Air Tools

[Larry Caldwell]

Is anyone else a fan of air tools in the shop? It seems everyone is fixated on battery power nowadays, but I'm fond of air wrenches, grinders, drill motors, etc. I piped 3/4" black iron around the shop with drops over benches and tools. Air to clean out chips from the lathe, drill press and sawdust is handy, and I can drive a 5/16 lag into wood without drilling using a 3/8" air ratchet. There's nothing like a blast cabinet for cleaning up parts. Plus, the tools are far more durable. Power is not the only consideration. I have a 1/8" collet die grinder that will use Dreml tools, but is no thicker than a white board marker. It's great for scroll work. I'm looking for a surplus dental drill for really fine work.

My fixed machines, like the table saw, jointer, planer, mill, lathe, welder, and drill press run on 240v. electricity, as does the compressor. Any motor over 1/4 hp runs better on 240v., so

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.

 

[PILOON]

Coming from aviation I always vote for air tools.
Very reliable, light wt compared to most electric and durable.

 

[GaryM]

I have a few air tools and use them on occasion. Mostly in my pole barn. But battery is handier in my garage and around the house. As those are all small jobs in various rooms both upstairs and down.

I've settled on milwaukee M18 and some M12 as well.

 

[Bird]

I, too, have always been partial to air tools. When my brothers were Matco Tool Distributors they brought me their broken or defective tools from their customers, so I repaired/rebuilt just about a thousand tools for them, nearly all air tools.

 

[mike48130]

I like both. I use my ridgid cordless impact and angle grinder all the time. But air for the larger impacts and angle grinders. The air tools still get used a lot too.

 

[cdaigle430]

I am switching over to battery power tools form Air. All that left is my frame, brad and finish nailers.

 

[cdaigle430]

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?

 

[Aquamoose]

Each has its place. I use both, along with corded tools.

 

[sd455dan]

Just ordered a new 1/2 air impact today

1000 lb ft. should break free the stubborn bolts my 480lb. ft old impact couldn't :thumbsup:

 

[old and tired]

....broken or defective tools from their customers, so I repaired/rebuilt just about a thousand tools for them, nearly all air tools.

This is why I don't buy air tools, most of what I had didn't work - most likely since I buy cheap crap... I've never been let down with something that I can plug in.

 

[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