If you like to handle as many projects around your home as you can, then you should definitely consider purchasing an air compressor. As far as versatility goes, the humble compressor is maybe the most versatile tool you will ever buy.
The World of Pneumatic Tools
At its most basic level, an air compressor serves as a source for compressed air, which can then be employed with a nozzle to rid your work bench of sawdust or with a different nozzle to inflate car and bike tires. If this is all you use your compressor for, then your purchase might be considered frivolous. Consider, however, that you can buy pneumatic tools which use compressed air as a power source. To name just a few of the tools available, you have nail guns, paint sprayers, sanders, grinders, wrenches, chisels, saws, and drills. Basically, you can find nearly any tool that runs on electricity in a pneumatic version.
Why Buy Pneumatic Tools?
You might ask, "If you can buy electric tools, why should you buy pneumatic?" Well, there are at least a couple of answers:
1) Pneumatic tools tend to be more powerful than their electric counterparts. For example, mechanics use an air-powered impact wrench to remove the lug nuts on tires. The reason for this is that the burst of power from an air compressor will make short work of loosening or tightening a stubborn lug nut. Similarly, the burst of air from a nail gun is more than enough to drive a 16-penny nail into a stick of lumber with no more effort on your part than pulling a trigger.
2) Durability. Pneumatic tools are typically made out of metal and designed to handle the pressure of the air they use as a power source. Because they are made from more solid materials, they can take more abuse than their electric counterparts.
Drawbacks of Pneumatic Tools
The main drawback of pneumatic tools is that they have to be connected to an air tank via a hose. Thus, electric tools powered by a small rechargeable battery are obviously more portable than a pneumatic tool on a hose. With this in mind, you should not feel like you have to replace all of your electric tools with pneumatic tools, but you should consider rounding out your tool box with some pneumatic tools.
In order to take care of general upkeep around your home and garage as well as the occasional home improvement project, you need to have tools readily at hand. While you can accomplish many tasks with portable electric tools, having an air compressor for a nail gun, an impact wrench, and a paint sprayer still makes good sense and will cut down on the time it takes to complete your projects. Visit http://www.compressor-pump.com for more information.
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