Air die grinder and others air powered tool!

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Im looking to buy a air die grinder to keep in my toolbox at my job, those that the shop supply always stop working if you push to hard and are really old!i was looking on internet about some air tool and was wondering what is the ''power range''i mean, on electrical tools i have to check for the ampers, but what about air tool ?My use for those tools will be deburing steel about 1/8 to 1/2 thick, clean some holes make with a cutting torch and other small use in a railling and small structure shop, i just don't want a tool that stop working every time i push to hard!also can you guys drope some names of good brands in air tools please!any comment about air tools to a new guy like me is welcome!Calculator > Bevel Square
Reply:An air die grinder will never outperform an electric version.With that said, i know the Snap-On ones are .45HP and the Bluepoint versions are .2 HP.I have 2 Snap-On and 1 Bluepoint.  All seem to work good.  Been abusing the Bluepoint on now for about 14 years and still runs good.When using air tools, you need to understand their limitations and use accordingly or use the right tool for the job( cordless or electric ).
Reply:I got a Snap On PT200A a few months back, .5 hp.  It's a monster.  I got mine off the truck but look on eBay or CL and you can find the older model at a better deal.Enough stuff to build and repair wrinkled up race cars or bring a classic back to life...
Reply:thanks Larry, yes i know the difference between electrical tools and air tool, i used 80% of the times electrical tools, but at this job i have a lot of air hoses behind my table, so i will use air tools to save time to plug some many size of grinder and change the disc ect...like i said its only to debur steel and do fancy stainless or aluminum! not to work on beams and bridge part haha!Calculator > Bevel Square
Reply:This applies to air tools more than most things...YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!Cheap air tools will have disappointing performance and short lifespans... worse than cheap power tools or hand tools.  If an air tool specs 100 psi max, keep it to 100 psi.  There's a lot of temptation to crank up the pressure to 120 or 150 or more to get some extra power out of it, but if your tool doesn't have the power at its rated pressure, you need a bigger one.
Reply:Originally Posted by LarryOAn air die grinder will never outperform an electric version.
Reply:The air turbine motors aren't as effective as the electric motors are.  For example, check out the HP on the 4 1/2" Snap On angle grinder.  It's 1 HP. For an air grinder that's pretty respectable, up there with IR and other name brands.  Now check out the 10 amp Dewalt is about 1.6 HP.  The trade off is in size and weight.Enough stuff to build and repair wrinkled up race cars or bring a classic back to life...
Reply:LayoutMan  -  If you are a committed metal worker, you have to go air.  Electric tool are heavy, large, and are usually static speed.  Air tool are light, small, variable speed, and powerful. denrep - recommended some good brands known mostly to serious metal industries, of which the general welder may never see.  The good news is: air-tools are great, the bad news is that great air tools are expensive.  Price point discussion is ubiquitous on this forum, quality of the tool not so much.  Die-grinders of every configuration can be bought at HF for $35.00, and elsewhere better quality grinders can be found for $80.00.  Using denrep's recommendation as a pointer, good die-grinders cost upwardsof $ 400.00.  The pay-back is that they are small, precision, light weight, have more power than should be used, and are a life-time tool.   Opus
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepInteresting. My take would be the exact opposite; even for tools like disk grinders.Of course it all hinges on adequate air supply.But to toss some  names out: "DOTCO" "IR" and "ARO" too.I have a "torquey" red barreled metal-eating hog that won't quit, but I'm not sure of its manufacturer. I'll try to study it tomorrow and post what I find.Good Luck
Reply:Get a couple of each of the chicago pneumatic die grinders (straight and 90degree) and keep a couple spares in your box for backup..  I have two bluepoints and a chicago pneumatic at work, the bluepoints are balanced much better, and dont fatigue you as bad, plus they have the nice insulated grip which helps comfort a bunch.. I use the chicago pneunatic as a loaner/beater...tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:suprisingly some of the harbor freight air tools can and do hold up very well for the cost, if you look close some of them resemble IR's.  My experience has been that IR makes some ofthe best, even most of the snap on guys carry those on their trucks as well.  Like others have said is that the air source has to be able to keep up with the demand of the tool or it will not perform at it's peak point and it pi$$ you off.  If that were to happen to an electric tool it will burn up the motor, not so with an air tool, but they need to be oiled and kept up and it will last a long time.Last edited by Ron Padilla; 06-21-2012 at 02:07 AM.
Reply:Thanks guys for those comments!One more thing, is that true if i want to ensure a long life and good working to those air tools, i need to drop some oil directly in the male air fitting of the tool ?Calculator > Bevel Square
Reply:Originally Posted by LayoutManThanks guys for those comments!One more thing, is that true if i want to ensure a long life and good working to those air tools, i need to drop some oil directly in the male air fitting of the tool ?
Reply:If you're gonna do any painting, be sure to have an air connection that's tapped BEFORE the oiler and has a good filter onit, and use a dedicated painting hose that's never seen oil.
Reply:I was going to say the same as ^ it is easier to just drop a few drops in the tool each day before and right after instead of the inline that way if need to use the line for paint equipment or powder coating etc. you should also install a decent moisture so that you keep all moisture out all tools.  Also if you will at some point use a plazma cuter you will need the moisture trap as the moisture eats consumables alive.
Reply:Use air tool oil and not motor oil.
Reply:Ingersoll front exhaust. Blows the chips away! Beats smacking your hat off the walls and trying to brush chips off your sweaty neck! I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Originally Posted by anickodeThis applies to air tools more than most things...YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!Cheap air tools will have disappointing performance and short lifespans... worse than cheap power tools or hand tools.  If an air tool specs 100 psi max, keep it to 100 psi.  There's a lot of temptation to crank up the pressure to 120 or 150 or more to get some extra power out of it, but if your tool doesn't have the power at its rated pressure, you need a bigger one.
Reply:Originally Posted by Stick-manBack in 1989 I bought an off brand, made in taiwan, angle head die grinder from a guy selling tools out of a white van with no name. It still runs great, and I was a mechanic for years until I started my trucking company which I did most of the mechanical work.I run ALL of my tools, except for plasma and Arcair, at 175 psi.Impact wrenches, YES, I would buy a good name brand, I prefer Snap-OnAnd I just purchased this Astro Pneumatic die grinder because I needed the carbide burrs. Well then, I purchased the burrs and got a free die grinder.  Anyway, this air tool kicks butt. I would definately not be afraid of AP. This whole set costed me around $55.00. But then again, I'm a part time () tool dealer, so I got it at cost. You can find good, no name, air tools, that will run a long time.
Reply:Say LayoutMan, that brown Nose you got is hilarious. I know you do it on purpose. Dont you?
Reply:WelderMike, thanks for the tip on the Ingersol (blows chips away). Good to know
Reply:Originally Posted by weldermikeOnce again you stole something
Reply:I'm happy with both my two harbor freight die grinders.  One is a straight, and the other a right angle.  Both are their "basic" products (just generally plain aluminum construction, and cheapest.)  I've found them to be serviceable, and well enough built.By the way, depending on what you are doing with them, they don't necessarily need to be used "flat out" (with the air valve fully opened.)  Since I learned to feather the air valves on mine, I now rarely use to "flat out".  It seems easier on the tool, I get better results with what I'm doing, and and my air compressor can keep up.I also manually just dribble 2 or so drops of oil into a motorized air tool's air inlet before using it each day.  Before I learned that I needed to do that, I had one get kind of seized up, but I was able to disassemble it, clean it, and lubricate it, and it's been going strong for years ever since.Last edited by jakeru; 06-21-2012 at 11:39 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by InsanerideSay LayoutMan, that brown Nose you got is hilarious. I know you do it on purpose. Dont you?
Reply:Originally Posted by LayoutManHaha! This picture is ONLY a ''tribute'' to some peoples i worked with since im a steel shop worker in the past 3 years!. . .Dotco has outpertormed and outlasted any other pnuematic die grinder I have ever used. The price on them is insane, but I have had the same 3 for 10 years, and they were used when I got them.Just my .02 cents