Can you use an carry tank to run an air nailer?

[Larry_Van_Horn]

Simple question. My compressor is a long way from where I need it. Want to use my little 18 ga nailer. They don't use much air. I was wondering if it was possible to fill a carry tank to operate one.
Thanks,
Lar

 

[Chet]

It will work for a few nails, but when the pressure runs down from use you will have to carry the tank back and fill it up again. How far is a long way? I have laid out three hundred feet of air hose once to work on a building, with the compressor at the closest outlet. You might get an idea by trying it on a scrap board and see how many nails you can fire before the pressure drops to the point that the nailer won't operate. Chet

 

[BillG_in_TX]

This is why I always thought that Zetor had such great idea. I think they have air compressors on every one of their tractors. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I wonder if they'll be added to the "new" Century?

 

[shvl73]

I would think you would get quite a few shots with a little 18ga brad gun.
Is it more convenient to go back to recharge the tank than to run extra hose? Is the run too far to be practical to run hose?
With long runs of air hose, you will get some pressure drop, but it shouldn't affect something as small as a 18ga brad gun.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm not sure what kind of tank you have.. but my old campbel hausfield has a tire valve type nipple on it for being refilled by a 12v automotive air pump. IN the rare circumstances i wasn't around power.. I charged up the air tank, and then hooked up the tire pump to it as a top off. I only let the tire pump run about 5 minutes on.. then let it cool. For very limited air use this might get you by.. if you have that recharge option. Other options are an engine operated air pump .. it screws into a sprak plug hole, and has a small compressor plunger and valving. Thing is you have to have a gas engine on yer tractor.. etc.. other options are pto powered air pump.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[DocHeb]

I made this "carry tank" from an old propane tank. I left the tank open in the sunlight (after it was empty) to let any traces of propane escape. Then I pumped it down with a vacuum pump, opened the valve to let the air in, and then pumped it down again. The escaping air after five cycles was not flammable - it does, however, still smell a bit like mercaptan (odorizing agent for propane).

I put a pressure valve on it, and made a Male-to-Male adapter to allow me to fill the tank from my hoses that have quik-connects, or I can use the Schrader adapter on the right (similiar to a tire valve) to use a tire pump or gas station hose for inflation.

A tank at 100 psi. can drive about 90 - 2inch 18 gauge brads. You have to pause ~2 seconds between shots since the tight valve doesn't allow fast equilibration. You may also get some minor change in the driving depth of the brad as the pressure drops. It is, however, just the ticket to trim out two windows or one doorway without having to drag out a lot of hose, or do a small job at a site without an air compressor.

One of these days I'll get around to painting it a different color, and label it as "COMPRESSED AIR - NON FLAMMABLE".

 

[Larry_Van_Horn]

Chris,
Great idea! This is exactly what I need to do, trim out some windows etc. in the house and I don't feel like stringing around all the hose. 100 nails between fills would be fine!
Are those 5 gal CH tanks 100 PSI?
Larry

 

[DocHeb]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Are those 5 gal CH tanks 100 PSI? )</font>

Around here they're called "20 lb tanks", and they are about the size of a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[Larry_Van_Horn]

Chris,
I like your 20 pund propane tank use, but if I didn't want to go through the effort of fabricating one myself. So I was referring to the Cambell Hausfield (CH) tanks you can pick up at Home Depot that were mentioned above.
Larry

 

[Junkman]

Chris..... do you know what the safe maximum amount of air pressure you can put into one of the propane tanks? Since the new design has been mandated, there are a lot of the older ones available just for the taking.

 

[DocHeb]

The pressure relief port on my tank valve is stamped "375 psi". I probably won't go above 100 psi since that is where my compressor cut-off is set.

 

[J_J]

hi,
Echo made a backpack aircompressor a couple of years ago. I have one, and it works well. I use it for just about anything. Main purpose is to power my air hand pruner. I have painted with it. I have driven many staples along a fence line. It is good for putting up wood fences also. What it looks like is a small two stroke engine with an extra cylinder attached for the aircompressor side. puts out about 100 psi.
The Paslode gas powered nailguns work quite well also
j.j.

 

[sl3uth]

I bought the smaller Craftsman tank from Sears. It's max pressure is 150 psi, and it has a relief valve in case of attempted over-pressurization.

I've thought more than a couple times about doing what the original post is stating...but here's what I "think" I need to do to make it work:
<ul type="square"> [*]Replace hose with a longer one that'll support the quick disconnects [*]Insert a regulator into that new hose (since my nailers warning states a 90 psi max) [/list]

If you have access to SCUBA tanks, I've read an article about folks (trim carpenters) using these VERY HIGH PRESSURE tanks with regulators to work all day long off a single charge.

Sam

 

[keeney]

Welding tanks, similar to SCUBA tanks, are also rated for about 2000 psi.

I have seen setups for "portable" plasma cutting torches using 2000 psi compressed air regulated down to 60 psi or so for the torch. Goes about 15 minutes or so off of the smaller bottles, but a torch uses a lot of cfm, so something like a nailer could go all day off of a welding tank.

- Rick

 

[BPD239]

An aluminum scuba tank can safely hold 3000lbs. A steel scuba tank is rated for more pressure. I think that the steel tanks are rated for 5000lbs.

 

[mrcaptainbob]

But...how do you get it to 2,000 PSI? It may hold it, but I haven't run across too many gas stations that'll go quite that high. (Especially for dropping those quarters in the slot!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)Haven't seen anything at Sears that can pump that high. Would it be possible to have that done at a SCUBA shop or maybe a welding supply shop?

 

[BigAl]

My brother uses a bottle of CO2 gas with his big nail gun . It will last a long time . He used it in forming foundations and he could do 4 of 5 foundations without refilling it .He gets it at the local Welding supply company . That bottle was about 24" high and about 8" in diameter .He put a regulator on the bottle to control the pressure . That was 30 years ago and he is still using it,with no damage to his nail gun .
Big Al

 

[keeney]

I think the cheapest and easiest thing to do is to run your air compressor until it is fully pressurized, unplug it and then wheel it or haul to where you need to work. I assume it already has a tank, pressure gauge, regulator, and hose setup.

Depending on how big your compressor is, this may or may not be the most convenient thing, but it probably already has wheels!

A medium-sized compressor with a 5 gallon tank at 125 psi will run a brad nailer regulated at 90 psi for a lot of brads before it gets below 90psi and goes out of regulation.

Just be sure your hoses and fitting don't leak at all (use teflon tape or pipe dope on all the fittings) and avoid uneccessary connect/disconnect cycles that vent air out of the tool and hoses.

- Rick

 

[BPD239]

If you have a scuba dealer near you they will fill it for a couple of bucks. I have tanks filled at a scuba dealer and I have seen that beyond a compressor they have a cool water bath for the tanks to keep the temperature of the tanks down as they are filled. I have seen posts on scuba bulletin boards talking about home compressors. I think it would be even simpler for this kind of use. To use them for scuba diving, the air is filtered and I think dehumidified.

 

[shvl73]

I recently had to change a door unit in one of my rentals & didn't want to drag my Makita compessor in there because it's about 50+ pounds & extremely loud so I borrowed my father inlaws, much quieter. I don't normally like to borrow so I've ordered a small inexpensive Harbor freight compressor. 18lbs, $70 & should be much quieter. I think it should work for my finish gun. If it doesn't, it might be going on a round trip back.