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

So far I’m really impressed with the compressed air piping system. Haven’t finished fully installing it but half of the piping is installed and hooked up to the compressor with no air leaks. The piping was easy to work with, held shape well and the fittings were easy to install and tighten. Only downside is the amount of fittings may not fit your needs but they can be purchased and it comes with quite a few to get started.

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.

Installed this along with several other additional components to run air drops at multiple locations in my barn/shop. Total install was about 150' and six drop down/outlet headers. A few multiple outlets headers at two of the locations and the reminder are the standard outlets that come with this 3 place kit. Overall installation was pretty easy, but did require some larger adjustable wrenches and some pretty good strength to seal the fittings, additionally, I recommend using Loctite 545 instead of Teflon tape to seal all the NPT connections. So far it's leak free and looks pretty good as well. The lines are a metal core with a polymer exterior. They come coiled up and getting them straight isn't the easiest thing to do, however with some patience and a good bit of space it's definitely possible to get them pretty darn close to straight (where needed) and curved (as needed) without the (my opinion) overly expensive tube straightening tool. Definitely think this kit is an improvement over the lower product line from them that is just plastic hose with pushin fitting - Have this in my attached garage, before building the barn/workshop.

If you're a normally handy person, this kit will come together quite easily. The downside to flexible pipes like this is that they're very easy to bend by mistake when you install them, so you have to come up with a way to hold elbows and "T"s when you tighten them up. I found that holding them with a pipe wrench was the best way, although a bit awkward when working overhead. To minimize this, I preassembled some of the trickier parts of the system before hanging them. I'd recommend that you plan ahead and preassemble as much as possible on the floor, that will save you quite a bit of time and effort. The threads on some of the fittings were a bit rough and felt like they were about to gall before they were tight enough, so I would also recommend that you lubricate them. I brushed on a small amount of bearing grease, and that made them much smoother. As a whole, the system was pretty easy to install without using much bad language at all. I actually bought some extra bits and pieces to make sure I had drops where needed, so I ended up with 7 drops and numerous "T"s and elbows. When I turned on the air I was ready to start chasing leaks, retightening fittings and everything else that usually goes with air line installations, but I lost less than 1/2 lb of pressure overnight when I tested it. This could just as well be in the compressor, regulator, auto drain, couplings or whatever, so I'm definitely happy with that part. Now for the not-so-good part: The outlet blocks are too thin. They're only 1" thick, so there's very little material left for the pipe thread on the front and the back. I can fully understand why they recommend thread tape AND sealant for the installation, since there's only about 3-4 full threads that can seal properly. The block is actually so thin that when you connect the air line, there's just barely room to turn the nut without the hex scraping against the wall. It doesn't leave you much space to turn the wrench either, so I decided to 3D print 1/4" spacers to make the lines easier to install. These blocks should really be 1 1/2" thick, that would ensure a good thread depth and it would make the installation easier as well. It would also be great if they had provided clips with the kit. You will definitely need them, and since the lines are so easy to bend you will also need a lot of them. The Maxline clips are a total ripoff at $16 for a bag of 10, so I used 1/2" PEX clips instead. They were only $6 for a bag of 25, so it sure wouldn't hurt if they had included a few bags of these in the kit. Really, the kit can't be installed without clips, so I sure don't understand why they don't include any to begin with. All in all, this kit was a very good value, and it sure beats struggling with hard lines when you're installing in a crowded workshop like mine. I would have given it 5 stars if it hadn't been for the outlet blocks and the lack of clips.

I utilized this product to build a multi drop header throughout my shop. I was hesitant at first as a welder (I’m notorious for overbuilding everything) and wanted to utilize steal black pipe. At the time the cost comparison between going that route and this route was huge and I decided to take the personal “psychological” risk of of using this product instead. Installation was relatively simple. It does take a little finessing to get the line itself straightened out as you hang it. Wouldn’t call it a two person job but a second set of hands would definitely help. Also a little easier to complete the task when the line itself is warm. If you live in a colder environment like it do, keep the heat up and the shop doors closed. The fittings this kit come are easy to install as well. The bevel tool is simple and self explanatory and I chose to use a little bit of Blue Monster Thread tape on each joint. I ordered additional T’s and 90’s from amazon as well to complete my drops so I have air wherever needed in the shop. Have had product in use now for approximately 3 months without issue fed by a dual stage compressor that I keep roughly 150 psi on (have individual separators and Reg’s at each outlet). There are no leaks and the lines hold pressure if outlet valve left on. My advice is to sketch out your actual plan for install and cross reference what this kit comes from with what you actually need. It does come with a generous amount of fittings, but depending on how complex of a system you wish to build, you may need more fittings. Overall, I am extremely pleased with the product, which exceeded my expectations. It is also much lighter than a conventional black pipe approach, meaning your need to fasten it is drastically reduced and you don’t need to worry about moisture effecting the longevity of the product given it’s composition. I would definitely use this product again and recommend it to others looking to do something similar in their shop/garage.

This does not leak. The pipe was easy to run and bend by hand. I had plenty of fittings to pipe three air drops. One of the brass 45 degree fittings split because I overtightened it. My shop 90 feet long total. I spaced all the drops roughly 25 feet apart. All on the same side and about 5 feet up from the floor.

So I just got done installing my system and am very impressed. The kit comes with everything you need--except hanging clips. Some reviews complained about the 'stiff' tubing, but I found that it keeps its shape. Once you straighten the tubing it stays straight. It takes a little bit of work to make tight bends or jiggles, but way less effort than a soldered copper system, and none of the corrosion issues from a galvanized system. I would absolutely use this product again. My only sadness was to not have run it before the drywall was hung. This product would be great in an interior wall application. One recommendation for installation. Use two open end/box wrenches to tighten the fittings instead of adjustable wrenches. In my experience it works MUCH better. If you are like me and are on the fence about this system, go for it. You'll be glad you did! This is the system you want. I am also satisfied that I chose the 1/2" tubing. I was debating between the 1/2" and the 3/4". If you are doing the same, my counsel would be that for a normal home shop, get the 1/2". For a heavy user who may spray a lot, used sandblaster, or similar, or for a commercial/industrial application you would want the 3/4".

I bought this based on the recommendation from other airplane builders who have it. This kit comes with three drops and does what I needed it to do. I opted to buy some extra 90* fittings since I wasn't a fan of the curve in the corners. I am not sure why people find this kit so hard to seal up. I used Teflon tape and a light coat of the pipe dope on every NPT fitting and I have had ZERO leaks leaving just my hardline system charged (air shut off from the compressor) and it has held 60psi for several days. I can't really test it any longer than that because I am out in the shop almost every day. Anyone who says this system leaked did not follow the directions and did not install the fittings correctly. I will say it again, you MUST use the Teflon tape and the pipe dope. Don't skimp of $4 worth of supplies from your local big box and try to install this without one or the other. That's just bad form.

Acabo de terminar hace pocos días el sistema de aire de mi taller en la casa, hasta ahora todo muy bien, un poco caro su precio, pero si lo vale; muy práctico su uso queda muy completo en mi taller y sobre todo muy facil su instalacion me quite de muchos problemas, en comparación con la instalación de un sistema de tubos negros o de cobre este es mucho mas sencillo y flexible de colocar, muy contento

excellent product, easy to install.

Installed it in my new shop. Went up easy and no leaks on the first pressure up!!

This is a great product. I found it easy to install, very easy to work with !

Easy to use, easy to install and great end result once installed. Would have been nice if it had a couple more T fittings, and adaptors for air couplers, and the clips to mount to the wall