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Astro Pneumatic Tool Company

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KnurledNut

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MoonRise

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Cruzan80 said:
Didn't Astro make a high-vis and/or Glow in the dark sockets? I am guessing these were under a different "product line"?
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Astro 4138 SAE and 4143 metric UV glow sets, also the 410 set of four UV glow 10mm sockets (1/4" and 3/8" drive in regular and deep sockets).
 
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theamcguy

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Apr 22, 2009
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Fayetteville, NC
Couple of things:

When will the 78318 Extra-Long Flex Head Nano Socket Ratchet Wrench be back in stock?

What is the part number for the new digital test light w/locking pliers clamp and when will it be available?

Thank you
 
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Ign

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What's with the BJ press in the video? Looks like a BJP1 frame (more or less), but no locking cups maybe?
 
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WillRead

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Mgdoug3

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I bought the Astro 498K last week. It's awesome and I use it more than my 401 Chief because the trigger control is that much better. I wish I bought the 401K instead of the Chief. It was bad timing since the smaller Thor came our just after I bought the Chief. The Chief is decent for the money, but the trigger control is lacking.
 
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2ndGearRubber

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Not to rub it in, but the new Thor 401 air hammer does have a pretty good trigger. You can rattle out slide pins from caliper brackets with it, and with some practice I think you could unscrew exhaust nuts that weren't completely rotted away.


The main issue with the 401 shank Thor is the part number - 401k. I was trying to get one right when they were becoming available, and all the internet wanted me to do was plan for retirement
 
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daithi

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I got mine from MRO tools, as well as some Nano sockets. Had never heard of the website before but no complaints, pricing was right. You can kind of tell they're more industry focused than consumer, after I placed the order they directly contacted me with an invoice and asked if I needed any changes before fulfilling.
 
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Outahere

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A peek inside the new Astro 401K air hammer (tear down), and performance tested against Snap-on and Aircat. The price at Amazon is currently $130, up from $110.

 
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dnschmidt

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Astro_Pneumatic_Tools said:
We're still in the field testing and prototyping phase to dial in the changes needed to maximize torque delivery and not make them too cumbersome. What we had at SEMA was a 4 days old 1st article
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Chris, if you're going to make this I would recommend starting at 17 mm and going up. Use it as an extension of the 3/8" set. My choice would be 17,18,19,21,22,24,27. I don't use 1/2" drive for tiny bolts. I might go down to 15 but never below that. You didn't build Thor for tinker toys.
 
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2ndGearRubber

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dnschmidt said:
Chris, if you're going to make this I would recommend starting at 17 mm and going up. Use it as an extension of the 3/8" set. My choice would be 17,18,19,21,22,24,27. I don't use 1/2" drive for tiny bolts. I might go down to 15 but never below that. You didn't build Thor for tinker toys.
Click to expand...

I'd like 13mm for torquing wheel bearings though. Impact out, compact 1 piece design for the torque wrench after to clear the axle boot. Using a wobble extension is always a tough one to get routed through, and a universal on an extension obviously *****. Fish it through the obstacles, straighten it out, torque.
 
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dnschmidt

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2ndGearRubber said:
I'd like 13mm for torquing wheel bearings though. Impact out, compact 1 piece design for the torque wrench after to clear the axle boot. Using a wobble extension is always a tough one to get routed through, and a universal on an extension obviously *****. Fish it through the obstacles, straighten it out, torque.
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But, that's what the 3/8" set is for. 13mm is well within the 3/8" drive world using either the a 3/8" mid-torque or stubby. And the tool will be physically smaller in 3/8" than it will be in 1/2". What I'm suggesting is that the 1/2" set be what I call an extender set for the 3/8" set already on the market. I'd rather have bigger 1/2" drive sockets than simple duplicates of the 3/8" drive set in 1/2".
 
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Odd-job

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dnschmidt said:
Chris, if you're going to make this I would recommend starting at 17 mm and going up. Use it as an extension of the 3/8" set. My choice would be 17,18,19,21,22,24,27. I don't use 1/2" drive for tiny bolts. I might go down to 15 but never below that. You didn't build Thor for tinker toys.
Click to expand...

Speaking of which was looking at .498 bolt buster, is this really a socket buster? Seems like overkill for nut/bolt buster, but who am to tell dealing with CA rust or lack thereof.
 
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2ndGearRubber

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Odd-job said:
Speaking of which was looking at .498 bolt buster, is this really a socket buster? Seems like overkill for nut/bolt buster, but who am to tell dealing with CA rust or lack thereof.
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I haven't broken any sockets yet. Sometimes they get stuck/smashed onto the tool and need pried off.
 
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danielbuck

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I've not understood the bolt buster. I have a "shake-n-break" air hammer attachment that works wonderfully for old phillips screws and flathead screws. It generally doesn't take much hammering, just a bit of feathering and some gentle rocking back and forth of the tool.

On that tool, the hammering action goes directly to the screw head.

But the bolt buster, if you're using a regular socket the impact is not hitting the bolt head, it's hitting the part that the bolt is threaded into. I wonder how well it works that way?


I think I would be tempted to put a cut-off bolt head inside the socket to take up the extra space, so that the socket doesn't actually touch the part, but rather hammers directly on the bolt in question.

Maybe it works either way?
 
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Mgdoug3

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danielbuck said:
I've not understood the bolt buster. I have a "shake-n-break" air hammer attachment that works wonderfully for old phillips screws and flathead screws. It generally doesn't take much hammering, just a bit of feathering and some gentle rocking back and forth of the tool.

On that tool, the hammering action goes directly to the screw head.

But the bolt buster, if you're using a regular socket the impact is not hitting the bolt head, it's hitting the part that the bolt is threaded into. I wonder how well it works that way?


I think I would be tempted to put a cut-off bolt head inside the socket to take up the extra space, so that the socket doesn't actually touch the part, but rather hammers directly on the bolt in question.

Maybe it works either way?
Click to expand...
My bolt rattler works awesome. I've used it to remove rusted exhaust bolts without breaking them. Using a torch may weaked the bolt or get something hot you don't want to get hot. Using a breaker bar may twist the bolt off. A striking wrench may work as good but I don't want to buy several different sizes.

A shouldered bolt would work the best with a rattler but I have removed plenty of regular bolts with mine. If anyone is working on a 8.3 Cummins, I highly recommend getting one for the exhaust manifold bolts.
 
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Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

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danielbuck said:
I've not understood the bolt buster. I have a "shake-n-break" air hammer attachment that works wonderfully for old phillips screws and flathead screws. It generally doesn't take much hammering, just a bit of feathering and some gentle rocking back and forth of the tool.

On that tool, the hammering action goes directly to the screw head.

But the bolt buster, if you're using a regular socket the impact is not hitting the bolt head, it's hitting the part that the bolt is threaded into. I wonder how well it works that way?


I think I would be tempted to put a cut-off bolt head inside the socket to take up the extra space, so that the socket doesn't actually touch the part, but rather hammers directly on the bolt in question.

Maybe it works either way?
Click to expand...
Just another use for the extra shallow Nano sockets!
But yes, it can be overkill. We like offering overkill options sometimes.
 
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danielbuck

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Astro_Pneumatic_Tools said:
Just another use for the extra shallow Nano sockets!
But yes, it can be overkill. We like offering overkill options sometimes.
Click to expand...
hah, yes that would work I bet! I'm curious, does the bolt buster work better like that? or does it work just as well not hitting the bolt?

on bolts that give me trouble (particularly exhaust bolts, where I'm worried about them breaking), I'll often take a small brass hammer and hammer straight into the bolt for a little bit before I apply alot of force on the bolt, it seems to work well that way.
 
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Astro_Pneumatic_Tools

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danielbuck said:
hah, yes that would work I bet! I'm curious, does the bolt buster work better like that? or does it work just as well not hitting the bolt?

on bolts that give me trouble (particularly exhaust bolts, where I'm worried about them breaking), I'll often take a small brass hammer and hammer straight into the bolt for a little bit before I apply alot of force on the bolt, it seems to work well that way.
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Oh, you're dead on about your previous comment. You'll see a lot of people using common bolt busters on a bolt without a shoulder and a socket deeper than the bolt head and the air hammer is just rattling away on the engine, or knuckle, or chassis whathaveyou.
In some ways this works to break a rust weld, and is worth trying if the indented method is not working. But no, they are designed to hit the bolt head.
You'll even see some kits that come with sockets and something you'll notice is those are always extra shallow broach .
 
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2ndGearRubber

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Astro_Pneumatic_Tools said:
Oh, you're dead on about your previous comment. You'll see a lot of people using common bolt busters on a bolt without a shoulder and a socket deeper than the bolt head and the air hammer is just rattling away on the engine, or knuckle, or chassis whathaveyou.
In some ways this works to break a rust weld, and is worth trying if the indented method is not working. But no, they are designed to hit the bolt head.
You'll even see some kits that come with sockets and something you'll notice is those are always extra shallow broach .
Click to expand...

I never really considered using the low profile sockets, mostly I used the tool to apply rattling while having limited rotational force applied via the wrench. I'll try the low profile stuff next time.
 
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ForrestT

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Waldo
Chris, I’m seeing your blue digital air chuck seems to be the same as blue point. Can you please comment on the warranty/quality of your Astro Pneumatic Air Chuck? Looks like a winner to me on Amazon for $76!
 
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Mgdoug3

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I used a bolt rattler today to remove Allen cap screws on a burnt axle on a tractor that had sat outside in the weather for two years. I used my Astro 498K to drive a larger SAE hex into a metric since some were already rounded out and try to help break the rust bond. I still needed a torch on a few bolts but a high torque Milwaukee couldn't break them loose and a long enough 1/2" ratchet would most likely break the Allen bit. A long 3/4 wrench got them loose.

I had some hex bolts I broke loose too with the bolt rattler but they weren't as tight. The rattler will work on bolts without a shoulder. A bolt rattler is too cheaper to not have.

Also the 498K is awesome. I wouldn't have gotten the axle king pins out without Thor and the 3 piece .498 bit set. The chisel is a little beat up but that's a lot of force behind it and it's in better shape than if I used a hand held chisel and big sledge hammer. The hammer bit sit looks like new.
 
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Nutria

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Chris, product request: How about a redesign of a 1/4" drive mini impact? Something like the below but with maybe 30% more hitting power, not that this tool is all about punch. There would be demand for these, I think, and it seems like a natural for AP (I realize that you do produce a 3/8" butterfly and impact ratchets, but I see these as having a somewhat different application).


MT1745_ProductImage_PrimaryImage_1500.jpg
 
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dnschmidt

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I love 1/4" impacts but Milwaukee sort of destroyed that category with their M12 version. Who needs an air line if you gain nothing from it. There is no need for monster torque in 1/4" drive and it probably can't be done due to the limitation of the 1/4" anvil. If you've got max beans, which I don't think anybody needs in a 1/4" tool, you've got enough of beans to shear off the anvil. The only advantage of air tools in this day and age is size to power ratio. Astro already solved that problem with the 3/8" nano impact.
 
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