Air Tools

[TheRealSpinner]

So, I've got this Eaton compressor coming, and need to buy some tools. I love Snap-On, but don't like the price at all (especially because it is for hobby use). I did spend a lot on the compressor and would like quality air tools to go along with it, but people keep telling me to buy disposable (Harbour Freight) tools. I was thinking mabye buy disposable first, then when stuff breaks buy the real deal, what do you'all think?

What I was thinking I need is a spray gun, an air saw, a die grinder (straight and 90 deg., maybe a 45 deg. also), air ratchet, and impact wrench, maybe a nibbler (for sheet metal).

Thanks for the imput.

[Cronatron Rep]

If you buy Harbor Freight junk,

you will have exactly that. The best advice I have ever gotten was to Buy the best that you can afford.

In air tools you want to stay with Ingersol Rand or Chicago Pneumatic, Bosch is coming on strong and will be a force soon in the Air tool market. Also be sure to watch the CFM's of the tools and not the RPM's.

Check out www.rutlandtool.com, they have a warehouse in California and yes, they are owned by my company !

[precisionworks]

buy disposable (Harbour Freight) tools.

Perhaps, if you have the patience of Jobe, you'll be OK with that type of tool.

Another option is to find IR, CP, etc., on eBay for a fraction of new. All the big name air tools are rebuildable for very little money - IR & CP have good web sites & excellent tech support as well.

Example? $50 bought a Henry 3HP vertical grinder & $50 more purchased every wear part - seals, gaskets, o-rings, bearings, vanes, etc. (many companies call this a Tune Up Kit). Not bad, considering a brand new tool is $500

It isn't hard to buy used American tools for about the cost of new ChiWan. And you cannot get parts for the ChiWan tool. And the internal tolerances are sloppy loose. And the bearings often contain nonround balls or missing balls (who cares?). And, and, and............

[Glenn B]

Good Tools

I have learned
CHEAP TOOLS ARE NEVER MUCH GOOD
GOOD TOOLS HAVE NEVER BEEN MUCH CHEAP
You get what ya pay for....

[fun4now]

you could get away with the HF on die grinders for a bit wile you save up for better but thats about the only ones i would bother to get there, and thats a coin toss my 90% works great about 1 1/2 years and doing great , my strait or 180% lasted about 1 week so for about $14 i ended up with one good die grinder... .. not to bad a deal. e-bay is always a good ideal especially if you have time to lose a few to snipe bidders and have access to it, pay pal seems to be almost a needed thing now a days but you can still get by with money orders in a lot of cases. e-bay is the only place i know of where the rule you get what you pay for is not always the case, with time to spend you can get some good deals. i like to look in odd places for stuff where it wont get too many bids
buying a good tool once is always preferable to buying a pore tool every other week but some times you just have to get one to get you by. buying the best tool you can afford is always good advice, even as a hobbyist you will get your $$$ worth out of it when your son starts teaching his son with your old tool. you know what i mean.

[imported_harmony]

you will have exactly that. The best advice I have ever gotten was to Buy the best that you can afford.

In air tools you want to stay with Ingersol Rand or Chicago Pneumatic, Bosch is coming on strong and will be a force soon in the Air tool market. Also be sure to watch the CFM's of the tools and not the RPM's.

Check out www.rutlandtool.com, they have a warehouse in California and yes, they are owned by my company !

Great site, we will be doing business together shortly.

[Sberry]

http://www.millermotorsports.com/mbo...ight=air+tools

[stseely]

A air tool that I use quite a bit is my cut off tool. Its from MAC and I have never seen one made by anyone else, its reversable so you can direct the sparks away from you or whatever your working on. http://cgi.ebay.com/MAC-TOOLS-REVERS...ayphotohosting

[hankj]

I have a couple of Jet air tools, along with IR and CP. The three seem equal.

Hank

[Richs]

I've got quite a collection...

Of name brand air tools and most are made overseas. Mostly Japan. These include tools from IR, Snappy, Mac, CP, Florida Pneu., Dayton (Grainger), etc... I have had, and I stress the word "HAD" some off brands also made in Japan, Phillipenes, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, etc... Of those the Japanese are the best quality. I still have two flange/punch tools that are made in China that do the job. All the rest of my pneumo tools are name brand.
I didn't buy them all overnight so the hurt to my pocket wasn't bad. I'd recommend you buy your tools online. Preferably Ebay. Don't get suckered into buying tools 'off the truck', the prices will kill 'ya. Even if they take payments!
I'd stick to the name brands if I were you, Service and parts availability goes a long way.

[Cronatron Rep]

Lawson/Cronatron owns the company

Great site, we will be doing business together shortly.

You can buy them online or you can buy them thru a agent for the same price.

[Cronatron Rep]

hankj

I have a couple of Jet air tools, along with IR and CP. The three seem equal.

Hank

We also have the Jet tools and I thought about adding them when I made the first post because what I've been told is that they are good tools, but my customers who are in heavy repair always want IR or CP.

[jwill211]

A air tool that I use quite a bit is my cut off tool. Its from MAC and I have never seen one made by anyone else, its reversable so you can direct the sparks away from you or whatever your working on. http://cgi.ebay.com/MAC-TOOLS-REVERS...ayphotohosting

I have to look into that, sounds like the cat's behind, nothing worse than going home itchy and full of enough burrs and pieces to set the metal detector at the airport

[stseely]

I do a fiar amount of body work. As far as sanders go Hutchins is about the best. Dynabrade makes good airtools also.

[Laiky]

the nice thing about buying quality air tools is that with care they can last almost a lifetime, a career at least!! my buddy has an ir231 gun that he uses in his repair shop daily, its 20-25 years old!! one not really necessary rebuild is all it gets, he also has a good dryer setup and pitched air lines.