For those with air compressors

[ckcarr]

What kind of air tools do you find consistently valuable?

For both bike and other vehicles??

[mullerjd]

Air chuck is probably #1. Blow gun nozzle, air ratchet, impact gun, and a few others I have only get occasional use.

[StuartOstroff]

Air Chuck #1. Handy Lift #2. Twice a year I use my 1/2" impact gun to remove the 18" alloy wheels and F-1's from my GLI, and mount 16" steelies with snow tires (my wife calls them ghetto wheels). Getting ready to remount the nice parts. Very rarely do I use the 3/8" "flapper" impact gun.

[wswartzwel]

Add to Mullerjd's list

Die grinder with various burr bits, scotchbrite roll locks, and cut off wheels

[Rapid Dog]

....On Topic, who's got a fullsize bike lift, where are the best deals...opinions plaese...

[itchybro]

How bout a horn? I mean it wouldn't be terribly mobile but wow, it would NEVER run out! Be a hit with the kids!

(Pardon me, I got horn on the brain for some reason)

[roger albert]

Strangely, some of the simple ones.

Besides a tire chuck, a rubber tipped blow gun is great for cleaning surfaces and blowing out passages and chasing away the neighbor's cat or making your nephew giggle.

An impact driver for breaking bolts loose is great. Even the fairly cheap ones (mid range of harbor freight etc) are OK initially. They just don't hold up as well. But if the use is infrequent, they're OK. If you'll use one more, get a big namebrand one. It will last forever and deliver a big more peak torque. That's more important if you have a compressor with low deliver or peak pressure (125 or 150 instead of 175)

A good rule of thumb is that if the tool has a 90degree mechanical linkaage (bevel drive etc) then get a really good one. Simple vaned or reciprocating things (sander, buffer, drill, file, etc) do ok even if on the el-cheapo side.

I'd get a good 1/2 drive impact gun and decent 3/8 air ratchet.

Often overlooked is when you need to drill in a tight space. A decently powered 90degree drill (Milwaukee etc) is over a buck-fifty, and is still not that small. A cheap HF one can fit in tight places and is like 30 bucks. Not tons of peak torque, but not bad, given they're geared down.

Cheap orbital sanders seem to break all the time. To be avoided.

A die grinder for grinding stones and cutoff wheels is indispensible.
Get a 3 or 3-1/2 inch. HF ones are ok. In fact, get two or three when they go on sale at HF. Youll end up with plenty spare stones/bits (which you'll always find use for) and you can set up one for each collet size, saving a bunch of changeover time when dealing with bits with different shank diameters.

So, in order, imo
tire chuck
blowgun
die grinder
1/2" impact gun
3/8 ratchet (good for poly bolted flanges/covers (rear drive, clutch etc)
airfile and/or air saw (work well where there's not enough room/stroke for a manual one)

And a tip. On a motorcycle, airtools are only for removing, if used at all.
replace by hand.

hth

[wswartzwel]

QUOTE]Originally posted by itchybro
How bout a horn? I mean it wouldn't be terribly mobile but wow, it would NEVER run out! Be a hit with the kids!

(Pardon me, I got horn on the brain for some reason) [/QUOTE]


My wife tells me I always have that on my mind too Itchybro.

[mullerjd]

Originally posted by Rapid Dog
....On Topic, who's got a fullsize bike lift, where are the best deals...opinions plaese...

I've got the Harbor Freight one.. it's not air powered but as much as I use it, I didn't need that option. I got a cupon off the net somewhere so it only cost me $249..

[Rapid Dog]

...thise aren't air operated are they? Tell me more...

[mullerjd]

Originally posted by Rapid Dog
...thise aren't air operated are they? Tell me more...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91764

[ckcarr]

So I'm asking because I found a returned new compressor at Sears for 1/2 the sale price and bought it. Its a 3 1/2 horse 15 gallon. Will that be enough for most basic work?

[wswartzwel]

Yes that will be good.....If it is a real 3 1/2 Horse you can even run a small sandblaster with it!!! Some of the newer ones throw HP numbers around though that are misleading.

[gigantic]

it should be enough to inflate tires and blow bits of dirt & dust, as well as use nailers & such but not likely enough for impact guns, air ratchets and die grinders.

[wswartzwel]

Originally posted by gigantic
it should be enough to inflate tires and blow bits of dirt & dust, as well as use nailers & such but not likely enough for impact guns, air ratchets and die grinders.

??? I used a 3.5 HP Sears 2 stage air compressor to sandblast my 40 dodge business coupe project... and it kept up fine??? It was a 2 cylinder 2 stage pump. but it was made 17 years ago before they changed the meaning of horsepower

This one runs 4 mechanics, bead blast cabinets, and a used oil furnace and it is only a 5hp compressor.....

[ckcarr]

If its not good enough for impact guns why do they give you one with it?

[wswartzwel]

Whats the model number.... Does it have a CFM rating?

Is it a real compressor with pistons and a oil crankcase, or one of those little pancake things that contractors use to shoot nails with?

[StuartOstroff]

I have a full-size Handy Lift, works on air. I bought it when I got my LT (800#). Wouldn't trust anything less with that much weight. Now I use the Handy to work on the "S" and also on my Norton. It is a very stable work platform and can be raised to various heights, and locked in positon. It was about $900.

[Bob in Tucson]

Originally posted by ckcarr
If its not good enough for impact guns why do they give you one with it?

Most compressors can drive most air tools at least for a short time, but for high air-demand tools, they will recycle constantly and not be able to keep up. Trying to run a RO sander on a small compressor, for example, would be torture.

As wswartzwel said, check the air demands for the tools you're interested in and then the delivery rate for the compressor.

For typical hobby use, I think you'll be just fine.

[kpoling]

Check the CFM rating at a stated PSI: 10CFM @ 80PSI.

The HP ratings on small air compressors is a B.S. way of rating.

Like others have said, look at the air consumption @ xxPSI of the air tools you want to use & that will size your compressor.
The air tank just allows a few extra seconds of air if you are using more CFM than the pump puts out.

Most home compressors are rated at less than a 50% duty cycle.

All that said, I use an Emglo wheel barrow style contractor 1-1/2HP, oil type. It will run my 3/8" ratchet & impact. It barely runs my 1/2 impact. If money was no object & I had the room, a 7.5HP, 2-stage w/60gal tank would run most common garage tools at around 20-22 CFM @ 80PSI.