Are air tools obsolete?

[Mr_B]

If you fighting airlines you mainly not got good hoses couplers or layout.
I got an airline out all day long even if using battery at times at it simply in use for something even if as trivial as blowing off dust and dirt, I not struggled or tripped on a hose in decades. Good flexible hoses and hose reels made it childs play .

 

[Kenskip1]

OK, Here is my contribution to dis thread. I have both air/electric power tools. I prefer air because of the reliability. Anyway this video is now over 6 years old. I enjoy watching this mans videos. I'm sure others will disagree, however on with the show, Ken

 

[Ign]

I've only ever had two drops in my 40x50 and over the years I'm down to really only using them for airing tires and pressurized air at my 2 mills or 2 lathes, ie blowing off chips.

I want to add a drop right over my Bridgeport and that's only for a power drawbar.

So air is obsolete for me when it comes to "tools"

When my old 80 gallon dies I'll almost surely replace it w a ~$400 60-gallon. I just don't need CFM to run anything anymore. Even my plasma only needs 7cfm worst case

 

[f121]

Air is pretty dead, most techs in most UK garages are using battery now. Obviously there are still exceptions, old timers and some plant/diesel techs who need big kit, but even in agriculture most are using battery.

For home use I only know one guy who still uses air, because he is too tight to spend $200 on a new gun and his air kit still works.

Personally battery is a big step forward, no need to fire up the compressor just to whip some lug nuts off, no airline dragging over stuff, getting caught up. I only use the compressor for tyres and spraying, gave away my air ratchets and air impacts last month, must have been a decade since I used them.

 

[rburke65]

Well I can see as the years roll by that larger air compressors will become less desirable with the advent of more powerful battery operated tools.

 

[sberry]

I like air for wheel work. My CP has a 4 speed and can dial it right on if I watch the socket rotation. Air can be feathered, same for sanding and wire wheels which can be governed by applied load too.
The only reason I don't really use them on 4 1/2 is portable convenience, power to some extent and it takes well less than 20% the electric. Can use a cheap grinder and light cord.

 

[sberry]

I like air for wheel work, with a 4 speed on the CP can feather it and get close in torque if I watch socket rotation. Wire wheels can be throttled and loaded to regulate speed. The only reason I don't use it for 4 1/2 is it takes 15% the electric, can use a cheap grinder and light cord.

 

[Mr_B]

Air is pretty dead, most techs in most UK garages are using battery now. Obviously there are still exceptions, old timers and some plant/diesel techs who need big kit, but even in agriculture most are using battery.

For home use I only know one guy who still uses air, because he is too tight to spend $200 on a new gun and his air kit still works.

Personally battery is a big step forward, no need to fire up the compressor just to whip some lug nuts off, no airline dragging over stuff, getting caught up. I only use the compressor for tyres and spraying, gave away my air ratchets and air impacts last month, must have been a decade since I used them.

Anyone not using air equipment in a pro auto garage is not efficient or only doing basic work.
I would waste hours without a nano high power air impact, a air hammer, blow nozzle, and airline for diag equipment, my tyre bay would come to a standstill ...

 

[f121]

Anyone not using air equipment in a pro auto garage is not efficient or only doing basic work.
I would waste hours without a nano high power air impact, a air hammer, blow nozzle, and airline for diag equipment, my tyre bay would come to a standstill ...

Have you tried using a decent 3/8" battery impact like the snap on 14.4 or the m12 stubby, and a decent 1/2" battery impact like the Ingersoll Rand or Makita dtw1002?

I can see in a tyre bay where it's just wheel changes all day then air makes sense, but for general servicing, battery works well. Where do you use air on diag equipment? I've not noticed an airline connector on my modis...

 

[TheLurker]

...Opinions?

Not yet. But not for too much longer.

Battery tech is still catching up but when it does, it wont replace the air but the air compressor. A battery operated handheld paint sprayer isn't too far fetched.

 

[Mr_B]

Have you tried using a decent 3/8" battery impact like the snap on 14.4 or the m12 stubby, and a decent 1/2" battery impact like the Ingersoll Rand or Makita dtw1002?

I can see in a tyre bay where it's just wheel changes all day then air makes sense, but for general servicing, battery works well. Where do you use air on diag equipment? I've not noticed an airline connector on my modis...

Not all diagnostics are electronics my friend, leak down and smoke diagnosing both use air .
I have the IR and while it good it not ns1600f in size and power so don't fit in tighter chassis work as easily or are they as light .
I like both but I struggle on lot of jobs and not be efficient or fully capable without quality air tools and equipment in the shop arsenal .

 

[Wamsutta]

Let's see you do this with a battery impact.

 

[danielbuck]

hard to beat compact and feather-able straight and angle air die grinders. I'd have shop air just for those alone.

 

[FSrepair&fabrication]

That is impressive for a 1/2 gun on tore up 33mm lugs. I dont need any more airguns but im tempted. I say someone should make a video of the top dog cordless 1/2 impact versus 1/2 air. couple them anvil to anvil with an adapter and see what happens. The snap on and mac man did this years ago at our shop and as a result I bought an mg725.

 

[Lasu]

They are important for professional use, ( power to weight, size )

 

[Mr Ratchet]

Nope. As a serious DIY'er I need an air compressor and I had one well before I had any air tools. Air tools are less expensive than a similar cordless one. My air tools are around 20 years old now and still work great. I'm on my third cordless drill in that time frame. Unlike my cordless, I've never had to buy new parts to keep them running. I never have to worry about run time with my air powered tools. I have two compressor that vary in size. I use my smaller one for most of my nail gun duties and the bigger one for most everything else.

There are cases where cordless makes a lot of sense and are a better choice. Not having a hose to deal is a nice advantage. But, then there is battery charging. Not having an air hose while laying shingles would be nice. Getting on a roll while shingling may take quite a few batteries to keep going though. Having a cordless impact while in a junkyard would be almost invaluable.

Guys making granite counter tops use air powered tools because of all the water for dust control.

Each has it's pro's and con's. Cordless will continue to eat into air power tools usage but will be far from making them obsolete.

 

[Antoin]

I am only a diyer and originally bought my compressor for the following;
Impact wrench
Die grinder
Spraying
Inflating tyres

Only the impact wrench has been replaced by battery. However it is easily one of the most used tools in the garage so battery has made a hell of a difference in speed to me. No need to fire up the compressor everytime I need to remove wheels.



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[ftb]

Never, not in a million years! My air tools are typically preloaded with sockets, flap discs, saw blades for quick and easy operation. I can't imagine the amount of batteries I'd have to have on the tools all charged and ready... it just doesn't make sense. Not financially, not with the current battery tech. Give it another 50 years to mature - maybe.

 

[f121]

Never, not in a million years! My air tools are typically preloaded with sockets, flap discs, saw blades for quick and easy operation. I can't imagine the amount of batteries I'd have to have on the tools all charged and ready... it just doesn't make sense. Not financially, not with the current battery tech. Give it another 50 years to mature - maybe.

Do you keep a air line connected to each of those tools? Clipping on a battery is equivalent to connecting the air line.

 

[CR888]

Air is pretty dead, most techs in most UK garages are using battery now. Obviously there are still exceptions, old timers and some plant/diesel techs who need big kit, but even in agriculture most are using battery.

For home use I only know one guy who still uses air, because he is too tight to spend $200 on a new gun and his air kit still works.

Personally battery is a big step forward, no need to fire up the compressor just to whip some lug nuts off, no airline dragging over stuff, getting caught up. I only use the compressor for tyres and spraying, gave away my air ratchets and air impacts last month, must have been a decade since I used them.

LOL!

 

[908Jim]

Maybe for tool polishers, but for people who use them in a shop all day air can't be beat.

How well do you guys think a cordless impact would handle getting drenched in coolant?

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[hangfirew8]

No need to fire up the compressor everytime I need to remove wheels.

Geez fix the leaks in your air system. Mine holds air all week long. Heck not even sure how long. When I turn it on it doesn't run until I use a tool for a while.

I can buzz off all four wheels of my pickup (6 lugs per) before it kicks on. No waiting here.

 

[plinker]

Maybe for tool polishers, but for people who use them in a shop all day air can't be beat.

How well do you guys think a cordless impact would handle getting drenched in coolant?

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About as well as getting soaked in hydraulic oil I would guess. Had it happen with air impacts on occasion, They'd also get smothered in old grease & gunk at times.

 

[FSrepair&fabrication]

Good point, Some days i come into the shop and forget to turn the air on and it takes a while sometimes before i grab an air tool and use up enough air to notice. I feel like alot of people complaining about air being a pain have a craftsman or similar box store 20/30 gallon noisemaker with a tangled up hose stuffed in the corner. A nice 60+ gallon compressor with a drop or 2 and a reel is a totally different thing. It takes literally no work or wait to pull some hose out of a reel and connect a tool to the coupler.

Cordless depends on you to have a charged battery at the ready at all times. A battery takes at least 30 min to charge where a good compressor takes maybe 4-5 min? or less to pump up from empty.

 

[ftb]

Do you keep a air line connected to each of those tools? Clipping on a battery is equivalent to connecting the air line.

I'm sure it is as easy clipping on a battery as it is an air line.

I'd just need to make sure I pre-charge all of the batteries for day's use.

And repeat this about 8-10 times with each one of them as I go through my day.

Nothing if you've a dozen of batteries and charges lying around eh?

I'll go grab my air line...

 

[NUTTSGT]

The plumbing for the shop isn't a high dollar cost when you use black pipe or galvanized. Once it's in, it's there for a very long time. It's a one and done investment as long as you maintain draining the water out of the tank.

To me, it's not about how often you're going to use it but the convenience of having it when you need it. Everybody wants a ton of lights or outlets in their shop, how many do you really need ? But if you need or want them, they are there.

 

[bsaint]

The problem with air is its such a waste of energy for tools. Think about how much air isnt used that comes out of the exhaust on an air tool. An Chicago Pneumatic GV5 air hammer is about a 1/4hp applied power. The total consumption to run it is 17.6 CFM or a little over 5 hp. 5% efficient.

Now take an electric tool. Assume the motor is 90% efficient and the fan to cool the tool uses very little power, and the gear box consumed maybe 5% at most, 85% of the power from the battery is applied to the fastener.

A good mix of power and semi portability to me are hydraulic tools off as gas fired power unit.

 

[f121]

I'd just need to make sure I pre-charge all of the batteries for day's use.

And repeat this about 8-10 times with each one of them as I go through my day.

Nothing if you've a dozen of batteries and charges lying around eh?

I'll go grab my air line...

It's easier than you'd think, just put the flat battery on the charger when you take the charged one off. On most tools the batteries run down slower than the charger charges, in some cases a lot slower - I typically get half a day to a day on the impact drivers or drills. Grinders eat batteries, but even then it's give or take the same time to charge and flatten.

Most people get by with 3 or 4 batteries, I have 6 and a twin charger, because I tend to have a abrasive disc or grinding disc on one grinder, a cutting disc in the other and one battery permanently in the radio. Dozens would be nice thou

 

[larry_g]

The problem with air is its such a waste of energy for tools. Think about how much air isnt used that comes out of the exhaust on an air tool. An Chicago Pneumatic GV5 air hammer is about a 1/4hp applied power. The total consumption to run it is 17.6 CFM or a little over 5 hp. 5% efficient.

Now take an electric tool. Assume the motor is 90% efficient and the fan to cool the tool uses very little power, and the gear box consumed maybe 5% at most, 85% of the power from the battery is applied to the fastener.

A good mix of power and semi portability to me are hydraulic tools off as gas fired power unit.

If your going to compare tools then you should at least compare like products. So you should make your comparison to an electric hammer...

lg
no neat sig line

 

[sanddan]

I hate that every time I grab the cordless drill or nut driver the battery goes dead on the first use. At least my air tools always runs when needed without waiting for the battery to charge. I do have 3 cordless tools but would not buy a cordless to replace any current air tools that I have. In fact, I've been adding to my collection of air powered die grinders. Of course, this is for jobs in the shop and not in the field or at the house where I don't have air supplies.

 

[CobraRed]

The problem with air is its such a waste of energy for tools. Think about how much air isnt used that comes out of the exhaust on an air tool. An Chicago Pneumatic GV5 air hammer is about a 1/4hp applied power. The total consumption to run it is 17.6 CFM or a little over 5 hp. 5% efficient.

Now take an electric tool. Assume the motor is 90% efficient and the fan to cool the tool uses very little power, and the gear box consumed maybe 5% at most, 85% of the power from the battery is applied to the fastener.

A good mix of power and semi portability to me are hydraulic tools off as gas fired power unit.

This is only applicable if you A) only own one air tool, or B) are using a tool that requires 17.6CFM.

An air compressor potentially services multiples tools at once, a battery you're charging services 1.

 

[sberry]

I have 10 batteries.

 

[Citation]

The problem with air is its such a waste of energy for tools. Think about how much air isnt used that comes out of the exhaust on an air tool. An Chicago Pneumatic GV5 air hammer is about a 1/4hp applied power. The total consumption to run it is 17.6 CFM or a little over 5 hp. 5% efficient.

Now take an electric tool. Assume the motor is 90% efficient and the fan to cool the tool uses very little power, and the gear box consumed maybe 5% at most, 85% of the power from the battery is applied to the fastener.

A good mix of power and semi portability to me are hydraulic tools off as gas fired power unit.

This is something that large plants often consider. It's especially true when considering electric vs pneumatic automation. In terms of shop use I'm not sure the increase in actual power consumption is enough to concern the accountants.

 

[MJO]

Are air tools obsolete?

No, they are not.

 

[Skeptic68W]

I'm not sure I'm going to say anything that's not already been posted, but Pneumatics and corded tools offer a lot of benefit over Cordless in many situations. I personally only own 2 battery operated tools. A drill, and an impact driver, and have no interest in much else. I might buy a battery powered hedge trimmer...but that will probably be it.

For me, as a DIY mechanic/homeowner/woodworker/whatever the ****, I just can't get super excited about battery operated tools. First, none of the projects I do are super time constrained, so running an extension cord or air hose (within reason) isn't a huge deal to me.

Battery power is convenient, but there are several things I value over convenience. They are as follows:

1. Service life. While a battery powered tool may be built well enough to last a long time, the batteries (which cost more than the tools most of the time) are consumable and eventually...they're going to stop making them. Go talk to all the Craftsman C3 guys right about now. They're anxious about solutions to this problem now that SBD has moved to a new line. My old Craftsman 113 Table Saw or my Ingersoll Rand Pneumatic Impact Wrench...those are lifetime tools, multiple lifetime tools really if cared for. On top of that, go work with a cordless impact with that rubber overmolding on it for 20 years in the shop with grease and solvents and see how it looks compared to an all metal constructed air impact.

2. Performance - If I'm running an impact wrench...I want the fucker to hit as hard as possible. I don't care what these manufactuers say, I'll put a quality pneumatic gun (running at an appropriate 150psi) up against a cordless one any day of the week.

3. Size - Pneumatics are WAY smaller. I just bought a Carlyle stubby impact and that thing is the BOMB. No battery powered tool gives me the option to put several hundred ft-lbs of torque on a fastener in confined spaces.

4. Run time - Nothing annoys me more than being in the middle of using a tool only to have the thing shut off and need to be charged. Can you get around this issue with cordless? Yeah...sort of...but you've got to buy extra batteries. I have an M18 drill/driver combo kit and it came with 2 batteries. Now lets say I'm assembling a woodworking project, using the drill to drill pilot holes and the driver to run in screws...what do I do when they both die simultaneously?.....I wait...quite a while. I could of course go spend several hundred more dollars on more batteries, but I could also just drag out my corded drill and run it from now until the end of time.


I don't want to trash on cordless too much. They've come a long ways, and have a lot of applications. For me though...they're mostly all a hard pass.

 

[bsaint]

If your going to compare tools then you should at least compare like products. So you should make your comparison to an electric hammer...

lg
no neat sig line

its about power efficiency not the tool. (considering an anvil hits the working end on both tools)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JSNCU84/?tag=atomicindus08-20

60 joules of energy per blow at 1800 bpm. 60 seconds / 1800 blows is 30 hits per second at 60 joules or 1800 joules/sec. 3600 joules per second is 1 kw. 1800 kw is 0.5kw. Input power is 13 amps @ 120v is 1350w or 1.3kw. Efficiency of this electric hammer is 38.46%.

Is that better? It doesn't matter what you're comparing they ALL run on some sort of transfer for energy and since air power works on the potential difference in pressure from your source to the atmosphere and there is so much heat involved to increase the potential difference between atmosphere and an upper level, they are naturally the LEAST efficient. Unless you work in outer space.

 

[xin]

Air Tools are only obsolete to people who don't use tools.


Don't care about energy that is why it is produced to be used.

 

[bsaint]

Air Tools are only obsolete to people who don't use tools.


Don't care about energy that is why it is produced to be used.

Yea and electricity is free right? In a large usage setting there is a huge difference in power consumption between running a 5hp compressor a couple time a day and 15hp rotary screw to keep up with air tool usage in a busy garage / dealership.

Im not making this **** up guys. I work as an air compressor salesman and you know how significantly smaller compressors are getting for dealerships? At a quarter a kw, I would rather NOT run my air compressor.

At the end of the day if you're not changing with technology your dinosaur tools will no longer be available anyways.

 

[CGT80]

hard to beat compact and feather-able straight and angle air die grinders. I'd have shop air just for those alone.

x2

At my main work bench, I have a 90 degree grinder and blow gun connected to two hoses, and switch out for the straight grinder as needed.


Everything was much better when I upgraded to a real 5hp 80 gallon 2 stage compressor. I got an old WABCO pressure lubed unit rated at 17.2cfm at 175psi and it averages 20 cfm.


The plasma table really uses up the air as well as the blast cabinet (20-25 cfm skat setup). That compressor easily outperforms all of these tools and only cycles occasionally, but any smaller and it would ****. A 10-12 cfm compressor at 135psi max was awful.


The IR 2135ti 1/2" impact works great, although it did need a $20 trigger rebuild a month or so ago. It doesn't get used often and it seems to be a common issue with the seal in the trigger.


For painting, small or fine jobs are best with one of my binks conventional guns, while big jobs are done with my airless (I was a pro painter).


There is no way I would give up my milwaukee cordless tools. V28 is great for big stuff, although they aren't making new tools in that series and the new 18v stuff might replace them for performance and the m12 is very nice to use compared to the old 14.4 nicad impacts I had in the past.


I couldn't live without a large air compressor or my cordless tools. You need the right tool for the job.

 

[xin]

Yea and electricity is free right? In a large usage setting there is a huge difference in power consumption between running a 5hp compressor a couple time a day and 15hp rotary screw to keep up with air tool usage in a busy garage / dealership.

Im not making this **** up guys. I work as an air compressor salesman and you know how significantly smaller compressors are getting for dealerships? At a quarter a kw, I would rather NOT run my air compressor.

At the end of the day if you're not changing with technology your dinosaur tools will no longer be available anyways.

Again cost of doing business, it is a requirement if you are going to do real work. 2nd Salesman will say anything to get a sell (then become the invisible man afterwards).

just sayin... Also, AIR TOOLS are not going away.