Fine tuning my garage

[crazyal]

So I had a free afternoon and thought wouldn't it be nice to put the air compressor out of the way. So I spend an hour building a corner shelf, screwed, glued, and supported that's a little over 8' off the ground. I still need to wire it up, bolt it down, and plumb up the air drier. I can actually plumb up a quarter turn valve to the tank drain that's not 3" off the ground.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I moved my compressor up on the wall too. Run copper air lines from it - one to the work table and the other one to the big car door

At the door I have one of those hose reels with 50' of air hose. Very practical setup.

 

[GGB]

You've given me something to think about-I've been trying to decide where to move my compressor, and had thought about the corner, but never considered moving it off the floor! Never enough extra room, is there?

Looks like I could drill a small hole in the bottom for access to the drain to let out any moisture that had accumulated.

What kind of hose reels has everyone been using (brands, models)? I'd like to get a drop down reel near the middle of the front door so I can use it outside for blowing off my equipment to help keep it cleaned up without getting the shop so dirty, and would be convienent to get to the most of the rest of the end of the building where I do most work.

I've gotten a little tired of unrolling and rolling air hos reels. I just don't need that much more practice!!!

GGB

 

[bigtiller]

I just moved "furniture" in the garage last week. Got the boat out and sold so now I am back to a work bay there. I never thought about going up with anything except the brooms.

GGB
I have a Cox Reel bolted to my cieling and it works flawlessly BUT they are expencive.

 

[crazyal]

Right now I have an old chrome wheel from a truck that's long since been sold. I drilled a couple of holes in it and mount to to the wall. I'm also thinking of switching to a reel. If I don't go with a spring return style I think I'll use that old steel wheel and make something.

Before I do that though I have three spring loaded electrical reels. They came from a school that had a box of them they removed fromt he woodworking shop. I've been trying to decide where to mount them. I want them high enough so the ROPS on my Kubota (8') doesn't hit them or have them in a place where the tractor will not go.

I did bolt down the compressor today and plumbed the air line. I had some spare 1/4" steel cable so I made a safety strap connected to the lift ring on top of the compressor. I need to pick up a street elbow to connect up the drain.

 

[gwjd]

how did you get the compressor off the ground o wait this is a tractor form lol

 

[RPW]

My project for the winter months is to clean up my garage (much smaller) and I plan on moving my compressor outside so I don't have to hear it. Probably do a small concrete pad with a small building around it to keep it out of the weather (will probably look like a small outhouse ).

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Al,
Nice !!! I havent been on lately, so havent even seen your completed barn !

Guess I will have to go back to that old thread !

This past week I went down to HD and bought a bag full of electrical boxes, so I can start placing my electrical outlets... It makes me feel like Im accomplishing something ! :licking:

 

[chopped]

Reels Ive used both these.
100 Ft. Steel Air Hose Reel
Its not bad for the money..
this one is better Air Hose Reel
cheap and HF but they have served me well

 

[dstig1]

Before I do that though I have three spring loaded electrical reels. They came from a school that had a box of them they removed fromt he woodworking shop. I've been trying to decide where to mount them. I want them high enough so the ROPS on my Kubota (8') doesn't hit them or have them in a place where the tractor will not go.

If you attach them way up high, you can usually move the cord stop ring down lower so only the cord is hanging down where you can reach it and the reel is up out of the way. Yeah it is still possible to catch the cord end, but usually it will just bounce out of the way if you hit it with something.

I've wondered if putting a compressor up high, tied to the framing like that will shake the place to death when it run as it could make the whole structure "live". Did you isolate it any way?

Also one short section of hose between the compressor and the hard lines is a very wise thing so the vibrations don't damage the hard lines (especially if it is soldered copper). Plus it's easier to plumb.

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Why the choice of copper? Considering the price, I'd go with the standard black pipe. Is there a preference other than price?

 

[ray66v]

If it gets warm in your area in the summer, raising your compressor up high like that, where it is hotter, would not be such a good idea.

 

[doall]

good idea, I wish my ceiling was high enough.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I had enough 1/2" copper left over from plumbing job to go that route. The additional investment was minimal. AFAIK PVC is nono and buying steel pipes for the whole thing would be too expensive. Hence copper.

My hose reel came from Costco, not sure they sell it still. For the clearance I had to mount the reel flat, which makes just a touch of trouble with reeling in, but it works well enough not to change it.

 

[crazyal]

If you attach them way up high, you can usually move the cord stop ring down lower so only the cord is hanging down where you can reach it and the reel is up out of the way. Yeah it is still possible to catch the cord end, but usually it will just bounce out of the way if you hit it with something.

I've wondered if putting a compressor up high, tied to the framing like that will shake the place to death when it run as it could make the whole structure "live". Did you isolate it any way?

Also one short section of hose between the compressor and the hard lines is a very wise thing so the vibrations don't damage the hard lines (especially if it is soldered copper). Plus it's easier to plumb.

With the ROPS being a full 8' and me being less than 6' and my jumping being as vertically challenged as it is I would need them at around 7' to be able to grab them and get a good hold on them. I just don't wan tto drive the tractor out of the garage and see a long black rubber thing go shooting past my head as I wonder what that was.

The compressor when mounted doesn't vibrate at all. The legs are stamped steel and hollow underneath so I added some diamond plate steel so it wouldn't crush into the wood when the bolts were tightened. I was going to put some rubber between, still may if I think it needs it, but so far when it runs and you put your hand on the wall you feel nothing.

I ran copper because I had several lengths that were new but left outside given to me. I wouldn't use them for drinking and thought this would be a good place. I have a hand full of the quick connect fittings for nylon tubing like what they sell in Nothern Tool and HF but the tubing they sell is only rated for 140 psi. Why that compressor is only a single stage someday I'm sure I'll replace it with a two stage compressor. So for now I went with copper.

I did put a short section of hose where it comes out of the compressor. The outlet lined up with a stud and either I would of had to rotate the compressor, if I did I either couldn't get to the oil drain/ fill or it would be trying to suck air to cool it facing the wall or plumb around the stud. The hose was the easiest way plus like you said I wasn't sure how much it would vibrate.

 

[crazyal]

If it gets warm in your area in the summer, raising your compressor up high like that, where it is hotter, would not be such a good idea.

It does get a little warm but the motor and compressor are about a foot higher than the floor on the second level so it's a good 10' lower than the peak. So far it's not the heat but the humidity up there. Next spring I'm going to add a vent in the gable end. Once I do it will be pulling air in from the eave vents right next to the compressor.

 

[crazyal]

Good Evenin Al,
Nice !!! I havent been on lately, so havent even seen your completed barn !

Guess I will have to go back to that old thread !

This past week I went down to HD and bought a bag full of electrical boxes, so I can start placing my electrical outlets... It makes me feel like Im accomplishing something ! :licking:

It's a nice feeling. I've ran quite a bit of wire and now have lights and outlets all over the place. I still need to wire outlets for the garage door openers though. If you haven't yet thought about it just remember to use GFI outlets. I'll post a picture or two tonight of the garage with the doors installed.

So how's life now that your garage is mostly done?

 

[scott_vt]

I've wondered if putting a compressor up high, tied to the framing like that will shake the place to death when it run as it could make the whole structure "live". Did you isolate it any way?

.

Good Afternoon Dave,\
I would think that the platform and wall studding would absorb most of the vibration when the compressor is running...

The only thing I might want to do is put a board across the front of the platform so it doesnt wiggle its way off unexpectedly...

I like the idea of freeing up that floor space, and it works well with the high ceilings that al has in his garage !

 

[scott_vt]

It's a nice feeling. I've ran quite a bit of wire and now have lights and outlets all over the place. I still need to wire outlets for the garage door openers though. If you haven't yet thought about it just remember to use GFI outlets. I'll post a picture or two tonight of the garage with the doors installed.

So how's life now that your garage is mostly done?

Good Afternoon Al,
Well the beast has a place to sleep at night without being all the way up the road at my Uncle Daves barn !

The Beast being my old Massey .....

Do I need gfi outlets even though I wont have water out their ???

Went back to your original thread and enjoyed the pics, very nice !

And while Im asking questions, what is the code on the light switch distance from your entry door ?

 

[crazyal]

The compressor is bolted down with lock nuts (not nuts and lock washers). Also everything is glued and screwed (not nailed) including the sheathing to the studs. If/ when I upgrade I think I'm going to add two or three steel posts to the top of the knee wall since my current compressor doesn't seam to weigh more than 200 lbs where as looking at Northern tool all the shipping weights listed are 500 pounds plus.

If it was me I would put them in. Is there a chance you'll pull a tractor or truck into it and have snow melt off creating a puddle? Is there a chance you'll plug a cord into one of the outlets and run it outside to work on something? I think it's code that outside outlets on a house need to be GFI unless they are grandfathered. For me it's peace of mind. You only need one GFI outlet per circuit, the rest of the outlets can be fed off of it so it really doesn't add too much to the cost. For me it was two GFIs since I didn't use them upstairs and I'm not planning on using them for the dedicated outlets for the garage door openers. I'll probably add a third one once I install the electrical reels hanging from the ceiling.

I don't know the code for switches and doors. I just put mine so I can reach them easily after opening the door when it's dark. I didn't put them on a GFI allthough it would be a good idea (I did put all of my bathroom and kitchen switches on GFIs) as I could see someone with a wet hand fumbling in the dark.