To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Astro Pneumatic Tool Company

To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

larryforce

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
164
did you ever contact Astro Chris get your pump repaired/replaced and does the kit work as it should Thanks Jim


No I never got around to it, I figure it was lesson learned, and it wasn't a huge investment.
I ended up with a stant style from Mac, plus it works with the same adaptors as my vacuum filler
 
OP
A

Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
2,108
Location
South El Monte
Chris, I just had to tell you I picked up two of the inflators from Woot and I'm thoroughly impressed with the quality. I remember when I laid out a franklin for my Milton and thought I got a decent tool. But these blow away that one at a quarter the price.

Good job Astro! :thumbup:

AstroAI is not affiliated with Astro Pneumatic. It's essentially an Amazon only brand that coincidentally uses the same font for their logo and sometimes sells similar tools.

People seem to like that inflator though, so money well spent in my eyes if you got a deal and that's what you wanted.
 

Locker537

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2016
Messages
488
Location
Massachusetts
Hey Chris, I apologize if it's been answered multiple times in this thread, but what's the best place to purchase Astro Tools?
 
OP
A

Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
2,108
Location
South El Monte
As we're traditionally 3-step distribution you can find our tools a whole bunch of ways including online, tool warehouses and local jobbers on trucks.

Since the question is being asking on an internet forum, below are some good bets:

Seem to have our new products the soonest:
https://www.toolfetch.com/
https://www.tools-plus.com/

They usually have good pricing too, although Amazon is always an increasingly popular source for our tools and pricing albeit often changing can be good. I'm often surprised how many of our tools can be found on Amazon considering no one place carries it all.
 

theoldwizard1

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Messages
43,140
Location
SE MI
So .... Eric O. on South Main Auto YouTube channel just revealed the NEW Astro impact Torx bit set. Got a part number for it Chris ?
 

Snap_cap

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 26, 2014
Messages
285
Location
The city of the broken bell.
Chris,

Will there be a set of larger sizes of the FlankBite sockets and wrenches coming out soon?

Also, can any of the current socket sizes available be purchased individually?
 
OP
A

Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
2,108
Location
South El Monte
Chris,

Will there be a set of larger sizes of the FlankBite sockets and wrenches coming out soon?

Also, can any of the current socket sizes available be purchased individually?

No larger sizes on the horizon as of yet, sorry.

All of the individuals can be purchased direct from us, just call or email.
 

Stooge

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
3,533
Location
South Shore, MA

Tallpilot

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2017
Messages
2,384
Location
Orlando
Depends on results. Could be 3-9 months;)

In other words they are already the most robust set made but if Eric and the other beta testers can break them they will become even stronger. Thank you Astro for fixing an obvious problem than even Snap-on was foolish enough to ignore.
 
OP
A

Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
2,108
Location
South El Monte
In other words they are already the most robust set made but if Eric and the other beta testers can break them they will become even stronger. Thank you Astro for fixing an obvious problem than even Snap-on was foolish enough to ignore.

I wouldn't go that far. There's what i would consider to be an inherent design constraint when it comes to torx tools that makes them more prone to failure than most others. So what you see on the market and many people's experiences with X brand's tools when it comes to torx I would not lay too much blame on the brand.

The fact is designing torx bits that are robust is and an order of magnitude more difficult than hex.

As far as timeline, we've already isolated the alloy shockproof tool steel we want to use, now we're just field testing different treatments and hardnesses.
 

maxpower_hd

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Messages
2,230
Location
Massachusetts
Chris,

I have bought and use several of the AP LED 40SL magnetic lights. I have given three away as well. I don't know how often updates are made to products but I was wondering if you've had a lot of comments on the charging plug. I have one light I use at work daily. It is a greasy, dirty environment so it is difficult to keep the little phone charger plug clean. Eventually the plug, even if kept relatively clean, will no longer hold onto the small cell phone charger plug.

Any plans on upgrading this to something a little more robust?

That is really my only complaint. Like I said I use the light all the time.
 
OP
A

Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
2,108
Location
South El Monte
I'm afraid until the next gen of light designs come around, Micro USB is here to stay. It's grown too popular to dismiss and the market has told us people don't like keeping track of their tool specific wall charger or having to buy replacements when they don't keep track of it.

A downside of Micro USB is there is a lifetime to its repeatable retention even in a perfect environment.
 

firworks

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 29, 2015
Messages
4,079
Location
IL
I'm afraid until the next gen of light designs come around, Micro USB is here to stay. It's grown too popular to dismiss and the market has told us people don't like keeping track of their tool specific wall charger or having to buy replacements when they don't keep track of it.

A downside of Micro USB is there is a lifetime to its repeatable retention even in a perfect environment.

There are downsides and upsides to using it and the commonality and ubiquity of Micro USB is one of it's biggest strengths. As long as people play by the standards.

I bought a Flexlight from FastCap and it seriously comes with an 8.4V USB adapter... Looks identical to any other phone charger but outputs 8.4V instead of 5V on the USB connector. Then you plug a USB to barrel jack cable into that to charge the light. So now I have this little deathdapter that anyone would mistake for a phone charger and blow up their stuff. Also that means their 18650 charging isn't actually doing any charge control but just CV charging them up to full.

View media item 82199View media item 82198
If it had just been a normal wall wart like this there'd be no issue:
71VbZvEm%2BEL._SL400_.jpg
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

aczr2k

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
523
Location
NW Minnesota
Does anyone have any hands on experience with either the 3036 or 3037 air belt sanders? I've been talking myself in and out of buying one for awhile but I think with one of my current car projects, I finally have to bite the bullet!

http://www.astrotools.com/air-tools...lt-sander-1-2-x-18-with-2pc-belts-80-100.html

http://www.astrotools.com/air-tools...-sander-3-8-x-13-with-3pc-belts-40-60-80.html

I have the 1/2" wide belt version. It works great for what I've used it for.
 
OP
A

Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
2,108
Location
South El Monte
There are downsides and upsides to using it and the commonality and ubiquity of Micro USB is one of it's biggest strengths. As long as people play by the standards.

I bought a Flexlight from FastCap and it seriously comes with an 8.4V USB adapter... Looks identical to any other phone charger but outputs 8.4V instead of 5V on the USB connector. Then you plug a USB to barrel jack cable into that to charge the light. So now I have this little deathdapter that anyone would mistake for a phone charger and blow up their stuff. Also that means their 18650 charging isn't actually doing any charge control but just CV charging them up to full.
[/IMG]

All of our USB and Micro USB products are required to be 5V 1.0-2.1A standard. We do make a private labeled product that supplies 5V~3A to a charging dock, but we have warning about using other chargers or using this charger on other products. And even then, 3A can be considered QuickCharge 2.0 on some modern devises.
 

maxpower_hd

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Messages
2,230
Location
Massachusetts
Chris,

I have bought and use several of the AP LED 40SL magnetic lights. I have given three away as well. I don't know how often updates are made to products but I was wondering if you've had a lot of comments on the charging plug. I have one light I use at work daily. It is a greasy, dirty environment so it is difficult to keep the little phone charger plug clean. Eventually the plug, even if kept relatively clean, will no longer hold onto the small cell phone charger plug.

Any plans on upgrading this to something a little more robust?

That is really my only complaint. Like I said I use the light all the time.

What about a replacement plug? I would try removing and replacing the receiving side of the plug before trowing away the light.

OH! And I would like to suggest making these in bright green or red as well. I have lost the light so many times I put white electrical tape on the back of it and wrote HERE I AM in red letters on it so I can see it when it is stuck underneath a truck and off. LOL Makes it much easier to find.
 

dnschmidt

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2014
Messages
7,271
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Hi Chris, This guy has a point. TOPTUL makes the 40SL in bright green (exact same tool in all other respects) and I can tell you from having both it and yours that the green one is definitely easier to find. Put a little color in your life pal.
 

Tallpilot

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2017
Messages
2,384
Location
Orlando
The charging plug is a tough design decision. I agree that needing a bunch of proprietary chargers is nonsense. USB-C is supposed to fix the pain points of micro USB but I don’t think it’s been out long enough to have good data if that is true.

Inductive charging would be the most robust design for the shop environment since it could be completely sealed but it is very slow and generates heat which may be undesirable if you were too lazy to clean the flammables off your light.
 

Mr_B

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
5,374
Location
Reading
What about a replacement plug? I would try removing and replacing the receiving side of the plug before trowing away the light.

OH! And I would like to suggest making these in bright green or red as well. I have lost the light so many times I put white electrical tape on the back of it and wrote HERE I AM in red letters on it so I can see it when it is stuck underneath a truck and off. LOL Makes it much easier to find.
+1 on color
they should of made the dail switch and balljoint screw orange or something .
Left one of these in a door frame while doing window motor work, dealing with other customers and on other jobs made me forget it's location, fortunately found it when came back to that job but was hard spot tucked away and all black .
impact sockets same issue, I don't buy general hand tools phosphate finished as way too much time wasted finding them ;-)
 

superautobacs

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Messages
3,997
Location
Vancouver, BC
I've been quite happy with the consistent accuracy of this tire inflator that I've been using since 2012, on hundreds of cars.

The only issue I've had with this unit is that I once had to remove the gauge cover to re-fasten the two small screws that secures the gauge face plate.

I was wondering if the hose itself can be replaced so that I can continue to use it without having any air leakage.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20180305_094449.jpg
    IMG_20180305_094449.jpg
    60.7 KB · Views: 75
  • IMG_20180305_094401.jpg
    IMG_20180305_094401.jpg
    57.6 KB · Views: 85
OP
A

Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
2,108
Location
South El Monte
I've been quite happy with the consistent accuracy of this tire inflator that I've been using since 2012, on hundreds of cars.

The only issue I've had with this unit is that I once had to remove the gauge cover to re-fasten the two small screws that secures the gauge face plate.

I was wondering if the hose itself can be replaced so that I can continue to use it without having any air leakage.

It unscrews with one wrench.
Send me a PM w/ your address and I'll ship you the latest hose assembly.
 

superautobacs

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Messages
3,997
Location
Vancouver, BC
I looked on amazon.com to see if the hose section itself was available, but I couldn't find one. I'm glad I asked here. Thank you, Chris!
 

rustbucket5

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Messages
252
my new phone has USB type C and it is wayyyy better. the fit is tight, cannot be inserted upside down and no stupid tangs to weaken or break over time
 
OP
A

Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
2,108
Location
South El Monte
USB-C is undoubtedly better. However if we made our tools with a USB-C connector, we would sure get a lot of calls about "what the heck is this thing?"

To me the only benefit of a USB based connector is universality because 5V is a pretty slow charge, so as soon as you lose some universality it becomes useless and should just use a 15V barrel connector or the like.

But by the time USB-C is commonplace it won't be relevant because where we're headed with lights, we won't need cords
doc-brown.jpg
 

L.Cheapo

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 23, 2014
Messages
5,909
USB-C is undoubtedly better. However if we made our tools with a USB-C connector, we would sure get a lot of calls about "what the heck is this thing?"

To me the only benefit of a USB based connector is universality because 5V is a pretty slow charge, so as soon as you lose some universality it becomes useless and should just use a 15V barrel connector or the like.

But by the time USB-C is commonplace it won't be relevant because where we're headed with lights, we won't need cords

The Astro 1.21SL? :bounce:
 
OP
A

Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
2,108
Location
South El Monte
I'm going to purchase 3081 inflator based on recommendations here. I have a small compressor that came with a simple inflator already attached. Can anyone recommend the right connectors and fittings to attach the new inflator?

I assume something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005IUEC2O/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Yes, any male/female couplers and fittings with 1/4NPT threads like those will work in all of our air tools.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom