Tool Talk: Pneumatic vs. Electric

[Iplayfarmer]

Having never really had many air tools and having just acquired enough air compressor to maybe run a few, I'm now wondering what are the advantages and disadvantages to air vs. electric tools.

I have an impact wrench that I love, and I've used air sprayers and a rachet. I'm specifically interested in opinions on the tools that are commonly electric tools like drills, sanders, and grinders. In which situations is air best? When is electric best?

 

[jinman]

Any electric tool that generates dust will also ingest the dust through its cooling vents. Therefore, any grinding/sanding of metals or conductive materials such as carbon fiber will be best done with a pneumatic tool. Also, you can drag a pneumatic tool through water and never worry about being electrocuted. Wet areas are therefore best with pneumatic tools.

I don't know of any really good electric nailers. These days either compressor driven nailguns with hoses or standalone nailers with pneumatic cylinders are used. Battery power may be closing in on these, but currently, I think pneumatic rules.

Very good battery powered tools are starting to make inroads into traditionally pneumatic applications, but corded tools always have been very dangeruos in factory environments where there is constant danger of a cord being cut or crushed. Metal worktables are fine for welding, but electric cords around metal work tables are an accident waiting to happen.

All this stuff is just my opinion, but I think my reasoning is sound from my experience.

 

[dodge man]

The big advatage is size and heat. An air drill is small and compact, maybe half the weight and 3 times smaller than an electric. As air is uncompressed, it also gets colder (kind of how air condtioning works). So an air tool naturally runs cool. Cost is kind of a toss up, in my mind air tools aren't any cheaper than electric or cordless, but I'm not sure, I've never really compared.

 

[Bird]

In which situations is air best? When is electric best?

Tough question, and I don't thisk there is a simple answer. In general, and in my experience, air tools will have more power and last longer than comparable electric tools. I can't say for sure that they don't exist, but I've never seen an electric impact wrench with anything close to the power of an air impact. Four inch electric angle grinders are fine tools, but if you want an 8" or 10" angle grinder, I'd only consider air powered. They're both good, so maybe it's partially just personal preference in some cases. My preference is air.

 

[BobRip]

I have a Dewalt 18V impact wrench. While it's OK I have had two uses that it cost me. The first one it would not loosen the lugs nuts on my Tundra. It seemed to be working OK, but when I charged the battery it worked. The other times was using it to tighten the top nuts on my Dodge Caravan front shocks. I thought I got it tight, but it was still making a clunking noise. I took those shocks on and off three times and finally took it to the dealer. They said the nuts were loose. No problems after that. It does not behave like a pneumatic tool, so you have to be mindful.

 

[20 20]

BOTH are good to have around.

 

[JoelD]

Good question, from my experience you need a mighty big compressor with huge CFM to run a grinder, cutting wheel or sander for any length of time.

I've got a 10+cfm at 90, 60 gallon tank compressor and a cutting wheel will kick the crud out of it, she'll run full throttle and not keep up.

I only use electric cutting wheel, I can run that black and decker all day long (bearings starting to fail now after 4-5 years of use) and be no worse for wear. Cheap money to replace.

Impact wrench, nothing as strong as compressor.

Joel

 

[CCWKen]

I have about air everything but still use electric buffers, grinders and hand drills. I have an air drill that I use in tight places and for spot weld cutting. It's hard to beat the quick tool changes of air but I use several during the course of a day--Mostly wrenches, sanders and shears. The compressor comes on in the morning and I shut it down in the evening so the air is there most the time. It really doesn't pay to run the compressor if all you're going to do is drill a couple of holes.

One thing for sure though, any power tool beats doing it by hand.

 

[Big Bri]

I have about air everything but still use electric buffers, grinders and hand drills. I have an air drill that I use in tight places and for spot weld cutting. It's hard to beat the quick tool changes of air but I use several during the course of a day--Mostly wrenches, sanders and shears. The compressor comes on in the morning and I shut it down in the evening so the air is there most the time. It really doesn't pay to run the compressor if all you're going to do is drill a couple of holes.

One thing for sure though, any power tool beats doing it by hand.

Thats the truth.
I own all three, air, electric and battery. i think they all have there place.

Battery tools are awesome in many situations, when i had a fencing business we used battery tools a lot after walking the finished job making sure everything was done correct. no need pulling out a corded tool just to trim a gate or post top. there also great for when the wife ask you to hang something or fix something quick no need to pull out that bulky 100 extension cord.

air tools are great for the power that they have, as said above a air impact is one heck of a tool. i do like the air grinders, and rachets. but they do have a limitation . . . the amount of air in your tank. so unless you have a large cfm compressor you might have to wait for the compressor to catch up with itself.

electric tools have there place also, for long turn prolong uses nothing beats electric.

 

[dcyrilc]

I'm inclined to say that each has it's place. I've yet to see an air powered skill saw, saws-all, or saw mill. For general drilling I prefer a varible speed 0-300 rpm Milwakee. For an impact driver - nothing beats air. I just bought a numatic grease gun and I think my old (hand powered) one is going to get very lonley.