Mad, Thanks for the "Dutch Uncle" talk. My expressed philosophy is that the cheapest isn't often the most economical and the most excpensive isn't always the best. Now If I'd just try to put my money where my philosophy is...

I think a reasonable approach is a decent small filter (adequate flow for my plasma) mounted to the plasma (and this could be a Motorguard or similar.) I will be installing the HF units for general shop air. The Filter+regulator will filter all air leaving the new compressor and the FRL will be on a branch downstream of that to filter some more and add oil for my pneumatic tools. The HF unit should serve well as a pre-filter. The HF filter+Requlator will be downstream of the heat exchanger/water trap.

A decent vertical run of pipe in my air conditioned shop (downstream of the heat exchanger) with a drain at the bottom should catch the gross quantities of condensate and be easily drained. I have the shop plumbed for a utillity sink (not installed yet) so a plastic hose extension of the drain for the air line could easily be set above the sink for convenience.

I'm still on the first set of consumables so I haven't messed up too badly, yet. I have only cut about 25 feet or so of 3/16 and miscelaneous short cuts of 1/8, 3/16, and 1/4. I made a short experimental cut of some thin galvanized and then cut out a 26 ga 10x14 rectangle. Man does it cut that stuff soooooooo nice and the edge is fused and won't cut you like a sheared piece would. MY work with snips always leaves little "meathooks" so the plasma is a miracle machine to me.

Thanks again for the "Plain Talk" as it is good to get a dose of reality when you are wandering off into the dreamscape.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]