Air-Powered Tools - Where to begin?

[fotochop]

Faced with the prospect of shooting hundreds of 1/8 rivets back into my deconstructed bath, dozens of wide-flange rivets back into my removed bellypan, and a number of Olympics and/or bucks into my lower panels, I have recently acquired a very nice Makita MAC2400 air compressor. This 80 pound wonder is a serious notch above most of the "pancake" compressors out there so I think it can handle a bit more jam than the cheapie units. (I guess its more than appropriate that I would enter the world of 'air' tools working on an AIRstream ;-) Having used 'regular' 110 power tools for over 30 years, I'm quite familiar with their operation and upkeep, but this air-tool thing is going to be a maiden voyage for me...

Appropriately, "Aerowood" has advised me on the buck-rivet needs: 3X gun, 5/8" rivet set, etc. so I think I know what I need there. To this will be added a 'value priced' pneumatic riveter (probably Harbor Freight) for all the 1/8" pop and Olympic stuff. So what else should I be adding to my air-powered wish list? I'm thinking of stuff like a basic drill (for pulling off those wheels at Indy 500 speeds?) and maybe a brad nailer or stapler for industrial strength cabinet repairs or framing and wood work...

Any recommendations from the gear-heads appreciated!

[Aerowood]

One of these
National Tool Warehouse - 1/4” Mini Air Drill

[digger bear]

my experience - for the AS-get a tool to fill your tires & a small brad nail gun.
I have done almost everything by hand on ours...

I used our tank compressor to restore 3 houses so we were using big framing tools...

[overlander63]

Hmmm....Are you set on an air dril, and air rivet gun? I only mention this because there are some places you may have trouble getting the air hose into. Oh, you need an air hose....
Anyway, you can get a good 3/8" cordless drill with a hand-operated chuck. even if you get an air drill, you should get one with a hand-operated chuck. if I had a dollar for all the chuck keys I have lost, I wouldn' have to work for the rest of the month.
Something else to look at in the air tool line, is an air saw.
There is also the air-powered buffer, the air gun for removing and installing nuts and bolts, and an air ratchet for zipping smaller nuts and bolts on and off.
There is the air powered die grinder, and air powered cutoff wheel.
You will find all these tools useful, some more than others.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by fotochop

I'm thinking of stuff like a basic drill (for pulling off those wheels at Indy 500 speeds?).

Any recommendations from the gear-heads appreciated!

Air tools are great, but one slight correction. Drills are for making holes. For those quick pit stops, or anything that needs any power, you need an impact wrench. For example AT650, Impact Wrench, Air, Super Duty, Aluminum/Composite Housing, 1/2" Drive (100-450 ft. lb.).

Ok I only wish I had one that good. I made my living with an off brand that still works fine today. I have torn down a Dodge 360 using a Craftsman portable compressor and one of those air tanks for inflating flats as a reserve tank. I would let the pressure build up, take off a couple of head bolts, take a couple of minutes break to allow the pressure to come back up, and repeat. You will be amazed what you can accomplish with one of these. Ever cranked in lag screws by hand? Think pull a trigger like a cordless drill.

[empresley]

This one is not air but I am sure right angles are available.
Once I got one it is my favorite; especially working on the interior.

Milwaukee 0370-20 3/8" Close Quarter Angle Drill

We could talk "tools" for days!

martin.

[HiHoAgRV]

Being a fellow 'southerner', get a good water seperator. Without one, paint spraying is impossible in our high humidity and after an hour or so of use, your compressor will be spitting enough water through the pneumatic tools they will puke some really gross stuff out their exhaust .

Oh, keep the tank drained or it will rust out from the inside (my job for tomorrow...fix hole in tank)

[SmokelessJoe]

Rick'

If you have an air drill and riveter your work will go ten times faster, that’s for sure.

I assembled a T out of brass fitting as shown here.

Attachment 53550

This way you can drill and rivet without having to plug and unplug the air line constantly.

The close quarters drill that Martin suggests is something that I’ve not seen before but it looks like it would be a really great asset.

Bonne chance.

Sergei

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by SmokelessJoe

Rick'

If you have an air drill and riveter your work will go ten times faster, ...
Sergei

The AP at the airport where I grew up, called an airdrill a rotary punch. That's about the best description for the sound of one drilling out rivits, in less than a second.

[markdoane]

I couldn't have rebuilt my tradewind without my handy air shears. I work with mostly pneumatic tools, and tools I used most were the 3X rivet set, the pneumatic pop rivet puller, the air shears, air drill, die grinder, brad nailer, stapler, paint sprayer, impact wrench, and rachet. In that order.

[safari57]

If you purchase an impact make sure you get impact sockets as well. They are far stronger than standard sockets. Make sure you buy a gun with enough torque to take off tight lug nuts, etc. Some of the cheapies are not good for much. I'm not sure how they rate them.

By the way, what I did was to hit an auction of mechanics tools. A shop was closing, so the tools were used, but well maintained, and were very high quality. I got a swack of tools for a fraction of the cost and they have lasted me a long time.

Barry

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by safari57

If you purchase an impact make sure you get impact sockets as well. They are far stronger than standard sockets. Make sure you buy a gun with enough torque to take off tight lug nuts, etc. Some of the cheapies are not good for much. I'm not sure how they rate them.

Barry

They are measured in lb/ft of torque, and air consumption, @90psig.
One "know it all" I worked with used regular chrome plated sockets with his air gun, and one day the chrome started peeling off a socket. he didn't see it, and the chrome sliced his palm to hamburger in about a second.

[Aerowood]

As you people have most likely picked up by now, in my occupation only air tools can be used without any restrictions as to where they can be used on the airframe, so all of my powered tools at work are air powered. I am very biased on air tools and I wish I had enough money to have a complete set at home to, so I am constantly dragging them back and forth. I like the weight of air tools and the reduction in size over their electric counterparts. I do not care to have keyless chucks on any of my drills except my cordless because of their large size and inability to fit in close quarter applications. They also have a tendency to not fully tighten.
Air tools also have a much broader selection to chose from but do have the disadvantage of having to be supplied with a constant supply of compressed air. Not a problem at home but is challenging elsewhere without some creative thought and ingenuity. I have a man portable 7.5 hp diesel compressor at work that I can take to remote locations and it runs well on Jet A with a little oil mixed in. I have also used high pressure nitrogen bottles for an air source and they work well and will last for some time also.
So for me it is pneumatic all the way.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by empresley

This one is not air but I am sure right angles are available.

martin.

A 90 degree air drill is available, for about 4x the cost of a straight drill.

[fotochop]

Thanks, gearheads! many good tips here I'd hadn't thought of...

for ex: I was just going to brush on my tile-doc-type epoxy white paint on the fiberglas bath sections but now that I have a decent compressor I'm considering getting a spray gun to shoot it on...depending on what this "water separator" will add to the cost of the rig...? I'm sure it would produce a smoother finish to shoot it on..

ditto on the impact-sockets, esp.since they only add 10-20 bucks or so to the cost of a socket kit vs. air ratchet alone...worth doing..

SmokelessJoe: can you try and reload that "t" photo or point me to it? when I click I get an 'invalid link' message... would like to see that..

Aerowood: yes, that 1/4" mini air drill is a beauty, I think there's one in one of your photos... safe to assume Chicago Pneumatic is a completely different manufacturer from the "Chicago Tools" we find at Harbor Freight I think? They sure look a lot more well-made..

and, yes, OV63, my 14.4 Milwaukee cordless drill has always been a faithful sidekick (scary to think how many drill bits that thing has been through...I gotta start buying more expensive bits...) but it large bulk makes it hard to fit in a tight squeeze. will probably be adding a mini-drill or rt.angle mini at some point...

I just realized how to create a wildly popular thread here...put the word "TOOLS" anywhere in the subject line. I'm kidding... but seriously, thanks for the tipsssssssssssssssssssssssssss...

[overlander63]

A water seperator is generally $25-100, depending on how fancy you want to get.

[SmokelessJoe]

Sergei

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Hmmm....
You will find all these tools useful, some more than others.

Air powered Long Neck de-capping tool, a must have!!

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by overlander63

They are measured in lb/ft of torque, and air consumption, @90psig.
One "know it all" I worked with used regular chrome plated sockets with his air gun, and one day the chrome started peeling off a socket. he didn't see it, and the chrome sliced his palm to hamburger in about a second.

So true. Impact sockets are a must! I should have mentioned that in my original post.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Air powered Long Neck de-capping tool, a must have!!

Well, not air powered, but a good, solid, quality tool. Craftsman Capwrench Bottle Opener, 80th Anniversary - Model 44400 at Sears.com Mine isn’t an 80th anniversary version, and I paid full price rather than the current $10.97. It’s truly a pleasure to take the cap off a St. Pauli Girl Dark with one of these.