Originally posted by robot
... Also, you should consider taking the pressure off the system when you are not using it.....nothing worse than coming home from work and finding that your compressor has been running all day.....well, there are things worse but you know what is meant.
I "rigged" an electrical system - relay - with a switch and an indicator light at the man door of my shop. On the way out - for the day or night - I turn off the power to my compressor. The compressor is up on the second floor of my shop so I also have a electric solinoid actuated DRAIN valve atached that allows daily draining of the tank. (by a switch in the shop)

Why not consider a copper system? A 10 ft length of 1/2 copper is about $10. For a 30 ft x 30 ft garage, you can do the perimeter of three sides for 9 sticks plus the verticals plus the fittings. Sweating copper is super easy.

mike in tucson
I aggree. I used 3/4" copper through out my shop.

Because I have a sandblast cabinet at the opposite end of the shop from the compressor; the larger diameter allows for more air flow.

In areas where something might bang into the drops, I slid the copper through pieces of iron pipe before mounting on the walls.

My last shop was piped with iron pipe, and after 15 years of use I was surprised how much rust had formed inside. Even galvanized pipe tends to rust at the joints.

Copper air lines aren't subject to any rusting