Air tool question

[Ken Bartz]

I have some questions about air tools. I just purchased a D/A sander with 100 sanding disks. Do you have to provide any lubrication the these air tools. I presume it is through the air lines as I have seen the oiler and filter combination for sale. How much oil should be provided? I would also say that you would not want to use this same hose for spray painting as oil would interfere with the paint. How do you guys mark these hoses so that they are just used for air tools? Tell me about air operated tools.

[Plymouthy Adams]

a few drops of air tool oil into the inlet of the tool on daily use is sufficient

[steveplym]

I do just like Tim says. Put a drop or two in the inlet when using the tool. I haven't had any problems with oil getting in the hoses and affecting my painting. I do always put a water/oil separator in the line before the spray gun though. I've done it without too and not had any problems though.

[Tony WestOZ]

Air tools = big air compressor.

When I was running air tools all the time I had one line with a regulator and oiler and a separate line with regulator for painting and other uses. Water drop was common to both lines.

These days with a home garage setup I do as others have suggested and just put a couple of drops of oil in the machine before I use it.

[Ken Bartz]

Thanks for your input, it was helpful. I have the motor from my big compressor in for repair now as it failed to start.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I don't use inline oiler for the simple reason...I want control and never have to worry about what lines to plug a spray gun into...I do use WD40 in the paint guns after a major spray job and total teardown of the gun but only in and around the paint control valve (second stage of the trigger)..not the air inlet...

[Don Coatney]

I agree with Tim. Air line oilers are good for equipment such as industrial air motors, air cylinders, and such that run 24-7 with no attention given them until they malfunction. Air tools are a different animal. They normally get minimal home use and the user is always paying attention to them listening to the sound they make and the speed they run. Notice a difference in the speed or sound and it is time for a shot of lubrication. If you over lubricate an air powered sander, buffer, or DA you run the risk of getting oil droplets on your work from the air exhaust of the tool and that is not a good thing.

[greg g]

Another consideration is the size of the compressor. And its rated output. Even the smallest of DA's will suck a general service compressor down in very short order. So it will run and run and run. The more it runs, the hotter it will get, the hotter it gets the more moisture it will condense out of the air, the more water, the quicker the tool will rust up. It will also drip on your work surface and screw up you dry rated abrasive discs, as well as starting rust on bare metal surfaces. So you need a big compressor with a large reseve tank that only cycles occasionally while you are using it. You also might want to invest in a water trap on the outlet line.

[Plymouthy Adams]

one of the better device you can find is a auto bleeder to install on the compressor drain line...it does a quick blow for evey 10 pounds the compressor drops...so it sould blow at lest twice between cycle off and cycle back on...couple this with a good seperator and even an inline filter..you be good to go...I have a huge filter that is just after my compressor tank that will hold about 1/2 gallon of water..then as it comes into my building from out in the pump house some 30 odd feet it comes to a inline seperator, and a filter then to about three other outlets each with regualator and filter at each station..