Some tool questions

[k5freak44]

I need to buy a aircompressor first off.
what is a good gallon/hp combo that will get me running some small airtools in the ole garage. I want to run an impact, maby a cutoffwheel, maby a spray gun.
what will i need? what is a good brand/model to buy?

ALSO

torque wrenches-

good brand- good max torque that will get any job i need done on my 14bff.

sawzall,

should i get the cheapo harborfreight brand or should i get a dewalt from a pawn shop for like 60 bucks.


what do you use?
what works?
whats the cheapest?

thanks again guys

 

[google]

Being an old construction hound, I would say get the dewalt. But for a more general answer, the little compressors would prolly do you just fine. The bigger, higher horse power, bigger tanked compressors are for the kind of stuff I once did. I was attached to a compressor constantly with one or two other people working off the same one all day long. But for light garage work, a small one would do just fine I think.

 

[big83chevy4x4]

i have a coleman 5hp 30 gallon i think, works great.
for torque wrenches, snapon is the best i have used, all the others i didn't like something about them.

for a sawzall, you can;t go wrong with a milwaulkee, but i have a skil that i bought at lowes for $69

 

[Leper]

Compressor

Try to get a dual stage compressor. A dual stage with a 20+ gallon capacity will run most anything. If you get a single stage get as big a tank as you can find. The most air-using tool is a cutoff wheel. Find a small tractor supply or AG store around you. I have found huge compressors at farm stores for what a tiny single stage compressors sell for...Even small ones at harbor freight.

 

[u2slow]

Since you said spray gun & cut-off wheel.... 60-gallon 5hp should get you into the ~15cfm range. You can go with less... like a 20-gallon 240V portable (3.5hp) that puts out ~10cfm put you'll only be able to cut or spray small jobs - you'll be using the air faster than you can make it.

I got a cheapy Black & Decker sawsall. $60. 2-year warranty. Its lasting me fine.

 

[k5freak44]

well i can live on my angle grinder so a cutoff wheel is out. and i have professional sprayguns at school so i guess i would only need the compressor for air wrenches, impact.

what brands are good and what are bad.

 

[big83chevy4x4]

for impacts, air rachets, and the like, i will only use ingersol rand after useing one. they are pricy though compared to the cheap ones, but well worth it.

 

[u2slow]

Go for cast-iron, oiled, & belt drive.

The three I looked at (Speedaire, Campbell Hausfeld, & Husky) all looked like the same compressor with different paint jobs... so I don't think the brand matters much

Compare price vs. cfm ratings. I found two very similar compressors (20 gal, 2cyl, portable) but one put out twice the air because it was 240V - for only $100 extra

 

[google]

I still think you could get away with using a pep boys special. They have a power pro twin tank compressor for $80 that would prolly do you just fine as long as your aren't on it constantly. For the light use you are talking about, I would say that would be fine, or check the quality of the DeWalt one. That may be a good deal.

 

[Wes Harden]

Boy you got that Ingersol for impacts is the way to go. The carbon fiber bodys are light too, I like my Snap air rachet over any other i used.
Habor frieght air tools are sometime ok I pop the few extra bucks for the profesional grade they carry. had 1 air rachet of that type for 4 years now(home use).
I go through an air rachet a year at work same impact now for 5 or so.
As for compressors my personal pref is belt driven 2 stage. the direct drives are to noisy and vibrate alot. Get the biggest tank most hp 2 stage you can afford.
If get it right you'll have that compressor for years. You'll also need a water trap and a second regulator for your paint pot.
I bought an 80 gallon 2 stage out of a city salvage, was 30 years old when i got it. paid $.25 a pound for it, was $80.00 total.
Bargins are out there
Wes

 

[gambit420s]

If you really want to run air tools get a 240V, 2 stage, oiled. Ingersol Rand or something equivalent(read U.S. made) and make sure it does what you want CFM wise, most manufacturers have a chart to show what each will run, if you are working in your garage, or apartment get one that you can move easily, w/wheels. if you have a shop or dont plan on moving ever again buy an upright that bolts down. Buy a good one, having moved way too many compressors in my life, you dont want to try and take one to get fixed

So far as a recip saw also buy a good one, and get what you want, look for multi-speed w/variable speed trigger, and the new ones that offer rotating heads and selectable blade stroke are very useful when it comes to cutting in awkward positions. Some now even allow you to make plunge cuts...

i sell power tools and other construction accessories in my area and have been asked many times, "I bought this at harbour f##cked and it broke. What should I do...." the only response is to point at the dumpster...

Please dont buy from pawn shops, what you are buying is most likely stolen and/or sold for crack, Either way someone(maybe you) paid good money for it only to be screwed because a pawn shop will buy it no questions asked. You can get new tools for very little more than you can buy them at pawn shops and there wont be blood on them.
Just think about the last tools you had stolen.

 

[k5freak44]

If you really want to run air tools get a 240V, 2 stage, oiled. Ingersol Rand or something equivalent(read U.S. made) and make sure it does what you want CFM wise, most manufacturers have a chart to show what each will run, if you are working in your garage, or apartment get one that you can move easily, w/wheels. if you have a shop or dont plan on moving ever again buy an upright that bolts down. Buy a good one, having moved way too many compressors in my life, you dont want to try and take one to get fixed

So far as a recip saw also buy a good one, and get what you want, look for multi-speed w/variable speed trigger, and the new ones that offer rotating heads and selectable blade stroke are very useful when it comes to cutting in awkward positions. Some now even allow you to make plunge cuts...

i sell power tools and other construction accessories in my area and have been asked many times, "I bought this at harbour f##cked and it broke. What should I do...." the only response is to point at the dumpster...

Please dont buy from pawn shops, what you are buying is most likely stolen and/or sold for crack, Either way someone(maybe you) paid good money for it only to be screwed because a pawn shop will buy it no questions asked. You can get new tools for very little more than you can buy them at pawn shops and there wont be blood on them.
Just think about the last tools you had stolen.

you bring up a good point about pawn shops and thats why i kinda lean away from them. id rather get my own blood all over my own tools then have someone elses.

but do keep in mind i am on a very limited budget, because money isint very easil come by at 17. maby ill ebay some stuff, i have always had good dealings on ebay and i saved about 200 bux on my welder.

 

[mudslinger99]

Air compressor = As stated get the biggest you can afford...... You need to pay close attention to the CFM the higher the number the better.. I just bought a Porter Cable 6 h.p./30 gallon I think it is like 6 CFM and it is not big enough... It will run a impact and rachet just fine but it wont keep up with any continuous duty like a die grinder or cut-off wheel.. I haven't tried a paint sprayer yet but im hoping it will work...

Tourque wrench = Hell im trying to figure that one out my self The ones I have been looking at are the ratchet type and go up to 100 ft lbs.. Im thinking this is a tool I dont want to skimp on because of accuracy and reliabilty... I mean when builing motors,rears or whatever else might call for proper torque I dont want to be off 10 or 15 ft lbs...I could use a ratchet or a breaker bar and guess .

Sawzall = I have a Dewalt and a Milwaulkee that have both seen quite a bit of abuse over the last 10 years and they still work without a flaw... The Dewalt not only has a varible speed trigger but a varible amperage dial...It goes from 1 to 6 amps which is nice when cutting certain things but not a neccesity... I think the Milwaulkee is a 9amp but both get the job done... I think Lowes or Home Depot has a Dewalt for $100 bucks.... The Milwaulkee is like $150 bucks.. If you get 1 of those they will last for quite a while...Im not sure about the cheaper ones because I never had any experience with them..

Hope this helps

 

[Wes Harden]

torque wrench

just a quick note the pinion nut on a 14 bolt ff torque spec for my 77 was 350 ftpds which I did with a 3/4" torque wrench and vise bolted to a 15 ton truck.
Wes

 

[gambit420s]

well keep on it. i started building my tools at 15 and through luck, work and theft recovery;i still dont have everything i need, hell i just my first torque wrench a few years ago, my advice is to get more friends, there is nothing you can buy, that you cant borrow, if you know the right ppl.
i work 60hrs a wk for "free"(fam) and more on the side for cash, it can be done, just know where to spend your money.

i got a snap-on t/w on cred and it took me 8mos to pay it off but like slinger said t/ws are not the place to skimp. proper torque will save you more than you can imagine(think steering parts). ask me how i know...

 

[google]

How do you know!!

 

[diesel4me]

big is better...

I vote for the biggest compressor you can get and run...I bought a nice Champion one thats also 30+ years old,but was like new,from a car dealership that changed hands and they tore out all the old lifts,compressors,etc..its a huge 2 cylinder,2 stage with an 80 gallon tank--all it did was power the inground lifts,and it has low hours on it--7-1/2 HP!!---only bummer is its 3 phase--so I cant use it at home!-I got mine for a bit more than the going rate for scrap iron! ..it weighs 900 lbs!

-I had it at a friends shop for awhile when his compresser crapped out,I let him use it a few weeks till his was fixed--(he had 3 phase service),-and its light years ahead of my 2 smaller ones,and MUCH quieter!--I have a portable Coleman "direct drive" one thats louder than a chainsaw at full thottle!---and my other one is an old "speedair" 2 cyl thing thats very slow to build up pressure,and is always running...the Champion one runs about 90 seconds from empty to full pressure,and puts out about 50 CFM,so I never found a sander or air impact it could not handle!..I really hate that I cant use it at home without a costly "phase converter" and I'd need to upgrade our wiring...its going up for sale I guess..

As for a sawsall,I'd either buy it new with a gaurantee,a good name like Milwaukee or Dewalt..or buy a like new one at a pawn shop or swap meet..at least you can get parts and repairs on name brand stuff--I have an old Miquita sawsall, my brother's "hand me down" that both he AND I have beaten mercilessly,and its still going!--paid 25 bucks for it many years ago at a flea market!..cant squawk about that!..

As for sockets and ratchets,I'd have said craftsman a few years ago--now I HATE their ratchets with a passion--they are CRAP!--the sockets are not much better--the quality has dissapeared from a lot of craftsmans tools lately--they make good "specialty" tools,like the stripped bolt removing sockets,but many of their other hand tools seem to be inferior compared to the ones they sold years ago..

.I'd even go as far as saying "Husky" tools from Home Depot are as good or better,for less money--and they have lifetime warranty too,just like Sears does..Sears gives me a hassle when I bring broken tools in for exchange,they always try to "rebuild" the ratchets,rather than swap them--and when they do exchange one,its often one they get from a drawer,rather than the ones on the sale display--many of them were "rebuilt" ones someone else brought back,you could tell--and they sucked from day 1!!..Home Depot just tells you to go grab another one off the shelf!--and I've broken only 1 of their "husky" ratchets,VS 5 or 6 Craftsman ones...

I dont buy much at Sears anynmore--I fix mowers and tractors,and theirs are the cheesiest built and most costly to fix,and hardest to get the right parts for...I wish people would not buy their crap as far as lawn and garden equpment..its a ripoff!