best air tool

What are the best air tools for the money? I saw a set of about 4 or 5 tools in one kit for around 80 bucks at Home Depot. Does anyone have any experience with Home Depot or Lowes air tools?

Reply to
tom
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You GET what you pay for. I've had cheap garbage and they don't last or work that good. Want a GOOD Air Ratchet and 1/2 Air Gun, look in the $300-$400 price range! I do still own a couple CHEAPO air tools like a little Air Saw and a 1/2" Air drill that I don't use much. For example my Snap-On Air Ratchet was over $300 but it's the BEST one I've ever had! I've had cheap Craftsman, and a pretty good $130 Mac one and others, and they just wouldn't last. This Snap-on I've had for over 8 Years, It was getting weak in power so I just had it Rebuilt for $97, it's now has 10 ft pounds more of torque then it did new with the new Improved head that's now on it. It's used many times a day. It's was worth it!!!

4 or 5 Air tools for $80? is China junk. For Minor Repairs once in a while they'll be fine I guess. My Cheapo 1/2" Air drill I got for sale at Harbor Freight Tools for $39.95 on sale. Once in a while I have to drill some holes in a frame rail or something and it comes in handy. So what do you think your going to get for Double the price of my one cheapo Air drill for 4 or 5 Air tools?
Reply to
JBDragon

======= ======= what Dragon said.........ditto.

I too own the $300 SnapOn air ratchet......... it's knuckle buster that holds up over time.

I use an Ingersol Rand 1/2" impact gun.

My 1/4" impact gun is SnapOn.

My adjustable speed air drill is SnapOn.

My die grinder is SnapOn.

My "cut off" tool is BluePoint".

I bought one of the new MacTool 1/2" impact guns with the new lightweight hightorque claims.....it was a piece of sheet. I gave it to my brother and went back to my Ingersol. I've used Ingersol 1/2" impact guns for over 25 years, they work. Don't know why I had to go and upgrade only to find out I'd wasted my money. The Ingersols, or BluePoints you get off the trucks are a working mans tool that lasts.

any whoooo.......

like Dragon said.....you get what you pay for, and when you depend on them EVERY DAY of every week of every year for 30 years....... you kinda learn that SnapOn and some of the more pricey brands are the way to go if your depending on the thing your using to make a living out of, while not aggrevating you. I too have used the cheapo stuff years ago......now.....if someone gave me one......I'd decline politely. (it's not worth the space in my trashcan)

Fact..Not Fiction

~:~ MarshMonster ~:~

Reply to
Marsh Monster

pretty much ditto here too.

I love my Ingersoll-made craftsman "plastic" 1/2 gun. light weight and powerful. Harbor freight is great for tools you don't use much. Hell, sometimes you get lucky and get a good cheap one! I've got a central pneumatic (i think they call it) 3/8 ratchet that wont quit and a 3/8 air drill I don't use much, and a 3/8 gun thats weak but it does the job(not too fast but a lot faster that a air ratchet, and not too strong, did that make sense?). I tryed their 1/2 guns but they just don't get it, too weak. I did have a Chicago pneumatic 1/2 gun (I think it was,(CP)? not the harbor freight one) and it held up very well, never oiled it and I even used it for a hammer at times! I think home depot sells Chicago???? As far as hand tools go, if your at a shop use Snap-on. If your working just at home, craftsman is good. Seen those new craftsman box end ratchets with flexible ends yet? Got to get a set of those :) mmmmmmmmm shiny toooools. FWIW I would bet Marsh makes money by the job (commission), I was payed by the hour. Thats probably why he has better tools than me :) He's probably not a tight ass like me too :)

Reply to
ShoeSalesman

Thanks to everyone for their input. Maybe i should have explained what my tool usuage would be. I will not be making a living with my tools. I have a

55 Chevy truck that i am restoring, so for the most part, the tools will be used for working on my project . I would love the best of the air tools, but my project is taking most of my funds. I guess i would ask what was the least of the 2 evils when it comes to air tools, Lowes or Home Depot? I think Shoe mentioned Chicago Phuematic, which i have some of their hand tools, but none of their air tools.

I also need a good spray gun for shooting primer. I was told to make sure what ever spray gun i get, make sure there are parts available to replace worn out parts.

Thanks to everyone for your input....tom

Reply to
tom

======== ======== Tom, for your particuler needs.....buy anything that's lifetime warrantied!!!!!!!!!!!

Go to the ole AutoZonedOut store, WallyWorld, Sears, or whoever. Just be sure to ask about the warranty and log away the receipts if they're needed for warranty.

Buy 6 point sockets, not 8 or 12 point. Buy 6 point wrenches.

The hold better, and don't tend to let the metal of the tool spread out and become loose fit as fast as the 8 and 12 points do. You will likely find situations where you're going to NEED an 8 or 12 point. Buy them when you need them.

Air tools...........

The last time I asked the dude down at HomeyDespot....he told me that their air tools carried a LIFETIME WARRANTY !!!! Fact, not Fiction. As do their hand tools. Now, it would agrevate the hell out of "me" to have to run down there every couple of weeks with a handfull of tools to get warrantied because I know for fact that I'd be busting the sheet out of them the way I abuse tools at work. But, for your needs and application, I'd definately use them.

Paint gun............

Mine is a Binks. $250 the last time I priced one. I've had my 3 for

about 20 years and got them when they could still be had for under $100.

My suggestion for a paint gun......... Buy one from anywhere you want. Years ago I used the WallyWorld guns alot for priming and undercoating applications. I used them for low end paint jobs and they produced a great finish using low end Pitsburg paint. The main problem I had with them was that after 2 paint jobs, they were ONLY good for using with primer. Which they worked great for. But don't attempt a high end base/clear coat job with it. I would assume that HomeyDespot, Lowes, WallyWorld, AutoZonedOut, are all about equivelant on quality and price.

any whoooo.......... just my thoughts.

~:~ marsh ~sips his crowroyal~ ~:~

Reply to
Marsh Monster

good point about a lifetime warranty. I know sears lifetimes all of their craftsman hand tools. No receipt, no questions....

Reply to
ShoeSalesman

========= =========

My wife stopped yelling about me spending money on tools the first time she "tried" yelling at me.

I told her..........

"I've been buying tools for 15 years.......I've only known you for one, which one do you think I'm willing to do without?"

fact, not fiction.

Not another world since then, 1990.

(though....the bed was lonely for a week or so..)

any whooooo...... about the price of tools...... I don't know how kids today can even afford to get into working on autos for a living. I guess I paid around $70 for a set of wrenchs when I first started buying Snap-On back in 1975. Same for socket sets, around $60 the best I remember. Hell.....now if I'm stupid enough to lose one, I have to fork over $30-$40 for just one socket or one wrench. I priced a set of Snappy 3/8 drive "universal" impact sockets a while back to see how much they've gone up. DAMN !!!! Over $300. How the young guys can do it and still raise a family is amazing. It cost as much now to have your airtools rebuilt as it did to buy them outright when I got them new.

any whooooo...... that's my rant.

~:~ mm ~pours shoe a crown-n-coke~ ~:~

Reply to
Marsh Monster

this is fact not fiction-I started with a big set of harbor frieght and some craftsman. Then I bought Snap-on pretty much one at a time as I broke the cheaper stuff. I still have some sockets that say "made in china" from the early eightes that survived cause they didn't get used enough to break I guess. :) Just out of curiosity, what happens to a cheap paint gun that makes it work good at first then is junk? Does something wear out or corrode or? I don't know-not into painting- but I always thought it would be fun.....

Reply to
ShoeSalesman

Marsh does have a good point about the lifetime warranty. I have a tool box full of Craftsmen hand tools. However i havnt given much thought about Craftsmen air tools. Definately worth doing a warranty and price check between Sears, home Depot, and Lowes, i may even throw in Northern Tool. Thanks for the advice guys, I appreciate it. I have bought and set up my compressor. Now after i get the air tools there will be no reason for not working on my ol truck...hehehe...Ya'll have a great week...tom

Reply to
tom

Sears Craftsman air tools one year warranty. Foot note on sears tools, ONLY Craftsman carry the lifetime, not the plain Sears.. The high chrome finish wrenches are manufactured by Matco. I hope you got a good compressor, not one of the "oil less" ones so prevalent on the market these days. Also remember air tools require a compressor that exceeds by at least 30% the cfm requirements of the tool its driving. Tools, mans best friend. A cheap tool is like anything else bought cheap, the distaste of piss poor quality remains long after the joy of the low price.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

Thats good info about the air tools only being one year. I will do some research on air tools before i start spending a lot of money on them. I have a tool box full of Craftsmen tools and i knew they are lifetime. I wonder since K-Mart bought Sears, or vice versa, if K-Mart sells Craftsmen tools? I know Western Auto sold Craftsmen tools for awhile.

I feel like i got a pretty decent compressor. It does require oil and it puts out 13.3 SCFM @ 90 psi. It has 135 psi max, which should be all i need. I will have various air tools and I have a small sand blaster. All the tools i have looked at should run with this compressor. A couple of the tools may cause it to run a little more than usual, but should be ok. I built a compressor house outside my shop so the noise want be a problem, not to mention i saved a few feet of floor space in my shop/garage. Have a nice week....

Reply to
tom

I have a feeling you may have a problem running the paint gun and the sandblaster on that compressor. It's been my experience that you need a compressor that will pump up to 160 psi with no trouble in order to maintain pressure to run paint guns, sandblasters, and body sanders.

jest some input......

enjoy your new toys..... enjoy your projects.

~:~ marsh ~:~

====== ====== tom wrote:

Reply to
Marsh Monster

remember that real low budget sci flic, Army of Darkness, the line about his Boom stick, "shop smart, shop S-Mart"? lol. Yeah any K-mart that has been converted to a Sears Essential will have Craftsman tools, eventually all the K-marts will as well

maker sure that compressor shed has some good ventalation. Lots of screened open area just under the eves, and then a small attic fan pulling air in down low. Compressors generate a lot of heat, keeping things cool help them work more effecinatly and last longer. Get a good oil and water seperator in line at least 5 feet from the compressor, even better I kept one mounted on my roll around work cart, a converted white ac service cart and ran hose to it and then to my tools. Air has to have a chance to cool off for the water vapor to condense. An old refrigerator and a coil of 3/4 inch cooper tubing can be used to make a dryer. Check the compressor oil often., keep a set of spare belts on hand. As to ratings, 135 PSI is lower level of ok, 13.3 cfm is less then I would want to see, 18-20 cfm much better, and at least a 30 gallon tank, and a two stage compressor.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

I have no problem with Craftsman Hand Tools. I have some of the Professional Wrenches and they work great and easy to keep clean unlike the normal wrenches they have. Also have a few other of their Pro stuff. The price is good and they hold up. I still like Snap-On the best. There tools are very well made. They just cost a lot, so it takes time building up. I also have MAC and Matco stuff. Still my 3/8 and 1/4" Snap-On Air Ratchets and 1/2" drive IR Impact guns are the BEST! After personally using many other brands, I wouldn't go with anything else myself. You buy them cheapo Harbor freight or where ever Made in China Sockets and Wrenches, your asking for it. Nothing like busting your knuckles, or Rounding out bolts. Just got myself another new tool from Snap-On today.

Money is a factor and if your not using them Daily, then you can cut corners. I would get Craftsman's over China any day!!! Also the larger the Compressor the better. Plus 2 stage is better then the cheapo single stage. Oh sure Air tools normally say 90 PSI Max. Who runs that? I run 150-160 PSI though my tools! Need to! Good tools will hold up to this, Cheap Garbage won't last at all! You can get Regulators to turn it down for things like Paint Sprayers which need to have the Air filtered even better anyway.

Reply to
JBDragon

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