Hi guys,
As a reward for changing my timing belt I went out and bought myself a compressor and a few air tools (wrench and ratchet for my car and a nailer to help me with my current deck project)

The tank I settled on is a pretty simple 30gal husky pro oiled 120v unit from my local big-name hardware store. I figure it will suit my needs for a while until I outgrow it (if that day ever comes).

But I'd like to know what my fellow weekend warriors do w/ their setup?

I am not sure I would really do me any good to run an airline system in my carport - but do you guys generally put in one of those Filter Regulator Lubricator assemblies?

The gauge and regulator on the unit itself seems to do fine adn I don't really mind dropping a few drops of oil in the tools before i use them.

Am I missing something?

thanks!

 

Most air compressors these days are non-lubricated. The piston and cylinder have a coating to reduce friction and that's it. No need for air compressor lubrication.

I hand-lube my air impact before I use it. I don't use it that much and this has worked fine for me. Same for die-grinder I also occasionally use to grind/cut. I use motor oil.

good luck

 

I also "hand-lube" mine, I do use air tool oil though. I would also be sure to have the proper size air line. Check the rating of the tools to be sure but I'm guessing the rec hose is 3/8 or larger.

 

I do some painting with mine and a evap unit that doesn't cost a lot is a good buy. The air tools are very cheap and I have great luck buying at a Homier sale or other outlet store, but my favorite place to pick up air tools is at a pawn shop. You tell them what you are willing to pay for the item knowing what the cost new might be, etc.

I don't like the sound of the compressors so mine is going out to the new shed I am building and piping the air in to my workshop. My compressor is used an awful lot. One other purchase that I intend to make soon is a portable tank. I have two compressors and they are portable but heavy so being able to fill a tank is a great way to go.

 

as always thanks for the advice guys :-)

 

having two 25' air hoses is enough for me. i use air tool oil in each tool before use as well. i also "drain" my tank after each use since i use it infrequently. you want to let the water out on a regular basis, especially with the cheaper big box units that can rust inside.

 

One of the tools I had to buy was a medium duty impact gun from sear.com and picked-up from store. It was rated at about 400lbs of torque and was reasonably priced, about $80(the $130 w/580+torque would've been better but was over budget). It was a must have to install new wheel studs (non-honda) that the local alignment shop overtorqued and stripped(no guarantee of removing lugs) not the approved method of installing but it happens all the time. your psi and cfm rating should match your impact for maximum torque.
I have a heavy duty 60' extension cord that I use to plug into the washing machine outlet (it draws alot of amps so it needs a dedicated plug, switching to 220v would mean I would have to leave it out back near the dryer) or when the way was clear I used to roll it back and use more air hose. I only use it if I absolutely have to, the glass water seperator hardly gets used with my light. Overall it has come in handy for those special jobs.

 

how do you guys store your compressors- with the drain valve open or closed?