and elbows.  Then we cut everything to fit.  This brings the cost way down.
>
> Luckily I had a friend that works construction so he was able to bring over
> the
> pipe vice, the thread cutter and dies, and a porta-band (portable band saw)
> to cut the pipe.  Knowing your connections, if you don't already have a die
> and wrench for it, you can probably borrow one.  Same for the porta-band or
> a good
> band saw.
>
> The Black pipe was actually pretty easy to work with given the correct
> tools.
>
>
My local hardware store will cut and thread pipe for free if you buy it from
them.  I think the big box places do too.  (I know the HD here has the
equipment for it.  They might charge a bit.)  For the number of cuts needed
in a home shop, that's not an unreasonable way to go.

-- 
David Scheidt
dmscheidt at gmail.com