Brad nailer/stapler AIR or ELECTRIC????

[Guy]

Tool Masters,

Please explain and advise on whether I should use an electric brad/stapler or get a whole air compressor get up.

If I get a air compressor rig, are any of those combination kits with lots of attachments sold at Costco's (or similar stores) any good?

[Stephen G.]

I use both and the electric ones I have used are not as powerful as air powered. If you get a compressor and a gun it will cost right much. You will need a compressor that will have the ability to give you 120 psi and with enough capacity so you want have to wait to much for the compressor to catch up. Check at Lowes and Tracter supply they sell compressors and staple and nailers.

You could consider renting

[doug hodder]

Guy...I don't know how much help I'll be for you....but there are too many tools that operate on air better than electricity in my opinion....Air gives you the opportunity to spray finishes, and I don't think you'll ever get a good finish, auto quality, out of an electric gun....I have a Bostich brad nailer....paid for itself on the first job I used it on....I also think that you'll find a wide selection of tools/accessories that are going to be cheaper in the long run operating on air rather than buying the motor and tool on an electrical one, lots less parts....like a DA sander, (dual action, random orbit or spin), chisel, air file, mini cut off, drill, or just blowing off the project....most body work is done with air tools....I've sanded vehicles using an random orbit sander with electricity and burned it up...if you get a good quality DA...not district attorney ....it'll last forever...make sure you get an air dryer and a regulator......just my opinion and experience....Doug... good luck on your build....

[madjack]

...I'm with Doug on this one, not only are there tons more tools available for the air, the electrics that I have used in the past didn't have much longevity/powe to them and I usually started cursing them soon after purchase/use started...not long ago Sears and maybe Home Depot or Lowes had sale on a compressor and multiple nailer combo, seems like you got 2 or 3 nailer/staplers and a pancake type compressor for around 200 bucks. If you are planning to use it more than on one build go air, you will be alot happier/satisfied
madjack

[Guy]

Thank you Doug, glad you are around, you always explain WHY you prefer something and not just list that which you prefer.

What should I look to spend, which are best value brands. I have Tractor Supply, Lowes, Home Depot, Costco, and WalMart to choose from besides online. And I have to go to Boston next week to go into the hospital for a few days so I will have all the big city choices too.

I see this Campbell Hausfield brand in a few of these stores but do not know the quality. BTW will this level of quality give the spray quality you and Steve were talking about a few months ago. Something about some new type of environmentally friendly spraying method?

[doug hodder]

thanks Madjack....I feel validated, as I respect your opinion....Guy...be careful before you commit to a compressor...check out what tool you are going to use and make sure that you get enough compressor to drive it...a lot of the body tools, DA, Air file...are air hogs and unless you get enough air storage capacity and enough horse to drive it...it too will burn up...If you think you are going to want to spray in the future, buy the correct compressor now...
Guy....I've got a Campbell Hausfield, bought it used and I've owned it for at least 10 years...it's getting tired, you know when it is getting tired when it can't keep up with the tool you're running.. but I can always order a new compresser from Northern ....I only gave 200$ for it when I bought it and got about 75 feet of hose and a regulator....I don't know what they cost now....I would think that unless you are a commercial shop and running it 8 hours a day, it would be fine for you...mine is 5 hp 220V 50 gal. tank. It all just depends on how much you want to use one, what tools you plan of getting and how far you want to go with with your learing experience.... PS as far as spraying...air is air...just make sure you dry it with a dryer and regulate it.... doug

[Marck]

I see this Campbell Hausfield brand in a few of these stores but do not know the quality.

I have a CH 4 gallon pancake compressor I bought at Wal-Mart. It works quite well for my uses, which is for my 18 ga brad nailer, an 18 GA stapler, and for blowing saw dust out of the way. I wouldn't want to use it to spary (paint) and I KNOW it won't hold enough air to run a flatboard sander, or even an air chisel for long enough. If all you want is to use it for nailing, etc... it works well. If I remember correctly I paid $85 for it on sale (also with a 10% off employee discount at the time).

If you want to use other, heavier use tools, I would look at something with at least an 11 gal air storage capacity.

[madjack]

,,,Guy, get as much compressor as you can afford, a 110v 3.5 to 5 hp oilless compressor with an 11 to 20 gal tank will run around 250/300 buck, I would reccomend a vertical tank as well for it's space saving features. Probably half or better of the brands you see at the chain retailers are made by Campbell Hausfeild(sp?) to begin with. The level of quality you get spraying is determined as much by practice as anything, at present we are using a $15 gun from HF and getting fine results from it, also use a cheapie HVLP gun from HF with good results. Remember that most finishes will require thinning to achieve the desired results and several thin coats will work MUCH better than a few heavy ones.
madjack

[Guy]

Are the air compressors gas or electric?

And are the air tools lighter weight than electric power tools. Remember I will probably have to have them taped to my arm in order to use them ?

What does an intermediate set of attachments look like. What tools are added to make it a premium rig?

Guys, please do me a favor and use the full names of these items. Unfortunately, in anticipation of having to be in the hospital next week I have had to start titrating some of my medications and this is making me a littled denser than usual.

[doug hodder]

Your air compressor is most likely going to be electric...unless you chose to get a fuel powered one...not necessary for your use...your choice 220V or 120V...and yes the tools are going to be lighter as you don't have an electric motor attached...but you do have to wrestle a hose around with you., but you would have an electrical cord anyway, just not as flexible..and from my experience, another thing to get tangled with the electrical cords, and torch lines etc...not a big deal... just shop issues....I just drape the hose over my shoulder when working with any tools....worth it....YOU BET

for reference:
Air nailer...two hand use. one holds the material, one shoots the nail
DA sander...dual action either does a random action sand or a grind mode...typically 1 handed...with a good grip..sticky grip paper
Air File...doubt you will need it...but a 2 handed operation, mostly for body work on flat surfaces. 2x12 surface typically, I could be wrong, didn't go out and check on the exact size of the paper, I don't use it really often..
Air Drill....one handed operation, easy same as regular drill
Cut off tool...one hand to operate the control. one to help guide
Air chisel...don't think you'll need it...1 hand is all, unless you really want to bear down on it, then 2
Spray gun....1 handed for the gun...1 to move the hose around while you spray so that it doesn't touch what you just sprayed

for extended periods of use...I drape the hose over my shoulder so that I don't have to worry so much about it hanging up on things or touching paint....

I hope this was of some help to you Guy....I don't know exactly what you were asking for, but this was my effort...there is no call on what is intermediate VS advanced on this stuff....it's just what you want to do.....doug

[asianflava]

While you are setting up your shop, you should run some hard lines with "outlets" in them. Just connect your compressor to the hard lines via a 3-4 ft hose so you can move the compressor later if you have to.

Instead of messing with a 50 ft hose that goes all the way back to the compressor, you just have a much shorter hose. A place I worked at used gray PVC for their hardlines. We also had a couple drops installed with a draincock so you can drain the moisture from the lines.

[Guy]

Perfect Doug,

What I meant by the difference between an intemediate rig and an advanced rid is: What tool attachments are in the intermediate rig and what extras are attachments added to make it an advanced rig.?

The rest of your very complete discussion allows me to envision maneuvering around in a space and around an object is extrememly helpful.

An exmaple of how bad my brain is retaining right now is I am confused about an air chisel. Is an air chisel only good for big rough jobs like knocking a bolt off or is it to be used delicately to chisel a detail into wood?

[Nitetimes]

You wouldn't want to use an air chisel for wood, it is something similar to using a 2lb hammer on a cold chisel, not really for fine work.
As far as advanced and interm. There is really no diferenciating between that except for the cost of the tool. Generally the more that you are going to use a certain tool the more you will want to spend on it, particularly if you make your living with it.
For most home shops any make of airtool will suffice. I have an assortment of brands and price ranges and I can't really say that one brand held up any better than any other brand, with the exception of my Ingersol impact gun, it gets used so much that a good one is a must. I had worn out three others before I got it.
The best thing to do is like most everyone said. buy what you can afford, chances are it will work for you.
My only preference for compressors is that I prefer 220v belt driven. I really can't say a lot about the oilless ones, they really don't impress me as they don't seem to keep up as well and they don't seem to last as long.. Besides when the motor and head are seperate units it is much easier to replace one or the other if it goes bad.
Just a few opinions from the peanut gallery.

[doug hodder]

Guy...Nitetimes is right...you wouldn't use an air chisel on wood, unless it was for strictly demolition work, to cut fasteners....I only use it for cutting spot welds, knocking off the crappy ceramic tile that some bozo installed all over the kitchen on top of plywood using some incredible bullet proof mastic, and knocking off rusted bolts...Chances are you would have no use for it on your tear...maybe on your existing frame to get rid of old bolts etc...It's just one of the variety of air tools available...You can also get air shears which will help cut your aluminum material....you're going to have to practice on some scrap material though, so you get the feel of it....doug

[Guy]

Costco had two compressors today. A CH 110v 2 gal standup with a maximum 135 psi. $89 And an AllTrade 110v 2 tank( 5 gallon total) with maximum 120psi.$99.

BTW all the posts have been very helpful so please keep on giving.

At Home Depot Saw $329 Porter Cable with 3 nailer staplers...and same price Husky with the drilling and hammer attachments