Despite the popularity of battery-operated power tools, most hobbyists consider compressed air a must-have in their garage or shop space for its variety of uses. Many portable air compressors are smaller and can be positioned close to the project or equipment, but their tanks and pumps aren’t always able to satisfy the volume and/or pressure requirements of certain pieces of equipment. Larger stationary air compressors are most effective, but require permanent positioning, which isn’t always conveniently placed.

In a corner of the Rotella garage is a 60-gallon stationary air compressor. For years we pulled rubber air hoses across the garage floor or driveway as needed —sometimes connecting two or more hoses together to reach the destination. After finally growing tired of snaking rubber hose around obstacles and then manually coiling it when the project was completed, we decided to plumb our garage for compressed air. We considered materials such as black pipe, copper and PVC, but ultimately deemed them too costly, inconvenient or risky. While expressing our dismay to fellow hobbyist Mike Buzzello, he shared his satisfaction with MaxLine by RapidAir Products.

MaxLine is industrial-type compressed air tubing constructed of aluminum piping that’s coated internally and externally with high-density polyethylene (or HDPE). The aluminum pipe is semi-flexible, which allows it to hold any desired shape, while the HDPE coating resists corrosion and maximizes flow. MaxLine is available in diameters ranging from 1/2 inch to 2 inches, and RapidAir offers master installation kits containing nearly everything required for the DIYer to complete the project. We knew then that a MaxLine M7500 3/4-inch diameter Master Kit was our compressed air plumbing solution.

The first step in plumbing our garage with MaxLine was determining system routing. We formulated a plan on paper and then used the excellent designing tool that RapidAir offers on its website to finalize it. We began shopping for RapidAir retailers and found that our local Northern Tool store had everything needed in stock.

After purchasing the required kits and components, and with Mike Buzzello’s installation assistance, we quickly and easily plumbed our garage, achieving professional-looking results in a single afternoon.

We’ve outlined the process in these accompanying photo captions.