[Shop-talk] Is this a shutoff?

[Scott Hall]

Nah, man, I was going to do all my air pipe in type M copper (because it's
easier for me to work with) before I gave in, so I won't give you a hard
time. And like I said, I worked with my face two feet from a sch. 40 air
line for years (before I knew better).

I'll never, ever recommend any one do air lines in anything but black iron,
but the whole, "You'll put your eye out!!!" is counter-productive, I think.
It goes against experience. It's not a great idea, but it's also not an
immediate death sentence. And I agree that the likely failure of copper is
a split, not an explosion. But it *can* happen (just like sch. 40 can
rupture catastrophically, even if when it blew up in our shop is was just a
loud noise with zero injury).

I agree with Benjamin--the real risk with copper is the solder melting if
too close to the compressor.

Having said all that, I don't mind doing my gas lines in black iron if
that's the 'right' way to do it. I need to learn how, and I'm wondering if
iron will be cheaper than copper, anyway. No matter what I'm going to have
normal shut-off valves--with handles-- places appropriately.

Scott

On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 1:28 PM, Steven Trovato <strovato at optonline.net>
wrote:

> I knew when I wrote that I would be opening that can of worms yet again.
> Go search around and find any evidence of "copper shrapnel everywhere."
> What you say is true for PVC, but I really don't think it applies to
> copper.  If a pipe split or a joint failed, I believe that there would be a
> lot of rushing air and the compressor would work really hard to try to
> pressurize the whole garage, but I don't think anything dangerous would
> happen.  I think there is greater risk to having an air hose fail and
> whipping all over.  Copper seems to be a legitimate choice for compressed
> air, though not everyone's first choice.  Here is one source (
>
http://www.exair.com/en-US/Primary%20Navigation/Knowledge%20Base/Air%20Data/P
ages/CompressedAirPiping.aspx),
> scroll down to "metal pipe" and then see "copper pipe" in that category.
>
> -Steve
>
>
> At 01:30 PM 8/11/2015, Scott Hall wrote:
>
>> Wait...you did your air lines in copper?
>>
>> This is the part where I tell you no matter whether you're using type L
>> or M, eventually it will fatigue and explode. Copper shrapnel everywhere.
>>
>> Yes, you *can* use copper. You can use Sch. 80, too, and you can use
>> soldered copper on gas lines (I've got a house full of it now, in fact).C
>>
>> (The benefit of black iron for air to me has always been the thermal
>> capacity of the pipe. But then again, I worked two feel from a Sch. 40 air
>> line for a few years in college. I'd never suggest anyone do that, but it
>> always does temper my panic about things somewhat.