Opinions on piling air tools

[Sugarfryz]

I've always oiled my air tools religiously, usually just a drop or two when I first use them for the day. The old timer at the shop says he never oils his air tools because it makes all the crud in the air lines get caked on the inside of the tool. He does still use some rather oil tools and I am impressed they still work. Another guy says he only oils his when it starts acting weird. Also yet another guy never oils his, just sprays penetrating oil in it when he feels it's low on power. I suspect that's killed our shop 1 inch gun.

What do you guys do, always oil or never?

 

[Ray-CA]

If I haven't used the tool in a while, say a week, I'll put 2-drops of oil in it. If it's been used within a couple of days, I'll just use it.

Ray

 

[zeke markham]

Depends on the tool. My Atlas Copco stuff doesn't require any, the Cleco and IR stuff says it does. Read the manuals, follow recommendations. Or not, either way.

 

[Fedwrench]

You'll probably get almost as many different opinions on oiling air tools as ratchet lube

I usually put a few drops in at the end of the day and exercise it on low speed forward & reverse (if the tool has forward & reverse) to circulate it.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Once every couple weeks when I have down time is what I did.

 

[HighPlainsWrencher]

There is enough oil coming out of the compressor at work that we don't have to worry aboot it. I grease my tools that need it whenever I think about it and cant remember the last time I greased them.

 

[vssjim]

I put Marvel Air Tool oil in them regularly and then put enough in to flush once in a while. Oil it enough it comes out clean.

 

[bcradio]

I usually try not to pile my air tools on one another

 

[Schurkey]

Never mind the vanes rubbing on the inside of the air motor. Who spins ball bearings thousands of RPM with no lube?

Company I used to work for had air plumbing all over the building. LOTS of air tools being used. They installed air tool oilers. One day I start thinking...I've never seen the maintenance guys re-filling the oilers. So I ask Management how often the tool oilers get replenished. Nobody knows. I tell them that after being used for five years, and never needing to be re-filled...how much oil are they putting into the air tools? Don't they think that's maybe why all of the Company air tools are in terrible condition? No response.

Far as I know, the oilers have never been repaired so that they actually function to this day. I've been gone from there for over a decade.

 

[stercorarius]

I've always oiled them. That's just what it says on the inlet. As far as crud buildup I've heard of guys filling a short length (2' or so) air hose with diesel and blowing it through to clean them out. Not something to do indoors.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

 

[wafrederick]

Depends on the tool. My Atlas Copco stuff doesn't require any, the Cleco and IR stuff says it does. Read the manuals, follow recommendations. Or not, either way.

Air hammers as well,the oil does damage to the seals inside the air hammer.Ask any Matco and Snap On dealer on this.

 

[badss98]

I oil my air tools usually every time I use them.Standard transmission fluid is what I use and I have had only one cheap air drill fail in the last 15 years so something must be working.