Contributor
Depends on how old you are I suppose. I have totally changed cordlesses five times now. They become outdated, wear out etc. so I buy a new batch. I am currently on M18, but I know in a few years it will be something else. Before that it was Makita, before that Hilti, before that makita, before that Hitachi. But the good quality air wrenches I bought when I was young, which I no longer qualify as, are still with me and serving me well.Originally Posted by johnny means
Contributor
Ole
I bet you'd find that gun works a lot better with sufficient air flow and pressure. 80-100 is fairly low.
That gun probably requires more than 5cfm just to get it working, and a 1HP compressor @ 5cfm will not keep up with it for very long, and then you're relying on the compressor recovery and 5CFM won't do it. During cycles, I bet you're probably dropping down into the 40-50 psi range. The moisture content at the gun is probably fairly high with that setup.
I feel the same way about replacing tools that are working. I have a a few like that. I went through 3 smaller, portable, compressor, before I finally got my 5HP, Rolair, 60 gallon compressor. The difference was night and day. I do still have the long 1/2" breaker bar if necessary. Two of those old compressors have been repurposed into downstream air receivers now.
Get a new air compressor my friend. You'll be kicking yourself for not doing it a long time ago.
Last edited by Mike Cutler; 06-10-2018 at 7:57 AM.
"The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)
Guest
Bingo. I'm in a similar boat.
If you don't use it every day, just get a pneumatic. A decent one will outlast you
Contributor
I see pneumatics on craigslist all the time. I bought a like new IR 3/4" for $75 off cl, and it really is like new.
Larry makes a very good point. My smaller air impact guns are over 30 years old, and I've never done anything with them but pull the trigger, or hit the direction button, any time I've needed to use them over those years.
To do much with an air impact wrench, you need a real compressor. My 5hp two-stage will run a 1/2" gun good enough to do whatever you want with it, but that compressor will only run the 3/4" gun long enough to break a few things loose with. The 10 hp will run the 3/4" gun like the 5 hp does the 1/2".
Even a 3/8" gun is limited in what you can do with it using a small, single stage compressor. It takes a two-stage compressor, that pumps the tank up to 175 psi, to provide enough 100+ psi of any volume to run an impact gun with. The 10 hp provides 38+ cfm at 175.
Last edited by Tom M King; 06-10-2018 at 11:42 AM.
Contributor
I have all three. An electric corded DeWalt 1/2", a Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2", and an Aircat pneumatic. Hands down the Aircat has the most power, probably twice what the Milwaukee has. The Dewalt is probably the least strongest of the 3. But the Milwaukee is the go to impact. No cords or airlines to deal with just makes it the most convenient. That being said the bulk of the battery does impact where it can reach. The Aircat is smaller. I've offset that by having different capacity batteries. The 1.5Ah are nice and small while the 5.0Ah have enough power for extended periods of time. I haven't had a need for their really big batteries like the 12.0Ah.
Contributor
I feel the opposite. If you use an impact wrench daily the power and reliability of a pneumatic is probably a necessity. Also, it would make more sense to have the necessary investment in your compressor and airlines. If your only doing a break job a couple of times a year, why would longevity be an issue?
Guest
Still prefer my 3/8" Makita cordless over my Mac pneumatic stuff. I even had a 15hp 120 gallon compressor.
Contributor
I dont prefer one of the other just the one that can do the job. Its never going to be one tool that does it all. If I looked there would probably over 10 of them likely 15 as stuff accumulates over the years. As all of these things it depends what you are doing. The battery impact failed on a simple thing the other day it didnt have the balls. The Pneumatic blew it away. It not a case of what I like its a case of what can do the job M10 Torx and an M8 Torx after heat and quench several times and the Makita couldnt do it just too weak. its not a big deal. Its lighter and I didnt have to break out the air line and turn the compressor on so I went for that, then for the one that was able to do the job.
Guest
Like I said before, big difference between an impact driver an impact wrench. I have both, 18v Makita and the actual wrench blows away the driver.
Contributor
ah didnt catch that apologies there.
Whats the model number on it like to look it up see the specs. Im at a cross roads with Makita. One Battery went and dont see a reason for it, milwaukee stuff going strong and thinking of moving over as i get more and more of their stuff and having just one brand.
Last edited by Warren Lake; 06-11-2018 at 11:10 AM.
Member
I've yet to find anything that my Milwaukee 1/2" impact wrench cannot handle.
Contributor
My current daily user and favorite is the Bosch GDX18V-1600N, it accepts 1/2" sockets or 1/4" hex tooling without any adaptors.
https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/bos...600n-198602-p/
Guest
It's one of their new black compact ones. Think it was 150 without batteries. Only cordless tools I own are drills.
Member
Great design, thanks John. Does Bosch say where it's made?
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
- Henry Ford
Guest
I'm thinking the cost doesn't justify itself if you don't use it. I've got a 3/8 Makita with ni-cad batteries, I'm pretty sure the batteries are toast. My pneumatic rarely gets used, but it'll still be in good condition when I'm in the freezer.
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