Air Tools

[Big-Dog]

I am looking to buy some air tools (impact, ratchet, die grinder). I won't use them a whole lot and don't want to spend a fortune on the good ones. Anyone had any experience with any particular brands? (good or bad)? Any input will be appreciated. Can't wait for spring. This Iowa winter is really starting to suck.

Thanks,
Mike

[help-u2]

i have good ones here at home.....that being said when i was a boat mech i had several sets of tools.
cheap ones i did not mind droping in the lake, and my snap ons-craftsman for shop use.

i bought some harbor freight cheapie  air tools  cause our compressor was always spitting water. 
i oiled the air tools often.  they lasted for years and now i am retired most still work...
if you dont use professionally (or do in a hostile enviroment) go cheap....
if you have to buy two of them over a few years your still money ahead....
oil is the key...

p.s. its not like a electric tool made in china that will fry in minuents... your compressor is the power source....i have seen harbor freight air tool kits really cheap.  have7-8 tools in them.
only crevat is if you need a 1/2 inch impact...buy a good one...

[seattledyna]

pawn shops!!  I hear they are filling up with tools guys are letting go so they can pay the rent.

[HIPPO]

Ingersoll Rand

They have the US made line and the imports.

For the big impact you want the US made one, little ratchets and especially die grinder stuff even the cheap import are good enough if you are on a budget.

[the Grump]

Lowes has got a pack of air tools for a good price. When my Old impact broke, I bought a cheapy from Harbor Freight. It was fine but didn't have much power. I bought one from Lowes and I've been happy with it. The latest impacts out there are getting really strong now. As HIPPO said Ingersol Rand they make great tools and a really powerful 1/2" impact. The other thing is the cheaper the tool is it usually takes more air. I do a lot with a 1 HP Devilbiss compressor. Die grinders and DA sanders take a lot of air. If you have a big compressor you might not care, just food for thought.

[96dynabagger]

I have used cheapies and name brands, it seems the cheap ones are not as efficient
as the name brands.  They use more air and get less power out of it.  But if you can
live with that and you're not going to use them every day, they may work fine for you
as they do for me.  Just oil them often.  Cheap impact guns may disappoint...

I constantly monitor eBay, Craigslist and pawnshops for the rare bargain on top of the line stuff,
and upgrade when I can find a REAL steal (although hopefully not stolen).  When buying from
individuals, protect yourself from buying stolen stuff by getting ID from your seller and hang onto
the info.  Reputable sellers shouldn't balk at supplying minimal info. 

[hdjax2]

I have about 20 different air tools starting with what I consider to be the best (Ingersol - Rand) to the worst (Harbor freight) For a while I was going through bearings and stuff in all of them cause I was getting a lot of water out of my compressor. And I always oil my tools, it didnt make much difference how long any of them lasted until I bought a good water trap for the air line ( I bought a Sharpe) for spraying paint. So no matter what you spend on air tools a good water trap is essential for air tool life. JMO

[Upswept]

Chinese air tools (Harbor Freight) are noisy, underpowered, and use twice the amount of air needed as compared to an Ingersol-Rand or Blue Point.  You get what you pay for in tools.

[tomp]

Ingersoll Rand...PERIOD

[Sonny S.]

pawn shops!!  I hear they are filling up with tools guys are letting go so they can pay the rent.

sad but true

[hdpegscraper]

Yep, your air tools are only as good as your compressor. It also depends on what you want to do with them. For instance I have a spendy carbon fiber IR, cause the trucks I used to work on, had lug nuts torqued to 450ft lbs. Now thats kinda over kill for most. But on the other hand my 1/4 in air ratchet, and right and die grinder, are just cheepos from wallmart, why, cause I can buy 8 of those, to one Snap On. Now the nice thing about the name brands is replacement parts, I have replaced hammer pins in my 3/8 Snap On impact many times as it gets the most use.   

[hdjax2]

I know what you mean about those hammer pins on the Snappy 3/8ths gun Pegscraper. I think I bought a half dozen of them last time around. Tearing down transmissions all day long you can break a few.

[DGlide04]

I do believe you get what you pay for in almost anything.  You also have to factor in the cost vs. use and for some (most?) people the limited use we'll put an air tool through doesn't warrant the cost of a professional grade tool.  Personally, I have the Husky tools that came with my air compressor, inexpensive Chinese imports just like Harbor Freight, but they've done okay by me over the last few years and don't get used everyday, or every week for that matter.  If they last as long as the compressor, which I would also suspect is "imported" from somewhere thousands of miles away, then I figure for what I paid and the use I got out of them it's pretty much a wash.  In fact, I would guess that the air tools would outlast the compressor, only time will tell.

[Clintster]

For my home garage I use Sears, moderately priced and have given me good service.  Some of the stuff, 1/4 ratchet and some other pieces came free with the compressor.  They run that sale often.

[HDRDR]

What ever way you might go cheap? or what ever you can afford, go with a good set of impact sockets ( not your sets of the sockets you have in your tool box ) there harder than impact sockets and will break / crack, at anytime? and then your out to get a new socket for the one that broke.....Don't take me wrong, some guys just use Craftsman sockets and return them for new when breaking one using them with a impact. I myself just use the correct tools for the job, each to there own.

Al

[hdpegscraper]

Thats right, when you bust a chrome "warranted for life" socket you can just return it. BUT, it is just as hard on the anvil of the impact gun and it will fail sooner.  

[HDRDR]

Good point

[Big-Dog]

Thanks everyone for your input.

Mike