Should i worry about getting an auto lubricator?

[shannonw]

I need some reassurance here, i've searched previous threads on this and see a lot say daily oiling should be fine. I know about the oil and paint, and a second line is recommended in those cases.

What's tripping me up is in the past year i've picked up some pretty nice air tools for cheap, new or used dynabrade da sanders, dotco pencil grinder, and the latest a dynabrade 3" mini buffer. Have some other air tools, but those are hf cheapies, i don't worry about those =)

With the mini buffer i noticed the docs say 1 drop lube / minute for each 10 cfm so this really got me worrying. Am i going to bust this thing putting a couple drops of oil in it when i go to use it?

Though if I do use it for a bit of time will stop and put a couple more drops in but you can always forget to stop in the middle of a project. Like today i was buffing some areas of my truck with it and it may run for 15 minutes or so at a time tops, i used it a couple times.

Now i don't use these daily, nor for hours on end, but do use them...i know in a shop they may be running all day long which isn't my use case.

 

[930dreamer]

I put some oil in the inlet before I start, my air tools sit for a week before I use them again. I've never re-oiled during use.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

op we have air tools at work that dont see oil for weeks and they last for years. this is almost daily use. I am one of the few people that oils their tools.

I have an inline oiler and I leave it empty. I don't like it at all. its in Ingersoll rand, it puts out too much oil so there is a mist of oil coming out of my tools during heavy use and a few of my nail guns are oil free.

op if I were you I would focus more on just making sure the air does not have water in it and you will be fine.

 

[Murphy4570]

I oil air tools when I think about it. Which is maybe once a month.

 

[chris142]

I give mine a couple drops when I plug it in.

 

[uniballer]

Im forgetful, so I have one. I dont see a difference BUT not good if you paint!

 

[shannonw]

thanks for input, are the air tools you're using high constant rpm? like sanders and buffers and such?

I do have a water separator but I gotta move it farther from the tank, plan on doing that pretty soon, thanks for the reminder.

I keep an oil bottle attached to the compressor regulator so I don't forget =)

 

[shannonw]

Either way that's about what i've read in previous threads. So i'll keep oiling then on use and yeah do think i need to get this separator out from the tank

 

[cheechi]

what i do with sander, grinder, & nibbler especially is when i have to stop due to the compressor refilling or change tools i will attach the inline oiler, run at full speed for about 10 seconds. not very scientific but if i leave the oiler on all the time everything spits oil.

i attach it right to the tool with quick connects so i dont have to worry which hose is oily. when i finish with regular air tools i do the same thing before putting them away. i was always taught oiling at the end of the day is the most important because it diaplaces water that will condense onto them after disconnecting.

 

[Wastedwagesracing]

I find it's just as important to lube the heads as oiling the internals. So if your tools have a spot to grease I'd do it. It's mainly on tools with angle heads.