Wimpy air tools

[rancheroo]

Hello all. The 'rotary' type air tools I have all seem to be extremely wimpy.

I can stop my angle grinder with a 3" Rol-Loc sanding disk, dead in it's tracks bearing down lightly. I can grab the head & hit the trigger & nothing.

My cutoff grinder won't go through hot butter without stopping.

Other tools like my impact wrench & ratchet seem ok but the tools that spin have no torque.

Is it because they're Wal-Mary and Harbor freight hand-me-downs? Will a brand name/quality air tool make that big of a difference? I know this sounds like a stupid question, but I didn't think that air tools were very complex.

I have the following Eaton pump on about a 60-80 gallon tank.

MODEL# APP2I0524T

This is our 5 HP In-line, 2-Stage, air compressor pump with 24 CFM Displacement, 17 CFM @ 175 PSI, and 20 CFM @ 100 PSI. This unit has an SCFM @ 175 of 17.

Thanks in advance, Rick

 

[dustin19]

my mac mini die angle grinder works like a horse and its twin the mini straight die grinder works great also.... paid 80 for both NEW

 

[fordbroncodave]

i think you are using lower PSI then is required for those tools. bump it up to 150 or 175 and tell me what you think. makes all the difference.

 

[ZRX61]

Two of my angle grinders are from Matco, they're absolutely ****** useless.. The old one because it wore out after about 15 years... & the replacement one because it wore out after two ******** weeks.

 

[rancheroo]

Thanks fellas. I don't think that either of the tools I mentioned cost more than 15 bucks. I currently have a regulator mounted on the wall by the compressor & keep it at 100psi. I'll bump it up a few dozen psi & give it a go.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

If you have 90 psi at the port where you plug the hose in and you have a decent amount of flow to them (not running 100 feet thru 1/4 rubber hose for example) , you should not be having the problems that you are. I would try borrowing some air tools from a buddy and see how a good die grinder works with the system you have. That should give you the information you need about how good your tools are.

 

[IONH]

i think you are using lower PSI then is required for those tools. bump it up to 150 or 175 and tell me what you think. makes all the difference.

Did I miss what they said the pressure was currently set at?

I think 150-175 is too high. Try 110-120 though. Most tools seem to be rated only up to 100 (or something, I forget exactly). My 60 gallon is regulator is set to 110 without any issues.

Also, what size hose/fittings are you using to supply the air to these tools? The reason your air grinders and other "tools which spin" are having problems is because they require a larger amount of SCFM than impact tools.

 

[stricht8]

I don't think that the tools are at fault. I have some HF air tools including one if those 120 degree grinders and they work fine with a much whimpier compressor.

 

[rancheroo]

Did I miss what they said the pressure was currently set at?

Also, what size hose/fittings are you using to supply the air to these tools? The reason your air grinders and other "tools which spin" are having problems is because they require a larger amount of SCFM than impact tools.

I keep the regulator set at about 100psi.

As far as the fittings & hose, here goes: I have a 3/4" that's adapted down to 1/4" NPT so that I can connect the regulator, 1/4" NPT to a ball valve, then I have my 1/4" female quick connect. I use a 50' 1/2" Goodyear rubber hose with 1/4" NPT connectors at both ends.

I've been doing a lot of reading here and elsewhere on hard plumbing & plan on doing that in the near future.

Rick

 

[foolishpride]

I think 1/4" line is too small. You need to be using 3/8" air line.

 

[IONH]

I think those 1/4" fittings may be what is restricting your air flow.

 

[alex71]

I think your biggest problem is **** air tools. I have lots of air grinders that I run off an IR 5hp single stage compressor, and they work very well. The compressor sometimes has to catch up a bit when I run some of the bigger tools (air consumption in the 35-50CFM range, rated), but with good tools, even running them with my compressor (which I consider small for the task at 18CFM@90) they work great. good hoses and hi-flow fittings are mandatory also.

 

[Handyman163]

I've had a lot of problems with the regulator I had. It was a 1/4" inlet and outlet, and was just WAY too restrictive of flow. I could set it to 100psi, but when flowing air, it would drop to around 80psi or so. I just run my tank pressure to 120psi and run unregulated for all tools except my small nailer/stapler. I still use that regulator for the nailer.

Perhaps your regulator can't flow enough air to keep up with what the tool needs. You should be able to set it higher and help alleviate the issue, but may not solve it completely.