Encyclopedia

of Home Improvements

*Air Compressors*

Whether you're working on your house or in your shop, this guide offers valuable tips and pointers on light to heavy-duty compressors, along with answers to all the questions you may have about buying and using an air compressor.

Air Compressor + Air Tools Advantages:

" Air tools are more powerful than traditional electric tools

" Air tools deliver higher torque and higher RPM to help get the job    done quickly

" Air tools are versatile and easily interchangeable

" Air tools are a safe alternative to other sources

Air Compressor Uses

Home Use
Compressed-air power tools can dramatically decrease the amount of time spent on a project.Many homeowners will use smaller, portable units (either hand-carried or wheeled) that move easily from the garage to the house, yard or roof. Common air tools, such as brad nailers, reversible drills, and impactwrenches, require about 0-5 CFM(Cubic feet per minute-units in which air flow is measured). It's important to know if the compressor you purchase will drive the air tool you'll need for your project. For example, smaller air nailers, run on 2-5 CFM at 70 to 90 PSI, while larger shears, sanders, and polishers require up to 10 or more CFM and 100 to 120 PSI.

Business Use
Air compressors used for business/professionalapplications are often classified "industrial grade." They're packed with features that let you take on more demanding jobs with more horsepower, more CFM, more PSI and more (longer) run times. Though some industrial-grade compressors are portable, many are stationary units with large-capacity, ASME certified air tanks (up to 120 gallons), greater HP, more CFM air volume and faster recovery time to run a wide variety of air tools for as long as you need them to do the job.

How do I determine my CFM Requirements?

The chart below includes some common air tools and their average CFM measurements. Reference this chart to determine what continuous CFM rating is required of your air compressor. Air tools are often rated as "Average CFM." "Average CFM" is typically based on a 25% duty cycle (15 seconds out of a min.). This sometimes creates a problem with tools that are used on a continuous basis (ex. Orbital sanders, die grinders, etc.) Nailers and impact wrenches typically don't have the same problem since by their nature are used more intermittently. If you plan on using an air tool on a continuous basis, it is a good idea to multiply the "Average CFM" x 4 to get a continuous CFM rating for the tool.


Angle Disc Grinder -7" 5-8

Brad Nailer 0.3

Chisel/Hammer 3-11

Cut-Off Tool 4-10

Drill, Reversible or Straight-Line 3-6

Dual Sander 11-13

Framing Nailer 2.2

Grease Gun 4

Hydraulic Riveter 4

Impact Wrench-3/8" 2.5-3.5

Impact Wrench-1/2" 4-5

Impact Wrench-1" 10

Mini Die Grinder 4-6

Needle Scaler 8-16

Nibbler 4

Orbital Sander 6-9

Ratchet-1/4" 2.5-3.5

Ratchet-3/8" 4.5-5

Rotational Sander 8-12.5

Shears 8-16

Speed Saw 5

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