Best compressor and air gun?

[johns4104s]

What are the best combination of compressor and air gun to keep on the bus? Were is the most economical place to purchase them? Please remember the limited space available?

Thanks

John

[wrench]

  What size air gun? 3/4" for the lug nut?  The problem is the air tank size, & then the time to re-load the tank for the next shot!!!  I would search for an electric one, mostly for an intermittent use, & save that space.  Available in 3/4 & 1/2.
    wrench

[johns4104s]

Thanks Wrench, Yes the gun would be mainly for lug nuts, I right now have a small compressor 2hp oilless with a 3 gallon tank. I didn't know if there was something better for my application?

John

[junkman42]

Just a word about items from the popular waterfront front junk store!  I bought a small compressor from them and while mounting it in the bus bay I bumped the vent for the crankcase and broke it!  Want parts, they have a special number to call, good luck as the person you talk to is in India!  By the way there  are no parts available for the unit I have as it is no longer supported.  They still sell it in the Pensacola store funny enough.  Simply when You take it home it is yours period.  Pay extra and get parts support.  I would not give them a thin dime anymore, period.  Stupid is as stupid does?  My two cents worth!  Regards John

[Melbo]

The information I want that it seems is unavailable is the noise level of a compressor

I would like a quiet running compressor

Melbo

[Dallas]

John...

You saw my gun, the  Ingersoll Rand, 2135TI. 1/2" drive, weighs 3.9 lbs 700 lbs torque forward and 900 lbs. torque in reverse.
As long as the goons at the local tire emporium don't hammer the lugs on with the 1" impact, like on your drive axle, this gun will remove the lugnuts with no problem using your present compressor, or your engine driven compressor.
What really helps it is using an auxilliary tank with a 1/2" hose instead of the standard 3/8" hose.

http://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=8427

One thing I would look for, if I were to buy another of these is an extended anvil. It will keep delicate fingers out of harms way more often. I think that model is the 2135TI-2max.

[Airbag]

Just a word about items from the popular waterfront front junk store!  I bought a small compressor from them and while mounting it in the bus bay I bumped the vent for the crankcase and broke it!  Want parts, they have a special number to call, good luck as the person you talk to is in India!  By the way there  are no parts available for the unit I have as it is no longer supported.  They still sell it in the Pensacola store funny enough.  Simply when You take it home it is yours period.  Pay extra and get parts support.  I would not give them a thin dime anymore, period.  Stupid is as stupid does?  My two cents worth!  Regards John

My Dad was a very smart man / none of his smarts was passed too me by the way. He went to the store one day to buy a cordless phone for his house. The way he made his mind up was interesting. He went down the line of new phones with his cell phone in hand and opened the boxes as he went calling the tech support numbers until he found one that was in the US. That was the phone he purchased.

[Garymci5]

Perhaps the best answer is to use what the bus already has: a high capacity dual piston 15 SCFM compressor that is probably 4 to 5 times bigger than a small portable unit (about double of my 230V, 60 Gallon dual piston home unit), plus the bus has several air tanks as storage. Nominal air pressure is higher too, and will help account for pressure drop on a longer hose.

Hook up an air fitting, with it's own dedicated valve (between the source and air fitting!), maybe add a gauge and now you have an industrial diesel powered air system that's almost second to none.

I would suggest using at least 1/2" ID line for a high power impact gun to ensure  The other trick that works well is to use a portable air tank, using a standard 3/8" hose, then connect the air hog impact gun with a short lead to that. Without proper air flow and volume an impact gun won't hardly work to budge a large fastener. A good quality air tool makes a huge difference.

As they say: "been there, done that".

FWIW, I have a "Earthquake" 1/2" impact (700 lb/ft, i think) from Harbour Freight Tools. Based on "shop" testing it performs as well as a Mac brand, for less than 1/3rd the price.


Hope that puts a new spin on things!   

Gary

[JohnEd]

I have tons of stuff from Harbor Freight...."that water front store".  All of it made in China.  There are a few items that went belly up or didn't work out and my local store took them back in a flash or replaced the item with no questions asked.  I have had superb results with that store.  I have a much larger inventory of tools than I could have otherwise been able to afford and that lets me do more of my own work and save money on that end.  Besides, I need the entertainment.

My experience with HF is both private and commercial.  My friend that owns the shop has been using "that junk" for many years.  He was cautious about it given that he works all his tool very hard and I think I am the first one that ever oiled any of them.  He doesn't have many shortcomings.  After his first cordless lasted 4 months of daily discharge and recharge he went down and bought 3 more of those $14 wonders.  They lasted 3 or 4 years and we were both dumbfounded.  He had bought so many domestic brands that simply didn't do the job or failed quickly that he had pretty much given up and of course he only bought domestic.  Seems the Chincs valued his bus more.  I bought Makita that is still going strong after 17 years and on it's 4Th set of bats and at 9V it is still "all the power you will ever need".  So much for that testimonial from that end.

He also buys Ingersol Rand stuff when the odd bargain presents itself.  When you pick up one of those Puppies you get a strange vibe, or I did the first time.  I hit the trigger and said "DAMN!"  Ron smiled and exclaimed his pleasure with the tool.  All of them that he owns!  Not a bad one in the bunch and each is exceedingly high quality.  I think domestic is getting better in a hurry...due to the competition that so many lament as "unAmerican" and I see as the primary impetus of our history of making superb products that compete well in the market place.  Free enterprise extends all the way "DOWN" to the consumer and it is the consumer that has the last vote.  Almost all of this is out heritage and national philosophy.  Live with it!  Done right by us for 200 years.

Had I the money?  Domestic or German without a doubt.  You don't even have to use it to know.

The impact wrench you WANT is the "EARTHQUAKE" model at Harbor Freight in the 1/2 inch persuasion.  Exceedingly strong.  Mine is a year old and lightly used.  The shop model is also a year old and gets used daily or more often.  So I guess you could say they are strong and don't get stale.  If you just use you breaker bar to break the nuts free, almost any 1/2 inch will spin the lug nuts right off and on.

TANKS:  I used propane tanks cause I could fit them in nooks and cranny's on the OUTSIDE of my motor home and underneath.  I hooked them all up to the same line and charged them from my OIL IN THE CRANKCASE compressor.  Each tank was fitted with a drain cock and I had about 25 gal capacity all together.  Run 1/2 inch air hose instead of 3/8Th's.  The Earth Quake really needs it, as any substantial 1/2 inch does.  105 psi worked fine and was regulated down to 90.  HF regulators seem to be all 1/4 inch stuff and are a NO GO.  The bigger the tank the better you will be able to tolerate a "low capacity" high quality compressor.  Duty cycle stuff!

I used mine to run my air horns.  A 25 psi air horn is a "over achiever" at 45 psi.  Trust me!

HTH and it was fun for me....how about you?  (over heard in bed)

John

[belfert]

There is hardly anything I would buy based on where the customer service/tech support agents are located.  I would rather focus on the features of the item I am buying and if it will get the job.  I'm very unlikely to ever need support for something like a cordless phone.

Getting back on topic, oil lubed compressors are generally going to be quieter.  Belt driven oil lubed is better than direct drive most often, but belt driven are going to be too large for most busnuts to carry in the bus.  I heard an old belt drive compressor that was practically silent.  It was nice!

Older compressors from Craigslist are often going to be better and cheaper than modern day compressors.

[NJT 5573]

John,

I have an IR 281 S6. Its a 1 inch tire gun, like all IR stuff its made in Japan.

It is very well designed. It probably uses less air volume than the 1/2 inch Earthquake. You don't need much of a supply for it.

It will do tires all day long off a small truck wet tank with a one hole Cummins compressor if you need it to. It has never failed to remove any lug its faced for what thats worth.

I have had a rebuild kit hanging on the shop wall for 10 years, but its still there, and the gun gets used almost daily. It will cost you to haul a tool like that around but man when you need it its always there for you, and the vehicle air compressor is all you need if its all you have.

[zubzub]

I have the HF 1" impact and it is a  airhog and not really that strong ( would be stronger if I ran  1/2" line from the punk tank).  I will be getting a decent quality 3/4" that has 1,000 lbs of torque when I find one on sale.  I know IR is top of the line but me I try to match the specs I need and figure decent maintenance and low use allows me to avoid buying big $$ tools that won't be used enough to warrant. I have a small compressor (oil) that I use for back up on the bus, with a 5 gal punk tank this gives me enough do what needs to be done with patience.  As others have noted the bus comp is the best you can get and as long as the bus is running but that sucks if there is  a lot of work to be done.  How's this for an idea?  You tie the small comp and bus air system together, air up the bus, turn it off, get to work and the comp will cycle less often, when it's time to pull lug nuts etc turn on the big beast and have at er.  Bought my small comp on sale at sears (mak board told me it was on sale) it is very quiet compared to the other small oil comps at work and lighter as well.

[TomC]

The problem with using the bus air system is that it only runs at 120psi-compared to 175psi with most tire shops, or mobile tire repairs.  If you could carry a 2 stage compressor that went to 175psi, then it would work.

Just a note- I drove truck for 21 years over the road, and 1.3 million miles of driving and never had more then just a tool box of tools with me (only a air ratchet).  Anything above that-especially tire lug nuts, I used a mobile repair.  And this from being a furniture mover driving in areas that are more akin to where a RV'r drives then a trucker.  Don't get carried away with carrying to much junk with you in case of emergency-remember you have to pay for the fuel to carry all that junk for the very few times you might need it.  Good Luck, TomC

[Garymci5]

The problem with using the bus air system is that it only runs at 120psi-compared to 175psi with most tire shops, or mobile tire repairs.  If you could carry a 2 stage compressor that went to 175psi, then it would work.

It probably should be pointed out that air tools are usually rated at 90PSI. I work at a shop and they run 150-175PSI and the air tools are hyper active and hard to modulate- no doubt the tools will wear out sooner or become damaged.  I use regulators to lower the pressure, some are internal so don't know what the pressure actually is, probably 40-60 PSI on my little 1/4" air ratchet. It's quiet, spins nicely and does not over torque.

In case anyone is curious: Florida Pneumatic.

Best built air tools I've found at great prices AND highly effecient-- meaning it's not an "air hog" (wasting air due to poor design).

Lastly, it's common to use high pressure as a band-aid for poor flow. Long air line runs of a too small diameter pipe/tube/hose, for example.

I do use the full line pressure on my 3/8" and 1/2" impact guns. However the 3/8" seems stressed and will regulate it down some. The shop owner refuses to lower the line pressure. Interesting that.....

120 PSI is more than adequate for any normal tool, so long as the air volume is correct, and probably borders on excessive.