Looking to buy an impact wrench, ratchet and die grinder. I don't need the $500 professional level tools, but I do want to get something better than the Harbor Freight special. Any recommendations for middle of the road tools? Also, in addition to those tools, what do folks recommend for a beginning toolkit. I have a 16 CFM at 90 PSI compressor.
CK5
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Basic air tools recommendations
- Thread starter adkm1009
- Start date
Go get whatever you can afford in Ingersol Rand Tools. I have both impact and ratchets, and both work well. Keep them oiled (daily), and just about any name brand will give you years of service in a home shop.
But truthfully, i never use the air ratchet. I'm either using an impact, or doing it by hand. I would recommend getting maybe a 1/2" and 3/8" impact, and skip the air ratchet. Good luck!
But truthfully, i never use the air ratchet. I'm either using an impact, or doing it by hand. I would recommend getting maybe a 1/2" and 3/8" impact, and skip the air ratchet. Good luck!
I htink the best impact gun is the IR2135TI. I don't own one yet but i've seen enough in ues to know that once i'm back working again i'll buy myself one.
x2, and it's worth paying for.
When I was working at a heavy-truck transmission shop, I was using my 2135 to loosen stuff that normally would've taken the 3/4" gun to break loose. It's a great combination of power and light weight that won't give you carpal tunnel or jack-up your wrist.
sled_dog
1 ton status
Die Grinder: Ingerosll 301, for a 90* anyway.
Impact: IR 231A It is bigger, heavier, and less powerful than the 2135TI but for what you will save vs 2135TI you can buy both the Straight and Right angle die grinders.
Ratchet: IR 107XP is a great ratchet. Strong, compact, and affordable.
Guys LOVE to push the 2135TI-Max guns, they are great guns don't get me wrong. I sell more of our version of those than I do anything else. But for someone just setting up shop, I recommend the 231 or an equivalent. The cost savings allows you to buy more stuff. More tools is more helpful than one really good tool. IMO anyway.
Impact: IR 231A It is bigger, heavier, and less powerful than the 2135TI but for what you will save vs 2135TI you can buy both the Straight and Right angle die grinders.
Ratchet: IR 107XP is a great ratchet. Strong, compact, and affordable.
Guys LOVE to push the 2135TI-Max guns, they are great guns don't get me wrong. I sell more of our version of those than I do anything else. But for someone just setting up shop, I recommend the 231 or an equivalent. The cost savings allows you to buy more stuff. More tools is more helpful than one really good tool. IMO anyway.
Yep, he has a point. I have the non Ti 2135 but it's not what I started out with. Back in the day a crappy Chicago Phnumatic impact gun was what I had. It would not hardle get off regular car lug nuts lol! Atleast the 231A is a "good" gun to start with. I have 3 right angle grinders from crap to good IR. I use the crappy one most of the time for some reason as the go to. No particular reason. Handle is easier to operate is the only thing I can think of, and I don't care if I toss it around while using it.
For cutting sheet metal with a cut off wheel, the one tool I would not skimp on it a good straight die grinder or right angle die grinder. For cutting sheet metal a high torque one is what you want. Non of the three I have are high torque, their high RPM. I paid $180 for a Masterpower die grinder made by Cooper tools and let me tell ya this die grinder kicks some serious ass. And I have used plenty of different air tools and die grinders over many many years. Look up Masterpower and Cooper tools, http://www.cooperpowertools.com/brands/master_power/index.cfm OR http://www.coopertools.com/ they make all kinds of air tool. They are the industrial tool for the auto industry.
I still want one of their high torque right angle die grinders. Mine are great for sanding but put a cut off wheel in them and cut and they stall fairly easily. Sometimes you HAVE to use a right angle grinder for getting into a tight place a straight will not fit.
I eat die grinders... I've worn out a few... too much sideloading with carbide burrs, etc probably... I've had Mac stuff the last couple years... the straight is getting a little crappy these days... then again my air supply ain't the cleanest... but the angle is holding up ok to my excessive roloc abuse...
roloc?
it's a product line name from 3M... i've been using them since their introduction ages ago.. they use a arbor/disc holder in 2" or 3" like this
and you put the discs in with a special turn thingy thats on the back of the discs... like this...
they come in all kinds of grits, etc...
surface conditioning pads for gasket surface prep, metal finishing, etc.. like little scuff pads...
also many grit sanding/grinding discs.... i live by the 24 grits...
they also have bristle discs... but i've never used those..
being my dad was a 3M engineer, and me being in the body biz originally, i've been using them since the beginning.. one of the best products ever.... when doing bodywork I use the grinding discs constantly.. spinning wrenches, surface conditioners, which we call "cookies" at work...
and you put the discs in with a special turn thingy thats on the back of the discs... like this...
they come in all kinds of grits, etc...
surface conditioning pads for gasket surface prep, metal finishing, etc.. like little scuff pads...
also many grit sanding/grinding discs.... i live by the 24 grits...
they also have bristle discs... but i've never used those..
being my dad was a 3M engineer, and me being in the body biz originally, i've been using them since the beginning.. one of the best products ever.... when doing bodywork I use the grinding discs constantly.. spinning wrenches, surface conditioners, which we call "cookies" at work...
Sh!t, I've used plenty of those little bastards.....never new that was the name of em.
I use mine in my cordless drill....my air drill is harder to control the speed on.
I use mine in my cordless drill....my air drill is harder to control the speed on.
I have the matco MT1769A impact gun and it's a beast, I haven't came across anything yet that it wont take off.
I hear it's a IR gun just dressed in Matco logo's
1/2 COMPOSITE IMPACT WRENCH
I hear it's a IR gun just dressed in Matco logo's
1/2 COMPOSITE IMPACT WRENCH
- 1,100 ft. lbs. of Breakaway Torque
- 780 ft. lbs. of Max Torque, 1,100 ft. lbs. of Breakaway Torque
- 2-year Warranty
- Lightweight Composite body - total weight only 4.0 lbs.
- Custom grip with through handle exhaust
- Twin hammer mechanism with four position power regulator
thats why the angle die grinder is by far the best way to use em.. it's just like a mini grinder.. perfect control... unlike an inline tool...
i use my Mac cordless right angle drill at work for mobile use in the boats, etc...
sled_dog
1 ton status
Right angle grinder or a surface prep tool are the way to go for rolocs. They LOVE the RPMs.
And the MT1769A is a Matco gun produced by IR. It is the 2135TI-Max made to Matco's specs. I only sell the Matco branded guns, we have 2 repair centers in the country that all they do is repair Matco Branded tools. Quick repairs done the way they are supposed to be. More than anything I sell the MT1769QA. I guess my customers are "pansies" but they prefer the quiet guns, as do I. I hate to be the guy who sold the new guy the loud gun, haha. No one in the shop likes me after that. I always get the "Do you have a muffler for that thing?".
I still standby my original statement though. The MT1769A is a great gun with a great 2 year warranty. I sell 5 of those for every 1 of another gun, but you could get a few tools for the price of that one gun.
And the MT1769A is a Matco gun produced by IR. It is the 2135TI-Max made to Matco's specs. I only sell the Matco branded guns, we have 2 repair centers in the country that all they do is repair Matco Branded tools. Quick repairs done the way they are supposed to be. More than anything I sell the MT1769QA. I guess my customers are "pansies" but they prefer the quiet guns, as do I. I hate to be the guy who sold the new guy the loud gun, haha. No one in the shop likes me after that. I always get the "Do you have a muffler for that thing?".
I still standby my original statement though. The MT1769A is a great gun with a great 2 year warranty. I sell 5 of those for every 1 of another gun, but you could get a few tools for the price of that one gun.
I have Snappy's surface prep tool with the built-in arbor for the rolocs.. i don't like it.. it doesn't spin up nearly as much as an angle die grinder...
I'm running Mac's ag70 and it's been holding up well.. little bulkier than some, but I figured it might hold up better than the slimmer models out..
sucks, I have no tool guy at all at my new marina.. keeps me from buying unneeded toys tho..
I'm running Mac's ag70 and it's been holding up well.. little bulkier than some, but I figured it might hold up better than the slimmer models out..
sucks, I have no tool guy at all at my new marina.. keeps me from buying unneeded toys tho..
they also have bristle discs... but i've never used those..
We use those occasionally at my .civ job, cleaning corrosion off helicopter fuselage structure.
The airlines use those by the metric sh*t-ton, cleaning corrosion off the structure under aircraft lavatories.
