Cheap air tools

[Howley]

Hi All,

I'm looking to get some air tools at some stage in the future, maybe a die grinder, air ratchet and rattle gun. What is your experience and opinion on cheap air tools, that you'd commonly find in auto stores as a kit for less than a hundred bucks? Are they worth it? Am I better off getting brand name stuff second hand?

Luke

[zooom]

the most important thing in terms of airtools IMHO is the compressor you have....you need to have something that puts out enough pressure and has a big enough tank, based on your needs...

[Langanobob]

Unfortunately I've had very good luck with cheap air tools.  The only part that is missing is pride of ownership, which is zero.

[2-Skinny]

Harborfreight for all your cheap air tools and compressor needs.

[ducatiz]

Unfortunately I've had very good luck with cheap air tools.  The only part that is missing is pride of ownership, which is zero.

You can get some stickers printed up cheap...



I have two Harbor Freight compressors, one is big and one is small.  Various other air tools from them too..

The small compressor is 10 years old.  I've replaced one gasket in it and I use it constantly. 

The nice thing about HF tools is when they break, you throw it away and buy a new one and you're still only spending 10% of a name brand.

[Howie]

Gotta agree with Ducatiz for home use.  Make sure whatever you buy has some form of power regulation.  Most impact tools require a compressor output of 5+ CFM at 90 PSI.  A filter/water separator is a good idea.

[Langanobob]

Gotta agree with Ducatiz for home use.  Make sure whatever you buy has some form of power regulation.  Most impact tools require a compressor output of 5+ CFM at 90 PSI.  A filter/water separator is a good idea.

Except that I don't think Howley has HF's Down Under.   But the point is that cheap air tools in general seem to be fine.  Made in Taiwan seems to be a notch or two above Made in China.  I suspect that many times the only difference between the cheap ones and name brands these days is the label.  And the price.

[J5]

the cheap tools usually work ok

except for rattle guns, the cheap ones usually dont have the grunt that the better ones do

[ducatiz]

Except that I don't think Howley has HF's Down Under.   But the point is that cheap air tools in general seem to be fine.  Made in Taiwan seems to be a notch or two above Made in China.  I suspect that many times the only difference between the cheap ones and name brands these days is the label.  And the price.

Totally missed that Howley is ozzie.  Surely they have even MORE stuff from Asia than we do in the states :  They even got the 400cc models.

[Howie]

Except that I don't think Howley has HF's Down Under.   But the point is that cheap air tools in general seem to be fine.  Made in Taiwan seems to be a notch or two above Made in China.  I suspect that many times the only difference between the cheap ones and name brands these days is the label.  And the price.

Yeah, but I'm sure they have cheap compressors.  Compressors don't get good until you up the ante to pro levels for thousands.  If you have the money and don't mind spending it, great.  A cheap one in home use will last for years.

[ducatiz]

Yeah, but I'm sure they have cheap compressors.  Compressors don't get good until you up the ante to pro levels for thousands.  If you have the money and don't mind spending it, great.  A cheap one in home use will last for years.

I have a "pancake" type 2,5hp compressor that I bought in 2001 -- from Harbor Freight.  Never had a problem, and only had to replace one gasket on the blowoff valve.  Cost me a whopping $65 on sale.  It was stored outside (under the queensboro bridge!) for 5 years.  When it dies, I'll toss it and buy another just like it.

[bikepilot]

I've never liked any super-cheap impact guns I've used, most are slow, weak and heavy compared to the good stuff.  Maybe ok for occasional home use, really sucky if you need to make a living fixing stuff.  Note impact guns aren't really needed for a bike and even a crappy one should take care of anything on a bike as bike's are just more delicate and tend not to have super-tight things. 

I used snap-on and mac impact guns for a few years, they are dead reliable and work well day-in, day-out.  The highest end IR guns are cheaper, lighter, faster and make more torque.  They aren't quite as durable, but still last years in a shop environment. imo the IR guns are a very good option for a mid-range air tool, especially if you don't throw your tools around or lower lifts onto them on a regular basis.

I wouldn't bother with an air ratchet for home use, just not the world's most useful tool in general.  Can help save a little time if you are fixing cages all day long.

Cheap die grinders seem to do ok.

Mid-range drills are fine too.  I love mine, prob one of my fav air tools.  I kill electric drills in no time, even high end ones.  The air drill is almost indestructible - the harder you use it, the cooler it gets!  I have a mid-range one from the "american tool" truck that drives around.  I think its made by mountain tools or something like that - was about $100 IIRC.

Most all air tools are faster and stronger at higher pressure.  They are generally rated for 90psi; run them at 150-175 and they really get moving.  Of course this may cause an explosion and earth-devouring black hole, but the shop I worked in for 5yrs had been running their tools at that pressure since the 60s and still is.  Nothing's blown up yet, but they don't use any crappy tools.

Most air power tools will magnify the user's abilities or lack thereof - if know what you are doing they can save a ton of time safely, if you don't you'll probably break a lot of stuff  .  I almost never use them on bikes.  Pretty much the only time I break out the impact gun on a bike is to spin the valve stack out of the bottom of a fork leg so I don't have to bother with the cartridge holder tool.

Note that for sporadic use it doesn't really matter what your compressor's CFM is - you can draw down the tank a bit, then it can re-fill while you do some non-pneumatic activity.  If you want to be able to run the tool continuously for an indefinite period of time, the compressor pump needs to be able to make more CFM at your choice pressure than the tool can consume.

[Speeddog]

All of the cheap air tools, other than impact stuff, has worked fine for me.

[Goat_Herder]

All of the cheap air tools, other than impact stuff, has worked fine for me.

Got an air impact wrech from HF and it was crap.  Returned for an electric one.  Other than that, other air stuff from HF is decent and does the job. 

[ducatiz]

HF has a new line of air stuff called "Earthquake" and the impact wrench in that line is actually top notch, but those are 2-5X the cost of the other ones.