Whenever I go to my local home improvement stores (Home Depot and Menards) I notice that there’s usually an aisle dedicated to air compressors and pneumatic tools. Here’s what I’ve noticed:[ul][li]The pneumatic tools tend to be expensive - more expensive than the corresponding electrical device (e.g. grinder, drill, sander, wrench)[/li][li]The air compressors tend to be expensive - and some require maintenance by way of oil changes.[/li][li]The compressor and tank put together look very heavy, bulky, and unportable. [/li][/ul]I understand that the theory is that with electrical tools, you have to buy a motor for each tool. In contrast when you’ve bought a compressor and air tank, you’ve bought the motor for all your tools, which is supposed to simplify things such that you’re better off in the long run. However, what I don’t understand is that since the pneumatic tools are more expensive in the store (and you don’t get nearly as much of a choice between different models and manufacturers) why are they so popular with consumers that they are sold in Home Depot?
If I bought a compressor and tank I could either store it in my workroom in the basement or the garage. I certainly wouldn’t be hauling the contraption all over the house, so I’d still have to invest in the electrical equivalents, wouldn’t I? I certainly understand why they’d be used in automotive maintenance facilities, but I’m surprised these things are as popular as they seem to be (they are even sold at Sam’s club).
I guess my GQ is why do people buy air compressors and pneumatic tools?
I bought a compressor to do glass bead blasting. I bought some other pneumatic tools becaus in many cases they’re smaller and lighter than a similar electric tool. There is also no risk of electrical shock and more safety working around flammable liquids with air tools.
I’ve seen compressors that are small enough to be wheeled around on a small cart, which is excellent for making heavy duty outdoor repairs. Some even run on gasoline, so you don’t need to run electricity outside.
Electrical shock and no sparking are huge reasons to go with air. You are also lot better off if your air line gets damaged as opposed to a power cord.
Shops are going to have air anyway for tire inflation, compression checks, airguns, etc. It’s powerful, safe, and easily utilized.
Air power has two other important functional advantages.
First, power does not depend on speed of movement. You can think of it as developing full torque at 0 speed. For certain devices like air chisels and impact type tools, this is very valuable.
Second, the tools themselves can be relatively small and lightweight for the power capability since the power source is at the compressor.
Home Depot has commercial accounts too. And a vast majority of SAMS Club customers are professional/commercial. So it’s not just the do-it-yourselfer shopping at these places. Professionals want powerful tools that last a long time. Add in the safety that Padeye mentioned and they’re the definite choice. The only private individuals buying all the equipment needed for pneumatics are tool geeks and people with a “shop” or a garage configured as such.
That must be why my arm ached every day the first few weeks I used a 3 1/2" framing nailer. It was so small and lightweight.
In all seriousness, I don’t find air tools particularly light. They lose the weight of the electric motor, but they generally add the weight of an all-metal casing tough enough to withstand abuse and remain airtight. Anyone have the weights of comparable electric and pneumatic tools handy? I bet they’re very similar, though my personal experience doesn’t overlap much - electric tools of some types, pneumatic of others, but not both of any that I can think of.
What you’re speaking of is a repetitive stress injury. I can swing a 22oz framing hammer all day, or I can use my framing gun. I’ve done it, and they both hurt at 5PM, although from what I’ve read, different parts of a carpenter or framers arm will suffer, depending upon the tool used.
When doing large framing/sheathing or roofing nailing operations, I tried to switch hands, and also wear gel-palm gloves to absorb some of the transmitted energy.
Naw, I’m not talking about repetitive stress injury, though I know what you’re talking about. For example, laminating multi-ply trusses all day, firing many thousands of nails, will have one’s entire arm numb for a while. But what I’m talking about is just the pain from holding up a nailer all day with muscles unaccustomed to it. They’re heavier than hammers (maybe not electric hammers, though ;)). After the first few weeks, I was fine. But I’d been swinging a hammer for a long time prior, and my forearm still wasn’t prepared. Mind you, it didn’t help that we were building gable ends and ladders on waist-high jigged tables, which meant holding the guns horizontally - extra stress on the wrists, and to make matters worse they had sequential triggers (cuz some morons shot themselves with the contact triggers and the boss was pissed off at his workman’s comp premiums) so you could only grip them with three fingers and still operate them.
You may think a pneumatic framing hammer is heavy, but I’d hate to guess what an electric one would weigh. I think there’s a reason the only electric nail drivers I’ve seen are finishing hammers.
In a heavy use environment, air tools will not overheat like electric ones will. They are self cooling. Air sanders are also good for automotive bodywork because the exhaust blows the dust away allowing you to keep an eye on your work.
Also, most people that use air tools are men, and air tools have a fairly high cool/manly/toy factor.
Having been in the automotive trade I have several thousand dollars invested in air tools.
Advantages:
[ul]
[li]Power to weight ratio. For example this impact wrench provides 610 foot lbs of torque and weighs 4.5 lbs. Compare this to this cordless that only has 160 foot lbs of torque and weighs 8.9 lbs.[/li][li]Size, air rachets can be made very small when high power is not necessary (like for 1/4 drive)[/li][li]Batteries go dead, air lines don’t[/li][li]Electric cords can be dangerous. Floors in auto shops are often wet and this presents a severe shock hazzard.[/li][li]Air tools technology predates cordless technology by many years so there is an huge installed base of air tools out there that work just fine[/li][/ul]
