Compressors and Air Tools

If you are building your own home or doing some remodeling you will probably be doing some painting, sanding, hammering, drilling and nailing. 

Having a compressor and some air tools are really nice for this. Also called pneumatic tools, they give you more torque and power than regular power tools and being a girl, that is a very good thing.  

We put a ton of trim up in this house not to mention the pine ceiling and while we used a lot of air tools this little brad nailer was my personal favorite.  

 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46309

We bought two of them and pretty much right away dropped one from the scaffolding and broke the trigger safety but the other one is still going strong after a few years of work.

There are all sizes of nail guns, we used a huge heavy one for doing the framing and putting up the siding.  I like this brad nailer because it is light and easy to load. Believe me, after a few hours of putting up trim you appreciate a light tool. 

There are sanders, grinders, wrenches, paint guns……………..you name it.  Just about every tool comes in a version for the compressor and that makes your work so much easier.

There are two basic types of compressors and a wide price range. Before choosing one, research the unit's horsepower and tank capacity. Units with more powerful motors and larger tanks can generate higher levels of PSI for longer amounts of time, providing more power to the tools.  Check out the tools you will most likely want to use and what PSI they need to function properly.

 Piston-type compressors:  The tank stores the compressed air until it's ready for use.  When the air pressure drops below a certain point, the compressor turns back on and increases the pressure.  We have one of these and it lives in the garage under the workbench.  It has wheels and could be moved but not easily.  We just use long hoses to get the air where we need it.  The best thing about this one is that unless you are in the garage, you can't hear it running.

Compact type compressors:  These do not have a take to store the air, it continues to run while it is providing air to your tools.  While these models are small and light and easy to move around they can be weak and the noise is something to consider too.  These are really probably best for painting, caulking or small brad nailing.  We have one of these too and can be handy to take from room to room with you.

So, check them out, rent one if you want to see if it is a tool you need to have in your collection.  I highly recommend it.