Air Impact Wrench

OkieG · May 20, 2003

...they manufacture their own tools in Asia and they are sold under several labels.


Hi John,
When you say "they", do you mean IR? If IR manufactures their own tools overseas, that would probably give them the most control over the finished product.

OkieG

Bird · May 20, 2003

( heard they're spec'ed out overseas and imported, but don't know for sure )

I'm afraid that's true of just about all the air tools. All the later model IR, CP, Snap-On, MAC, Matco, etc. have something somewhere that says "Made in Japan" or just "Japan" on them. Some of the cheaper tools may say "Taiwan" instead. Last I knew, Sioux tools were about the only ones made in the USA (great tools, but expensive). I've noticed some of their prices have come down a bit; don't know whether they've started having them made in Asia or not.

And I don't know who made your particular Craftsman. It "appears" much like some CP models. I didn't like to work on Craftsman air tools simply because I had to order parts directly from Sears, pay retail price for the parts, wait too long to get them, and sometimes had orders messed up. For instance, rotor blades are generally sold in sets of 4, 5, or 6 depending on how many the tool uses. The first time I ordered a set from Sears (and listed on their price list as a "set of 6"), they sent one, but charged for the 6, called them, they agreed it was a mistake and sent one more; 6 phone calls to get one rotor blade at a time. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

There are many many air tools that you can take apart, look at the parts, and swear two tools are the same thing, but then find that one or two pieces that are only 1 or 2 mm difference in size means the parts are not interchangeable and will not work. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Anonymous Poster · May 20, 2003

OkieG

When I said "they" I was referring to my conversation with Alltrade. Wouldn't doubt that IRs are made in Asia also.

Now days, more and more manufacturing is being moved from the USA to Asia and Western Europe. What is scary is that even sensitive hi-tech devices are now manufactured in China and other Asian countries. Before long we will lose our technological advantage and our capability to manufacture. In a short period of time those hi-tech devices will be reverse engineered eliminating our technological advantage.

John

Pacesetter300 · May 20, 2003

I bought an IR air drill through a tool catalog and it was made in China. I wrote with the warranty card that I would check in the future and if an IR tool I was interested in was made there, I would not buy it. If enough people do that, they will get the message.
Pacesetter

jmattox1 · May 20, 2003

JWE,

An extended anvil or long anvil is where you attach the socket to. It is like the impact has a built in extension. It offsets far enough when unbolting most wheels you will not need an extension.

Jon

Anonymous Poster · May 20, 2003

Thank you okieg,I was just at a welding supply place today,been there before but never had air sockets on my mind,the got all kinds of them,if any body out there knows what size the kingkutter takes let me know,I bet its also a 1 11/16",I will call kingkutter. RICHARD GAUTHIER

Anonymous Poster · May 20, 2003

I belive thats what I'll get,the IR-2131,with the 2" extended anvil,that and a torch. RICHARD GAUTHIER

BillyP · May 20, 2003

Richard, I'm not tryin to tell you what to buy but there might come a time that those 2 extra inches might keep you from getting to where you need to be.

On the torch thing, be careful. You wouldn't want to ruin a seal by heating too much.

Anonymous Poster · May 20, 2003

Thanks Jon... I always thought an anvil was a big hunk of iron that you used to beat metal on. Guess there is more than one meaning.

I always learn something here!

John

Bird · May 20, 2003

( thought an anvil was a big hunk of iron that you used to beat metal on )

I did, too, until I started working on air tools. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

JohnMiller3 · May 20, 2003

…I bet its also a 1 11/16”…

Yes, the blade bolts use a 1 11/16” socket… and somewhere I’ve written down the socket for the blade holder socket…

Craftsman store price about ~ $14.

Richard… here’s my “manual torque gun”… would ya say up to ~~ about 1575 ft/lbs… give or take with “one me”… /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

BillyP · May 22, 2003

I checked my CP734H, it's made in Japan.

Anonymous Poster · May 22, 2003

Thankyou JOHN,thats one of those things that will make it come or bleed,now I know what I'm up against. RICHARD GAUTHIER

jinman · May 24, 2003

Hey John... That looks just like mine. Have you been messin' around in my toolbox? /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Anonymous Poster · May 26, 2003

I,also have a IR2131A impact wrench. Purchased 8mos. ago
from Northern Tool, I have used it many times with nothing
but praise for it's performance.It is rated at 600f#in rev.and
450f#max in forward(at 90psi). My gun is the short anvil type
which makes for a compact size.For it's size it really packs a
punch.I use,and mfg. recom. a 3/8 Id hose for best performan
ce. The only limitation I have,is the borderline performance
of my air-comp. My a/c is an old sears 1hp-12gal unit,rated
at6.4cfm@40psi,5.4cfm@90psi.To sum up,for best performance,you need a good cfm,(to match mfg. spec)a
large hose (at least 3/8),a strong I/R(high f#) capable to do
the job at hand.

Anonymous Poster · May 29, 2003

I just received my IR2131. The instructions say to install an inline oilier a moisture trap. I have a moisture trap but no oilier on my compressor. My tool will not receive heavy usage so is it safe to put a few drops of oil in the tool before each use rather than installing an oilier?

John

Bird · May 29, 2003

John, I think only shops where the tool is used nearly all day bother to install an automatic oiler. Everyone else just squirts a little oil into the air intake before hooking up the air hose. And I think most people do it before using it, and sometimes rarely even then, but if you want maximum life from it, give it a shot of oil, then just a brief burst of air to circulate the oil when you're through, before putting it away. Now a half teaspoon of oil is probably adequate; however, you cannot hurt it with too much oil; the surplus is simply blown out the exhaust.

StoneHeartFarm · May 30, 2003

Bird,

Is there any air tool that could be harmed by too much oil?

Steve

Bird · May 30, 2003

( Is there any air tool that could be harmed by too much oil? )

Not to my knowledge. The air tool oil that goes into the air intake will simply run into the air motor (most of which are rotary motors although there are some reciprocating piston air motors in things like inline sanders, saws, etc) so it will either run, or be blown, out the exhaust. On the tools, like impact wrenches, that have motor oil or grease in the front end, an excess of those lubricants will not likely harm the tool, but will reduce power until the surplus works its way out. Although I guess it is at least theoretically possible to damage an oil seal in the front end. But air tool oil in the air intake; no way an excess can hurt anything on any tool I know about.

Now of course, you have to realize that I was just working on air tools as a part time job I enjoyed for two years and didn't want a lot of business, so I only worked on a little over a thousand of them (983 invoices plus what I did for friends, family, neighbors, and myself without writing up an invoice) so there are lots of air tools out there that I've not had any experience with.

StoneHeartFarm · May 30, 2003

Thanks, Bird. When I got my finish nailer, I got yelled at by a relative for putting more than two drops of oil down the air intake. Supposed to gum up the gun. Never could figure it out. If three drops will gum it up, seems like two would also.

Steve