Finally gave in; purchased a lubricated, belt driven 1.9 Craftsman air compressor. All excited but no go, made the mistake of adding a Craftsman filter to the purchase, not the least cheapest, what a let down, leaks like a sieve. Now matter of finding replacement before I can go any further. Not familiar with types, since intend to also use for cabinet blaster figure I should look for a filter that primarily minimizes condensation and not the tool oil feature?

Browsing cyber space and thought before getting stressed out finding a decent filter I would check with member's who found a filter they would recommend. I would like to stay under $100, but notice majority of the filters max. pressure runs around 150 psi for that amount of money, which is what the compressor is rated at, and perhaps I should look for a filter rated higher?

Suggestions/Comments appreciated!e

 

Unfortunately a water trap just after the compressor won't catch a whole lot. The air is too hot and the water will still be suspended as vapor. You need to cool the air and then use a water trap. The shop I am at now has water traps made out of 4" iron pipe with caps screwed on both ends. The lower end has a valve for draining, while the top has an inlet and outlet for the air. These are also 50-100' from the compressor allowing the air to cool completely before hitting them.
A cheap but effective cooler can be made from about 15' of 3/8" or 1/2" copper tubing and a box fan, I had to use a setup like this living in the Seattle area due to the humidity.

 

Greatly appreciate comments; as I reflect, not the best environment to try and establish a moisture free condition on air tools and equipment; 20 x 20 louvered metal structure, tends to be seasonal for working in. Figure to select a few filters, within cost and compressor requirement, then review customer comments, for the best bang for the buck, purchase a couple and place them in series??

Again, I thank you!!

 

You can get a desiccant type filter dryer for under $200 that will clean and dry the air. The only downside is that the cartridges can get expensive. But if you only use it on an airline going to moisture sensitive uses (paint gun, soda blaster etc.) they should last quite a while. Unless your air is really saturated, I don't know if you need to separate out the water vapor for a blast cabinet. I don't and I don't live in a dry area. I just drain the tank regularly.
Of course if you win the lottery you could always buy a refrigerated dryer!

 

Here's the moisture separators used at the shop:


Very basic design, and quite effective. You need something to drop the air temp to get all the moisture out, my preferred method is a coil of about 15' of copper tubing zip tied to a box fan, your air will be at ambient or very slightly above when it hits the separator.

 

A little late to the party but may help others.
My air dryer or should be called air cooler is made from base board fin tubing I picked up used at the scrap yard. Add a few copper fittings and valves and you have a air cooler.
air enters on the left bottom goes up then down to a drip leg to drain water then back up and down were air exits out the side but has a drain leg down from that to drain water.

Here it is mounted to the side of a shelf unit in my first garage. It was small and found little air flow so I would put 2 box fans on the shelf unit.

When I moved south the compressor & dryer came with me. I bolted the dryer to the wall, works as it did in the small garage even with out the box fans so far.

I also piped this garage, 3bays +work shop, using 2 Rapid Air Max line kits and some extra fittings. It runs in a loop around the top of the garage and has 5air hose drops each with a drip leg for draining water.

So far I have not gotten water at air hose drops just the dryer.
Compressor runs at 175psi thru the dryer then is cut back to 130 psi as the piping is rated for 150 psi @ 90*f and it can get a lot hotter than that in there and why I cut the psi back.
Dave ----