Shop improvements that have changed your life

al1tonyota · May 24, 2015

hokie_yj said:
I've been debating on using pex to plumb my shop. It's pretty much down to either pex or the Rapid Air stuff.

It's pretty much all we use at work now we have rolls of a bunch of it from 1/8" up to 3/4 in all different colors and a very big selection of fittings,it's amazing how many fittings they offer! Only tools you need to work with it are scissors and a 8" crescent wrench.

Beerj · May 24, 2015

I didn't realize pex was good enough for air. Then again, I guess it only needs to hold 90 psi. Good call

hokie_yj · May 24, 2015

Cool. I may go that route.

sexxy · May 24, 2015

I added a side shed to my shop, moved the air compressor out there which was nice, cause it lowered the noise level and I added some extra drop points to keep the hoses more out of the way. Even added lights in the event that I "need" to work on something when the shop is full.

al1tonyota · May 24, 2015

Beerj said:
I didn't realize pex was good enough for air. Then again, I guess it only needs to hold 90 psi. Good call

We have five large IR compressors that supply our plant, supply air psi is 120lb

grcthird · May 24, 2015

Our air supply at work is 150 psi, 90 psi won't run my 1/2 impact to it's capacity. My compressor at home is about 90 psi and I can't take half the stuff apart with my impact at home that I can at work.

patooyee · May 24, 2015

grcthird said:
Our air supply at work is 150 psi, 90 psi won't run my 1/2 impact to it's capacity. My compressor at home is about 90 psi and I can't take half the stuff apart with my impact at home that I can at work.

I run my shop air at 150 also, mainly for my 3/4" impact. But here's something I never understood. When filling load range g tires to spec of 110psi it would always stall out around 95 - 98psi in the tire. I even took the trailer to a tire shop who had the same issue. I never was able to get load range G tires to 110psi???

grcthird · May 24, 2015

I had to air up a tire on a fire truck the other day, could not get it above 120. :dunno:

DirtMonkey · May 24, 2015

I'll focus on the little things that had big returns...
Having multiple grinders, so not to waste time changing wheels -grinder, wire, flap, cutting, and abrasive pad...so nice :****:

I only have a 2 car garage, but one side is deep, and I utilized the back corner as a metalworking area, ordered up a heavy, extra long, vinyl curtain from amazon and made a rod to contain all my metal shavings and dust. I like a clean shop and I would spend so much time cleaning between shop time..it drove me nuts!

patooyee · May 24, 2015

DirtMonkey said:
I'll focus on the little things that had big returns...
Having multiple grinders, so not to waste time changing wheels -grinder, wire, flap, cutting, and abrasive pad...so nice :****:

I only have a 2 car garage, but one side is deep, and I utilized the back corner as a metalworking area, ordered up a heavy, extra long, vinyl curtain from amazon and made a rod to contain all my metal shavings and dust. I like a clean shop and I would spend so much time cleaning between shop time..it drove me nuts!

I already have multiple grinders for the same purpose but I'm going to steal your hanger idea as currently they are all just occupying real-estate on my work bench. Thank you!

patooyee · May 24, 2015

grcthird said:
I had to air up a tire on a fire truck the other day, could not get it above 120.

I did some reading on the net. Apparently it has to do with CFM when the pressures are close. Apparently CFM goes down as pressure equalizes. So if we were to leave the tire connected to the tank for like 2 days we might come back to find that it finally got to 120 psi but to make it happen quickly like we are used to we would need a much higher pressure differential. If we turned our compressors down to 60psi we would have the same problem filling regular tires.

grcthird · May 24, 2015

I figured it was something like that.

Fixing to be on the lookout for some shelving and solid core doors to use as work benches. I also forgot I have a table with folding legs that I attached casters to so I can roll it around where ever I am working on something. Casters are welded to a short piece of tube that the table legs sit down in.

blacksheep10 · May 25, 2015

little 18v impacts and drills, how the **** did I work without these.
Metabo. If you don't have a 6" slicer machine, you can scoff. If you do, your life is altered.
Lights. Lots of T5's. Soon to be more LED from Sams
When I got my 2 post lift, also life altering.

Fab, first good mig, first hand plasma, plasma table, press brake, dry cut chop saw 13 years ago, now buying a $16,000 band saw.

grcthird · May 25, 2015

I almost forgot about the milwaukee 8" metal circular saw! Cuts plate like butter, so much easier to use than a plasma if you have straight line to cut.

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/corded/6370-20

onepieceatatime · May 25, 2015

Re: Re: Shop improvements that have changed your life

grcthird said:
I almost forgot about the milwaukee 8" metal circular saw! Cuts plate like butter, so much easier to use than a plasma if you have straight line to cut.

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/corded/6370-20

I was a millwright for about 6 years and I cut miles of steel with those saws. Saved so much time!

tallnate · May 25, 2015

patooyee said:
I did some reading on the net. Apparently it has to do with CFM when the pressures are close. Apparently CFM goes down as pressure equalizes. So if we were to leave the tire connected to the tank for like 2 days we might come back to find that it finally got to 120 psi but to make it happen quickly like we are used to we would need a much higher pressure differential. If we turned our compressors down to 60psi we would have the same problem filling regular tires.

Yeah I've notice the same thing. I mean it makes complete sense that the flow of supply slows down as the tire pressure increases but you would think that the 2 would equalize a lot quicker. I bumped my regulator up to 140psi and I couldn't get more than about 112 in my trailer tires. I guess that's why CO2 tanks always seemed to fill tires so much quicker, they're pressurized so much higher that air tanks.

rpf500 · May 25, 2015

Small derail but what lights do you all use and like? I have a new 30'x50' and need some lights. 12' trusses, no ceiling as of yet and probably be a while until I can add one. Fluorescent ones ok in the cold?

Beerj · May 25, 2015

grcthird said:
I almost forgot about the milwaukee 8" metal circular saw! Cuts plate like butter, so much easier to use than a plasma if you have straight line to cut.

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/corded/6370-20

Completely serious question, what's the difference between that and just running a metal blade in a regular circular saw?

patooyee · May 25, 2015

Re: Re: Shop improvements that have changed your life

grcthird said:
I almost forgot about the milwaukee 8" metal circular saw! Cuts plate like butter, so much easier to use than a plasma if you have straight line to cut.

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/corded/6370-20

You ever cut ar with that? I assume aluminum is fine?