# Air Tool General Question



## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

I was considering an air tool that requires 60 - 100 psi. Can I fill up, say a 3 gal canister with air from my bike pump and will it work for a short period? If not, are there alternatives other than air compressors?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

No, you will run out of air almost immediately at that psi... what you need to understand is the use in cubic feet per minute at the working pressure. 

Light duty tools can be 6 cubic feet per minute at 75-100 psi... you see that a 3 gallons might last you a few seconds... 

The only alternative is a SCUBA tank at 3000 psi, then the air is compressed about 200 times, so you have 200 times the volume... 

Regards, Greg


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

You will need a air compressor, and probably a big one, air tools take a lot of air. I have a 5 hp with a 20 gal tank and it is not big enough sometimes.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

yep, I have a four cylinder job with an 80 gallon tank and it does about 18 scfm at 90 psi.. it will run tools ok, die grinders really eat up the air. 

As a kid, my dad had a little compressor with a little tank... it was a real pain, so when I "grew up", I got a manly compressor... now it runs my air operated turnouts also. 

Regards, Greg


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## sheepdog (Jan 2, 2008)

You can always buy a tank of nitrogen. I do not remember what they held but they would last a weekend (4 Days) of racing at 'The Glen' Changing tires. 

Craig


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Better on the tools also... I wonder though if the cost is higher than refilling a scuba tank? 

Regards, Greg


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