6 different dryers / filters and lots of heat dissipation from the copper pipe, you got it covered 7 ways to Sunday! Sweet. I hate it, when water sprays out of the air tool. Lots of oil. Never thought about the dry air of the plasma cutter. Next, it just like Christmas and you are 12 years old. Hook it up, plug it in, cut some sheet metal then some thicker stuff. Then read the instructions with a brewski. Best of luck as it should work great. Man makes dryer, then man makes fire! Oh, Oooh, Ooah, OOH! Fire! lol ASE Master Tech since 1978 - Retired

Great video. I did mine a little a differently. I placed the first filter below the level of the output connection of the tank and I also placed the inlet nipple on an "UP" pipe and not a "DOWN" pipe like you have it. The same with the outlet nipple, I placed it on an "UP" pipe. I tried to use gravity as much as possible to capture as much water as possible. Placing the first filter below the level of the tank outlet insures any water in that first 6 feet runs into the filter and not back into the tank. Looks great !!

Lookin good brother. Can't wait to see you first project once you get everything set up.

I did it same way but i used Cpvc pipe 3/4 and it worked great nice job and video 👍

This is awesome, you have talent god bless

Amazing tutorial. Thanks

Good ideas. Changing the existing steel piping, so that there is a longer drop leg at the bottom (for the water catch), would have also helped (similar to creating a large heatsink). The air in and the air out would have been toward the top (of about a 4 foot steel drop leg). Do this twice, and you'll remove so much of the air that a standard desiccant trap will remove the remaining 1% of moisture from the line. Also, inside surface area is important, so keeping the piping as large as possible (most come out of the tank at 3/4" NPT), not only keeps pressures up but also increases the available cooling surface area inside the line. Finally, heating the desiccant to 245 for 24 hours will remove all of the moisture and allow you to re-use the desiccant beads (you can get more in those little white packets that come with just about every electronics or tool that's new in the box). As with most gasses, the longer the restricted run, the harder it is to maintain high enough pressure. But the added 90 degree turns increases the "effective" length of the run by approximately 20 feet, and will substantially cool the gasses to allow the latent moisture to drop out of the mixture.

Nice video layout. One really big upgrade is you should add a 160psi or larger blow out valve to get more air volume and less run/fill time. These tsnks are rated for 300psi max and manufacturers keep them held back by a large amount up to 50% max capaicity to avoid any damage claims. This larger blow out valve will extend compressor life and give longer work times along with compressor switch adjustment for cut off and cut in psi ranges that work best for you.

Looks good 👍

My solution... And yes, I run a plasma cutter and sandblaster occasionally. Get yourself a roached compressor off Craigslist or FB Marketplace. I picked up a nice 26 gallon vertical unit for 20 bucks. It had wheels and everything! The compressor was one of the oilless units and it gave up the ghost as they are want to do when overused. I removed all the compressor stuff and just use the tank. When I want to do some work with a process that requires dry air, I run the main compressor's output into this spare tank. Then, the spare tank supplies the dry-air-needing-process. The setup works quite well for how easy it was to setup. It's not perfect and in the humid summertime some moisture does get through. But. I'd say 90% of it gets removed by that first "accumulator" tank. You could do the same thing with a propane tank or other some such holding vessel if the fabrication skills and implements are on-hand. In the future, I might put in a single U bend copper setup to catch the other 10%. Here's my video on the topic: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mbZjea2rrLTFmIE.html

Should have my 45xp tomorrow! Kills me that I can’t use it until I get my air supply/filtration.lol Going with this awesome setup, so it looks like I’ve got some work to do. Thanks man!

You should upgrade your copper to a one inch copper pipe

Do you use this system with that pot blaster? I need to buy or make a dryer like this because I keep getting moisture probs. 10hp compressor

Another solution to make the filters removable is one shark bite per side. They spin and are removable if needed. Love the overkill, just my cup of tea.

You should have run the cooler horizontally so you only need one dryer at the end and you don’t need to fiddle with so many traps.

Nice 4 wheeler

What about the water on tank that can cause rust inside the tank? What do you think about after cooler setup?

I just bought one 2 days ago

Did anyone ever use refrigeration copper y bends instead of 90s and tees to make a compressor air dryer just wondering if it would work

Is it really a good idea to have the compressor and a hose in front of an electrical panel? Just sayin.

Looks like it should do the trick!!!

Good job! I'm thinking of building a similar setup at my shop. I've seen people use copper tubing in a coil design. I think I like yours better! How's it holding up?

Works better when you put it between the pump and the tank rather than after.

In think you should of put valves at your copper drop points to release collected water, then go to the dryers at the end of the the copper run.

Start at the top put your inline in put your outline to the rest of it at the other side on top that way if you have any water it. Flows to the bottom

Wait, you hooked that up to the outlet of the tank? You should put it between the compressor and the tank. That way you can draw down the tank without constriction.

Great Video! I’ve heard lots of complaints in the review section from Amazon about the air dryers filters that you have listed you’ve had them for two years now, have you had any reliability issues? I’ve also read of the reviews that you can’t buy replacement filters.

What diameter and type of pipe did you use?? I need to do this for the exact reason you did it for. Would like to get an idea how much cost in materials (minus the filters)

Great Job! Just a question, was there a reason you didn’t go from the compressor itself, before the tank, go through the cooler and back to the tank. That way there is no water in the tank, from the tank through your regulator and to the black pipe.

why not come strait out of the pump to air dryer then back into where the pump was plumbed in, then pull air strait from tank, that will keep moisture from forming inside the air tank thus longer life of the tank.

So many filters and dryers. I wonder how many CFM's you've lost as a result.

That’s awesome! How much did you have in that set up

Looks great, but how has it been working since you installed it?

Hey bud! Great video. I'm about to build one of these. Can I ask, did you use the blue or red copper? The thinner inside diameter will move the air a little better but more likely to fail sooner then the smaller inside diameter of the thicker pipe. Any suggestions? This is kind of new to me. Thanks brother! :)

Was there a specific reason you chose 4ft for the vertical sections? Was it strictly for heat dissipation? Or if I were to, say, replicate your design, should I have any reason to avoid going with a more compact setup?

Alright, parts ordered. I don’t know how the hell you built yours for $80 lol I guess if I’d of spent some more time sourcing parts, I could have gotten it a little lower, but I’m at around $450 including parts that you already had. So about $300 in just the copper and filter run. The Type L copper tubing was $100+ by itself. Here’s what my setup is going to be: Air compressor is a Dewalt 60 gallon, 155 psi, 11.5 cfm compressor. I’m going with 4 drops with the copper too, but the first won’t have a filter or separator. I’m thinking about maybe setting up a tub that it’ll sit in that I can add water to so that it’ll help condense the air. Then the second and third with have manual drain filters, and the forth a filter/separator/regulator combo. At the back of the plasma machine will be a second regulator and a motor guard M60 filter. I’m also installing another outtake fan in the shop, and considering installing it behind the copper to get more air moving across it. If that doesn’t dry the air, I don’t know what to do lol I’m also Teeing it off at the end of the copper run, and reducing it to 1/2”. One will go to the plasma cutter and the other will be for other pneumatic tools. Thanks again for the idea man, but my wallet hates you.

What brand dryer and separators did you use and where did you buy em? Cost. Im goung to make one. Thx

Very informative, I saw the final result video. Are you by chance a Mechanical engineer @JDS Outdoors?

Paie attention to the pressure.

I want to save money but cant cut corners cause when i do then fisheye and water seem to ruin paint jobs

Not knowing even the first thing about plasma cutters I was wondering why you needed an air dryer. Turns out plasma cutters used compressed air. I have no idea why, but there you go. I just came here looking for an air dryer after another channel did a pretty poor job of showing how to build one.

How much pressure can copper pipe withstand?

Wouldn’t this be better used between the compressor and the tank? After a while the air already cools down in the tank and condenses leaving the air not being able to condense down much more being used with air temp

can this be used to paint cars

And put a 1/2 inch separator at end of coil before air enters tank,, all water happens when 200 degree air hits much cooler tank,,so cool the air!!! But don't restrict it with to small of tubing,,,use 1/2 inch are greater.

Thanks for the video. Very helpful. However, $80 for the whole thing? It would seem that the dryers and filters alone would have added up to more than $80. Adding in the tubing and fittings would have brought it even higher. Or am I wrong?

Would pex work for cost savings?

What size copper do you use buddy? What thickness of copper?

Are you nervous about draining air dryers near electrical outlets?

I've seen a number of these video's and most folks simply do not maximize the potential here, much in the same fashion you did. WHY in the hell did you go thru all that work to run air out of the TANK with water in the tank ???? To me that is totally wrong. You take the output of the COMPRESSOR to the dryer effectively eliminating ANY water vapor from your tank (or very small traces of it) then run the output of the tank thru your filtering system. NOW you have a completely effective pure air to your plasma cutter which cuts your consumable use to less than a 1/3 of any water vapor entering and destroying your tips. Also making a 6" tip for your drain valves of which you used exactly ZERO AND OPTED FOR (of which you installed a filtering system off each pair of lines ??? ) is a very effective way of capturing any trace water vapors collecting them and draining them. By using a T at the bottom of the second, 4th, 6th and 8th pipe you create a turbulence effect and place your drain valves under those T's. 1 drain valve per 2 pipes then add ALL your filters in line at the end and then feed your black pipe line supply. A 5 filter Arrow StageAir 1 Gal. Desiccant Dryer C7612XXL, Zinc & Aluminum Bowl, 1/2" NPT, 250 PSI FOR 441.+ You will have built a BETTER MOUSETRAP my good man. Personally I built a similar system using the same methodology I described to you with the 5 stage filtration but I also added a Derale 15300 Tube and Fin Cooler Core, off the compressor to reduce the air temp before it even hits the copper on the wall. After this installation I cut my consumables purchases on my plasma cutter by 2/3. It will pay for itself in 2.5 years. Though you did do a good job putting it together, researching before executing a plan will give ya more information and help one to execute a plan far better. Just a tip from an ol fart that has lived life and made far more mistakes than maybe you ever have. Peace

Not trying to offend you,, but put the 1/2 coil between compressor and tank and you won't have water,,many use transmission cooler but most are 3/8 tubes and cause restriction that hurts compressor,,,I couldn't believe the difference, 200 degrees entering tubing and 120 leaving it and no more water.

so, I gotta buy a crap ton of copper tubing and elbows, traps, filters....tools for cutting copper so I dont bend it while cutting, a propane torch kit and other crap for "sweating" the copper? I don't see how this is cheaper than just buying a dryer outright. I think this video is assuming that the viewer has everything already except the copper tubing and the traps.

Why not just box in your compressor insulate the walls and install air conditioner this should keep everything cold before it leaves the air compressor

I keep seeing this copper pipe and all those $150 double dryer things... think yall waste $ ....I work on large yachts, the painter has it down with a simple solution.....if your pushing 150 lbs just use 100 to 150 ft of 1" PVC (sch40 good to 270 lbs, if above 75 degrees might go to 215 bursts at 1450) and use a Motor Guard filter. even better the filters are cheap, sounds weird but just use a roll of toilet paper and rip off about 20 layers and use that in the filter..... Think about this....the guys been doing this for well over 30 years, using high end ( AwlGrip) paint spraying 1 or 2 million dollar yachts no problems !!! the filter case is $80 on Amazon, 1" PVC is less than by an easy 80%... you can use 3/4" pvc just ran a little more. has a just less than 10% more pressure and burst factor. My opinion is just too much hype over this whole thing, the yacht paint is no fool and a smart man and well quality is his key to success.

Does anyone own a workbench on KZfaq?

Krikey that has to be the smallest diameter copper tubing used for air drying that I have ever seen.Way too small!!!

$80??

Too many Chinese filters... Just go no eBay and get a used SMC AMG Water Separator that removes 99% and have a AMD Mist/Filter Separator behind it removing the fine stuff. That's all you need.

too many tubes and too thin.

You'll be using pvc today an air dryer is 600 bucks cooper is too too expensive

80 bucks 2 years ago 200 bucks in 2023 lol

Nice setup,,but overkill and wrong approach,,, been there,,,, best way is too cool air before it enters compressor tank,, that's where condensation forms,,, l used a 1/2 copper coil between compressor and tank,, dropped my air temperature 80 degrees and solved all my moisture problems,, stop the moisture before it leaves tank and problem solved, l wouldn't steer you wrong,,,try it,,,only cost me 40 dollars.

Orrrrrrr just get a proper refrigerated air dryer that works far better than any passive system you can come up with...

What the hell!!! Why all the separators???? Just use drain valves,,,lol l can't help laughing at this waste of money.