Air vs battery

[K'ledgeBldr]

Both! As each has specific purposes; and/or some tasks are just more suited for one "power" source over another.

 

[jmiller_2308]

I have a pretty nice home shop that I set up about 5 years ago. Plumbed in 100’ of copper all recessed and about 5 drops. Almost never use it. Ended up buying more battery tools. We have a couple of houses and several business properties so I don’t do all my work in 1 place and battery is more convenient. I do have a blast cabinet that I need to set up so eventually the big compressor will occasionally be used properly. A hose reel would have been fine instead of most of that copper plumbing.

I plumbed for 3 hose reals and a connection at one of my wall mounted benches. Two of the reels are deep inside the shop where things usually happen and one of the reels is next to the garage door so that I can use it outside. I use the hose reels all the time and find the connection on the bench to be mostly too annoying to use because the hose lies on the bench taking up valuable work space. Definitely plumb for hose reels.

One air tool I use quite a lot that I haven't seen mentioned yet is a cut off tool. I've used cordless and air cut off tools and the air if far superior for weight, access, and duty cycle.

Re: @BillK comment about breaker bars. I was working on some bolts on a rusty old 450 plow truck this week and the bolts I was working on just laughed at the air impact wrench. I didn't think to even try the cordless but instead went to a breaker bar which of course did the trick. Well, except for the one bolt that snapped

 

[kwb]

We aren't to an all electric world yet. Tools are getting a lot better but there is still a place for air. Air is terribly inefficient means of transmitting power but I bet for home shop math it is still better than the higher costs of the tools and battery replacement. $100 of electricity will go a long ways running the compressor, or it will buy 1-2 good batteries that will last 3-5yrs.

240 - others have said is as much about other stuff as it is for Air Compressor. EV chargers, Plasma (which needs air as well), welding, good cabinet saw, dust collection... all depends on what tickles your fancy.

Hoses and cords **** for being trip hazards. That is as much of a reason to have plugs in a variety of places (all sides of building). I have started putting more of those connections overhead where I can, just to get them off the floor.

 

[finn]

I certainly use air less than I did five years ago, but it’s still useful. At one point I considered replacing my anc Champion compressor, but that’s a lower priority now that I have a pretty good selection of Dewalt, Milwaukee, and Bosch battery tools.

Noise, and tripping over that damn air hose are the biggest drivers to move towards batteries. Plus, it’s indesp for sandblasting, painting, and cleaning things like chainsaws.

Some of my air tools are from the early eighties, or maybe even the late seventies, and were bargain basement brands at that, since that’s all I could afford at the time. Only one tool has failed in all those years, a DA sander (which I probably could have repaired).

 

[u2slow]

Half the time I use air, it's my big impact gun. It needs 1/2" hose and at least 3/8" fittings for max punch. The common retracting hose reels are too small, so I don't have any.

 

[Nvrplzd]

While most are buying up battery powered tools, I'm loving every bit of the discounts that have been available for pneumatic tools.

It's been a fantastic year for acquiring returned air tools. With that being said, I do have my share of battery powered tools but typically I keep my compressor nearby for any medium-large projects and I've never been disappointed. As others have mentioned, it's hard to go wrong with air when it comes to the heavy air load tools like die grinders or sanders.

 

[mogandave]

In the plant, we generally dropped the air hoses from lines over the workstation so there was nothing to fall over. One drop for each tool.

Also, the worker does not have the weight of the hose to drag around, and you don't need to worry about condensate.

If you have a bench in the middle of your shop, just drop a hose directly over it, with a disconnect just low enough where you can reach it. It's out of the way, and nicer than dragging a hose across the floor.

 

[Rickster]

Plus you can buy really good air tools at any estate sale or garage sale for just a few dollars because nobody wants them anymore.

 

[pbon]

Air is lighter, smaller and more powerful (at least the good air tools). But if you need to bring a compressor and hose with you because you work in variety of locations, air might be less convenient than corded. To me, battery is mostly a convenience thing. I could bring 200’ of heavy duty extension cord or a generator or an air compressor (I have a small battery compressor) and hose, but I’d rather not. Probably most of what I do could be done with hand tools — it would just take a lot longer. I am paying for convenience and don’t mind.

 

[c39er]

100% air tools...
100% corded tools...
Except for my flash lights
I have never tripped over a hose or cord either...

 

[jpaw]

If you haven't had air and don't have a need for it I can see skipping it nowadays. But as a tech and using air my whole life I couldn't be without it.

 

[roc_on_the_rocks]

I don't spend as much time tinkering in the garage as I used to, but I'm generally happy with my Bosch cordless tools, a collection that I started about 15 years ago and my first drill and accompanying battery still work.

The one tool I'd love to switch but I'm not ready yet is the torque wrench.
I have a 1/2" AirCat 1150, it weighs 4.5 lb.
The equivalent Bosch is a bulky heavy beast at 6.4 lb (w/ battery).

 

[dchawk81]

I've developed a fetish for air tools that people claim are useless and using them. I have the higher end suspects of course just in case but most of the lower end stuff just needs good air.

Sorry your 1/4" spiral air hose and 1 gallon pancake couldn't remove your strut mounting bolts. Keep up the good fight, HOA soldier.

 

[mwalsh9152]

I have a 60 gallon compressor in my utility room adjacent to my workshop. The only thing it gets used for these days is running an angle grinder, and filling tires. The pieces that I need to work with the angle grinder are almost gone, and I am thinking that I will remove the compressor and put a dust collection system in its place.

 

[mogandave]

One other benefit of air tools is when using them around water. A cheap, 4" angle grinder makes a nice wet-saw for tile.

I've wet-sanded with jitterbugs as well...

 

[f121]

Air hammer, crud thug, needle scaler, tyre inflator are the reasons I own a compressor. Everything else is battery and the compressor doesn’t get powered up very often.

 

[duneslider]

My guess is if you are asking this question you probably don't need a big compressor. If you use a big compressor then you know why you need a big compressor.

My big compressor pretty much just airs up tires and blows out my sprinkler lines. I have a small portable pancake compressor I use with my brad nailers and framing nailer. I should probably dump my bigger compressor but it happily sits in the corner and isn't taking up that much space.

 

[pbon]

I forgot about the needle scaler. I was cleaning up an antique car a couple of years ago to send to the body shop and my CH 60 gallon could not keep up. No way a battery tool would gave worked. Maybe a corded “surface conditioning tool” but I did not have one to try.

 

[APEowner]

i use battery tools at the race track and I'm very impressed with how well they work but in the shop I much prefer the lighter weight and durability of aluminum bodied air tools.

 

[duga]

I have a great collection of cordless tools and haven't fired up the air compressor in 2-3 years. The final tool that retired the compressor was a cordless inflator. It's much slower than air, but you set the desired psi and walk away. I don't do body work, plasma cutting or have a tire machine.

 

[Midnight Garage]

If you have the compressor wire it and use it for sure. Battery and even corded electric tools create heat form extended use, air does not. And the air can handle longer extended use more then a battery tool can. I'm an electrician and even the most bad *** Milwaukee cordless drill gets replaced every year after all the holes we drill

 

[HPRifleman]

So are big *** air tanks still a thing. I keep seeing all kind of cool battery powered tools. Im wondering if the cost of air is worth it. I have a 2 stage 80 gallon compressor. What can I do with that, that I cant do with batteries? Im waiting on permits for my new garage so is it even worth it to wire 220v and plumb air lines?

I built my garage last year (see my signature for the build thread). The electrical plan included a dedicated 220v circuit for a compressor since, in my mind, that was always required for any self-respecting home garage. At one point I almost pulled the trigger on a new 60 gal. Quincy.

But then I acquired a few battery tools that worked well for my usage and getting a compressor for the corner of the garage was delayed more and more. But while I have gone without a full-size compressor for all this time, I do need something to air up tires and use a couple of air tools that I have. So I am considering getting a smaller, roller compressor that runs off 120v and can be moved inside the garage as well as out into the driveway.

I may never use that dedicated circuit. We'll see.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Total waste. I'll take that useless junk off your hands and all you have to do is pay for my fuel ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Oh come on; those G and H load rated truck tires can be aired up with a bicycle tire pump

 

[Rod N]

I use my air beside my parts washer to clean parts for the most part.
Fill a few tires and a brad nailer.
Use my cordless all the time.

 

[Paco Pena]

This is the Garage Journal. Dam right you need both!

Paco