Yeah if you want power in a small package.Are air impacts still a thing?
Absolutely. As far as power for a given size goes, air is very much king. Most stubby air impacts will wipe the floor with cordless compact impacts.Are air impacts still a thing?
Yeah if you want power in a small package.
Definitely. A lot of cordless tools are still bulkier than their air tool counterparts. If mobility is not an issue and you have access to a decent compressor, air tools are still relevant. The current mid torque and full sized cordless impact guns are bulky and heavy for the size and power category. A Snap on MG725 is around the same size as a Milwaukee mid torque gun and can put out a comparable if not equal amount of power as a Milwaukee full sized cordless gun. From a weight standpoint it makes far more sense to gun off lug nuts off a car on a lift than using a full sized Milwaukee gun. With Snap on moving on to composite guns, Snap on dealers are offering refurbished MG725 guns for $200-$300. A full sized Milwaukee gun isn't looking so cheap if the cost of batteries is factored in. One of those made in Taiwan stubby air impacts can match the Milwaukee mid torque's power and be around the same size as the Milwaukee fuel stubby guns. The only reason I give the Milwaukee stubby fuel guns and fuel ratchet a pass is because they've gotten to a point where they are powerful and compact enough to handle at least 80 percent of light duty automotive applications. Other things like batteries being a consumable also have to be factored in.Are air impacts still a thing?
Don't forget at a fraction of the cost lolYeah if you want power in a small package.
Definitely. A lot of cordless tools are still bulkier than their air tool counterparts. If mobility is not an issue and you have access to a decent compressor, air tools are still relevant. The current mid torque and full sized cordless impact guns are bulky and heavy for the size and power category. A Snap on MG725 is around the same size as a Milwaukee mid torque gun and can put out a comparable if not equal amount of power as a Milwaukee full sized cordless gun. From a weight standpoint it makes far more sense to gun off lug nuts off a car on a lift than using a full sized Milwaukee gun. With Snap on moving on to composite guns, Snap on dealers are offering refurbished MG725 guns for $200-$300. A full sized Milwaukee gun isn't looking so cheap if the cost of batteries is factored in. One of those made in Taiwan stubby air impacts can match the Milwaukee mid torque's power and be around the same size as the Milwaukee fuel stubby guns. The only reason I give the Milwaukee stubby fuel guns and fuel ratchet a pass is because they've gotten to a point where they are powerful and compact enough to handle at least 80 percent of light duty automotive applications. Other things like batteries being a consumable also have to be factored in.
Can’t fix it. The whole nose cracked off at the end cap.Fix what you have.
Thanks to everyone. I’ll checkout all the recommendations online this weekend.
I may be favoring the Aircat as I have a 1/4” ratchet from them that has been very good to me for a few years now.
It's not an IR. The IR stubby is pretty underpowered compared to the Matco. IR never made a stubby for Matco.I have a stubby Marco that's just a stubby ingersol and it's got a nice amount of power. It came as a kit with extra shallow 1/2 drive metrics in a foam tray also, I wanna say I got it on a promo for around 300 or so. I just looked it 367 for just the impact and like 475 for the one I got with sockets and tray
It's not an IR. The IR stubby is pretty underpowered compared to the Matco. IR never made a stubby for Matco.
Again, I've not tried the stubby, but I have seen quite a few impacts start pretty weak out of the box, but get substantially better as they get broke in. Not sure if that was the situation on your IR test, but it's possible.IR does not make Matco's guns, PTP makes most of them currently.
And the IR 35MAX is certainly not the same as the Matco gun, we've tested both of them and they are about as far apart in power as any similar sized impact's we've laid hands on.
The fact IR slaps "625ft-lbs" on the side of a 35MAX box is an affront to the human condition.
IR does not make Matco's guns, PTP makes most of them currently.
And the IR 35MAX is certainly not the same as the Matco gun, we've tested both of them and they are about as far apart in power as any similar sized impact's we've laid hands on.
The fact IR slaps "625ft-lbs" on the side of a 35MAX box is an affront to the human condition.
IR does not make Matco's guns, PTP makes most of them currently.
And the IR 35MAX is certainly not the same as the Matco gun, we've tested both of them and they are about as far apart in power as any similar sized impact's we've laid hands on.
The fact IR slaps "625ft-lbs" on the side of a 35MAX box is an affront to the human condition.
We tried to use ours in the shop in the rotation with the other stubbys, but the rest of the guys flat out put it away because every task would take two guns. If you can't convince people to use a free tool - I imagine it's serious flaw somewhere whether its poor design, breaking in or whatever we want to call it.Again, I've not tried the stubby, but I have seen quite a few impacts start pretty weak out of the box, but get substantially better as they get broke in. Not sure if that was the situation on your IR test, but it's possible.
Sounds like you gave it the old college try. I’ve had good luck with everything else I’ve ever bought from them, but never tried the stubby. Probably won’t ever now LOLWe tried to use ours in the shop in the rotation with the other stubbys, but the rest of the guys flat out put it away because every task would take two guns. If you can't convince people to use a free tool - I imagine it's serious flaw somewhere whether its poor design, breaking in or whatever we want to call it.
Their other guns are great though, 2235TiMAX is a brute. Nothing against IR, they make our 80 gal compressor which is great too.
If buying a compact impact though, stick to Aircat, Astro and Matco (Stubby, not the fixed right angle).
Absolutely. As far as power for a given size goes, air is very much king. Most stubby air impacts will wipe the floor with cordless compact impacts.
also, the other thing about air impacts is the lack of reactionary forces on your wrist. After a long day of work, electric impacts give me sore hands/wrists. It’s a lot of rattling and vibration to deal with. Air impacts allow for the use of direct drive hammer mechanisms that can rebound. That can’t be done with cordless tools because it would fry the electronics with the high voltage spikes it would generate. That is why cordless impacts have to use a sprung hammer (typically a two jaw hammer) that must first see sufficient torque to ride the hammer up on the cam/ball bearing against the heavy spring before the hammer kicks over. Your wrist takes all of that torque. It’s fine for a hobby, or diy use, but if you have to run cordless impacts all day at a job site, it’s going to hurt.