Air Tools

[buck12]

For me to get a pneumatic or corded electric tool out it has to be job that absolutely requires the tool. 90 percent of the time I can get by with a battery powered tools. I just hate dragging a cord around. I have been building a cabin for the last year and a half and several times I thought about getting a battery powered finish nailer but I knew once I finished the cabin it would likely collect dust so I stuck with the pneumatic nailers. However; there are times when there is no substitute for pneumatic or corded tools.

 

[i7win7]

Only air tools I currently use are pin nailer, brad nailer and flooring stapler. Have air sanders for wet sanding. Battery tools biggest advantages, no air hose and can use it anywhere.

 

[user.69169]

Compressed air most expensive stored energy, make it wid electric or fuel, always most expensive over electric.

Pneumatic tools, if I buy new gonna be Astro Pneumatic. They equal to any maker.
Best reason, few years back when Branson flooded and guys not smart enough to load toolboxes from dealerships onto flatbeds and haul to high ground, lot of tools drowned. SnapOn, Mac and other dealers happy to write repair estimates and replacement estimates while shops still full of water & slop.
Astro sent recovery team to show how to pack up tools with water in baggy, put in container for ride back to factory for recondition at no cost to mechanic. Didn't talk about or put up billboard, just made sure men could get back to work ASAP.

 

[ponytug]

Is anyone else a fan of air tools in the shop? ...

For the rest, I like air. The tools are cheaper, the compressor is more expensive, but I built my own 15 cfm out of a used 5 hp motor, salvaged tank, and Harbor Freight pump for about $225. The pump and pressure switch were the only things I bought new. A single stage pump was fine, since I don't have a use for 175 psi air. I need a line dryer, but haven't built one yet. So far I'm getting by with drip legs on the drops and filters.

I built a reasonable air dryer by running the output from the compressor through a power steering oil cooler with a little 12v fan on it. It cools the air to a few degrees above ambient, and then the air goes through a small coalescing filter that removes almost all of the water and oil. I splurged for a $5 float drain in it. I get a little bit of condensate in the main tank, and the first filter gets a few drops an hour. The compressor start relay turns on a 12v computer power supply that can run off 240 which powers the fan. The combination was much cheaper than a 240v fan.

The compressor runs all of my air tools, and we use a die grinder to trim the horses's hooves. The hoof trimming uses enough air to run the compressor on a 25% duty cycle for the duration (10-11cfm compressor). Before I put the intercooler in, we would have die grinders ice up during winter trims. The outside air temp was probably only 40F, but it was enough to freeze the die grinders.

I used an air piping kit with 1/2"OD nylon to do my shop air lines. In hindsight, I wish that I had used 1/2"ID pipe or larger, and I wish that I had bought quality fittings rather than a kit. After twelve years, I had one of the kit tees or elbows fail catastrophically. (Don't know which exploded first, but both broke.) I was very glad to have been forty feet away when it blew out. I am glad that I used plastic tubing, as I never have rust in any of my downstream drip legs or filters.

I use both air and battery tools. Mostly air in the shop, and battery powered tools for ranch work away from the shop.

I had to upgrade my 1/2" impact wrench as well. My old 400ft-lb impact wrench couldn't remove the lug nuts on my newer truck. The 1000ft-lb wrench does it easily.

All the best,

Peter

 

[4570Man]

If I was only working in a shop maybe I’d be satisfied with tools with a cord but being a contractor battery tools and electric when absolutely necessary is far more convenient.

 

[4570Man]

An interesting study would be to see which uses more electricity-battery powered tools like Milwaukee's Fuel or air compressors themselves while using pneumatic tools?

No study needed. Direct drive electric is way more efficient than an air compressor.

 

[bunyip]

I have transitioned from air and corded to Milwaukee 18 and 12v Fuel range, just waiting on the big staple gun for fencing to turn up like the dewalt.
The small stapler is good for securing bird netting and clear poly on garden bed surrounds and the pop riveter has more grunt than I imagined.
Seriously considering the 18v sliding compound mitre saw, just not sure about which one..... yet.
The sabre saw is the one that gets the least use and was part of a kit.

 

[Paddy]

Larry,

I'm a stone carver for fun. I use air chisels, die grinders with diamond burs. They are far better than electric alternatives.

 

[4570Man]

I have transitioned from air and corded to Milwaukee 18 and 12v Fuel range, just waiting on the big staple gun for fencing to turn up like the dewalt.
The small stapler is good for securing bird netting and clear poly on garden bed surrounds and the pop riveter has more grunt than I imagined.
Seriously considering the 18v sliding compound mitre saw, just not sure about which one..... yet.
The sabre saw is the one that gets the least use and was part of a kit.

I have a Dewalt cordless framing gun and a cordless 18 gauge. The framer is pretty lacking in power and speed. It’s pretty handy but it’s not on the same level as an air gun. The 18 gauge works pretty good at the expense of being heavy.

 

[bunyip]

This is the brute I am referring to
2V MAX* XR 9 GA Cordless Fencing Stapler (Tool only) - DCFS95B | DEWALT