Maxline M3800 Master Kit, 1/2-Inch x 100-Feet

I just finished our 3rd installation of Maxline in our business and at my home shop and now I'm planning an expansion in the shop. I keep coming back to the Maxline product because it works, it's economical, it's easy to install & maintain and it looks great. All of our blue lines are installed on the outside of the sheetrock where they're easily accessible and we use the optional black plastic clips spaced anywhere from 2' to 4' apart. Our CFM requirements aren't very high so we've stuck with the 1/2" pipe size which contributes to the economy of our systems. At the business, some of the air machines are over 100' from the compressor and I wasn't sure if they were going to get enough air so I had planned to put in a header tank in the distant machine room to act as a ready reserve, but it was never needed. At the home shop, the most distant tire hose reel is 80' from the source and some of the spray equipment might need higher flow, so for the expansion phase I plan to complete the loop back to the source. In this way, air can travel both directions around the pipe to wherever there's a need. The attached pic shows this manifold, which comes with the Master Kit, and you can see the available 2nd outlet on the front that's plugged off for now.Tip: Use thick Teflon tape like Maxline sells (assuming they still do) and plumber's paste on all of your NPT connections. I like to fold the tape in half (easier if you use 3/4") and then make 2 wraps nice & tight right at the start of the threads. Then apply the paste, just a bit, around the tip of the threads and back about 1/4". I use the blue paper towel shop cloths and cut them into fourths, then fold those down to a small size and use them to clean off the paste around the joint--you can refold these little pieces a few times before tossing it and grabbing another one.If I had one suggestion for Maxline it would be this: Please redesign your fittings to be less restrictive. Yes, I understand the Bernoulli principle and the Venturi effects involved, but there's still some static pressure caused whenever you have a restriction in a flow tube. I realize that the fittings must go inside of the Maxline tubing and I just wish that these bits could be a little thinner through there. In some cases this will prompt people to jump up to the 3/4" or even 1/2" option but so far we're getting good service from our 1/2" system, at least until our CFM requirements increase.You may find some frustration with straightening the coiled tubing. I've worked it on the floor with a helper after cutting it to the proper length and I've also used Maxline's beautifully made aluminum roller system straightener. The device helps but not as much as hoped and frankly I think the design of the wheels could be improved. You can build your own using a plan that's available on Maxline's website but I've not tried it although I would probably do so if I hadn't bought this one on the assumption that it would work better than it does. Eventually though, you work on the tubing enough that you're ready to settle for slight straightness errors and then you install it and it turns out to be better than expected. If you work with a helper, you can make minor adjustments after the tubing is snapped into the clips and then you stand back and realize that it looks pretty good.

I was originally going to be using copper pipe and fittings, and a friend of mine mentioned he saw some "blue pipe" they had used at his work. Doing some research, I found the RapidAir Maxline. I did a lot of research into it before buying, and watched a bunch of videos. I finally decided on using the 1/2", because I just have a home shop, and I don't need the bigger diameter since I only use basic hand tools and I only run one tool at a time.I installed the system in my garage. It was a little tedious, because I wanted it to look perfect. I ended up running it from one side of the garage, to the back wall, across the back wall, and to the other side. At each end, I have a drop at 4' from the floor to plug in hoses. In the middle of the back wall, I have a retractable hose mounted near the ceiling. In the rear corner, I installed the compressor, as well as the regulator and some gauges.I was a little concerned with some reviews saying they had problems with leaking, but I used 3 wraps of teflon tape with a thin coating of pipe dope, and tightened everything well. I had no leaks at all when I first pressurized the system, and it has held dead on the same pressure for 2 days straight at this point, so I don't see any problems with leaks.It did take a good 2+ days to install, but that is because I was being particular with making sure everything was perfectly straight and also moving everything around in the garage as I worked. I think copper pipe would have taken longer, and cost more. I used a 1/2" conduit bender to make the corners, but it didn't really hold well. It did give the basis of the corner though, and once you push it into the clips, it holds it in place well. I would recommend having some help - the long runs can be tricky to hold and maneuver around, but it can be done alone like I did.Note that you will need clips (which are not in this kit), as well as a regulator and some various other fittings. I needed an extra Maxline tee fitting and some other copper fittings and a ball valve to get my setup the way I wanted.Overall I am very pleased with the results. It's working great, and I have an extra drop I can add into my basement shop later.