What do people use their air compressors for?

Seeing the Aldi offer got me thinking....

The main uses I have for my compressor are:

1) using compressed air to clean things
2) blowing up tyres
3) occasional spot blasting

I've got too many wheels and I have my own manual tyre changer too, so compressed air is vital for beading up tyres (gone are the days of visiting the petrol station to bead tyres up).

I do find a compressor a very useful bit of kit to have around for those two main items alone, and don't do spraying. But after that (for me) the various air tools only replicate what I am in the habit of using, or can do already with better or more powerful electric devices: drill, angle grinder, belt sander, wheel gun, Dremel.

These are bulky, noisy devices, plus the pressure pipe is hardly modern in a wireless world!

What are your experiences and fave uses?

 

little spray jobs
soak elec connects , throttles ,carbs etc in solvent then blast them clean with air
air dusting for lots of jobs
tyres

 

Die Grinding, porting, etc.

I like pneumatic tools better than electric for this job. The Aldi compressor should easily do the job.

I had a slightly larger compressor, which I left on the farm in the UK, 11 cfm and 50 litre, but I thought it was a little limited for spraying and blasting.

Having said that, if I had 79 spare, I'd buy the Aldi one tommorow.

ps. We are supposed to be getting Aldi in Sligo soon. Can't wait. Saving up right now!

 

For the money, the Aldi one was too cheap not to try. All of the above will be doable now but I really want to give spraying a go. Not planning on full resprays so should be fine for single panel repairs etc. Also will come in handy for spraying a rollcage once installed. .

Gurds

 

personaly id say the aldi one will struggle with die grinders , drills , impact tools etc

i have the die grinder , goes like mad for say 30 secs then its spent

 

Thanks pb. Auxilliary reservior needed then.

 

boost pressure leaks and compressed air for cleaning

 

Ooh, do tell. I'd never have dared!

 

yeah good call....pressurise the boost hoses and listen for a leak

 

wouldnt mind an air ratchet

 

remove air box and air flow meter. insert a bung with a tyre inflation valve.

remove PCV valve and plug that. open the oil filler cap

add air via tyre valve check with tyre pressure gauge to see what youve pressurised too

tbh most leaks are quite easy to find as it leaks oil at the relevant joint

 

what are you using for a bung...wouldnt mind checking the g60

 

I use mine to install liners into drains.

 

Depends on the size of the pipework, ie the s4 was way bigger than the mk4.

anything tubular, drain pipe, gutter stuff, bean can...

 

i use mine for some of the above,one good use is when wire terminals are a bit dirty/corroded,give them a shot with the shot blaster and come up like new,getting pistons out of calipers,got a shutz gun to under seal the golf,loads of random things,anything that needs air fire the compressor up
even this from another thread

nice big bubble bath about 2 ft high

 

Use mine for tyres mainly as its a bit small. But very good for boost checks too. Need to get a better one really, but it was free so can't complain.

Used a piece of solid plastic with a hole tapped for a line to connect.



Connected to a regulator.



I also made one to attatch to the turbo inlet but used a tyre valve. Which is better as it test whole system.



What do people use for blasting?

 

Presumably you can throw 1 bar at it no probs? Best place to get a regulator?

 

The spot guns as sold by Aldi at the mo are quite good for small spots.


I've also seen a Water Grit kit made by Karcher which is quite interesting, but not got anywhere to use it, so not bought it.

http://www.cleanstuff.co.uk/cgi-bin...ting_Kit_-_KAR2638-792.html#a2638792#a2638792

 

Um, where do I start, tyres, spraying paint with spray gun or air brush, die grinder, air cut off tool, impact gun, blow gun, air ratchet, occasional blasting, air drill, boost leak testing, spraying stone guard, spraying waxoyl. Anything I can really. Mine is a cheap small one connected to an additional air receiver to give far larger air volume. Whilst it can be tedius waiting for it to pump up, it never lets me down, and until it fails I won't buy a better one.

 

theres a few threads where people use a calor gas tank as a extra resovoir