Air tools kick arse!

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I treated myself to a compressor today. I've wanted one for a while and Aldi were doing cheap air tools so I bit the bullet.

So, a 2.4hp Clark compressor with a filter lubricator from Machine Mart and an impact gun, drill, burr tool and blow gun.

Well, I wish I'd done this years ago.

Job 1: Remove clutch centre nut from VFR750. An 85ft/lb nut on a rotating shaft. Ordinarily requires two special tools to hold everything still and you still can't hold it still enough to undo the bolt. Took exactly 5 seconds with the impact wrench.

Job 2: Remove nut from bearing holder on single sided swingarm. The socket itself cost £20! (46mm impact socket). Off in 5 seconds with the windy gun.

Job 3: Rear brake disc nuts. Never been touched for 11 years, usually a total ball-ache. No worries, just like a formula 1 wheel change (not a ferarri one).

Job 4: Reface clutch basket. It was all notchy and starting to rattle. Pneumatic burr made mincemeat of the notches. Dremmel? Fuck off! This thing is torquey as hell and infinately variable in terms of speed, none of that grinding to a halt carry on then lifting the bit to let it speed up again. The whole thing cost less than a box of dremel bits.

Job 5: Remove swarf from clutch basket. Combination of blow gun and brake cleaner aerosol had this done in no time.

Also, it was raining slightly. If I'd been using electric tools, I'd have had to stop work. With the compressor inside and the air line running out through the window, water is not an issue.

There have to be downsides. Well, compressors aren't cheap. Air tools are noisy so you need to be considerate of your neighbours and compressed air is dangerous, but then so is mains electricity.

I am very pleased with my new toys.

Tomorrow. Swingarm off.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

russeleoin · Nova Slayer Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Karma :

I'll second that. I love my compressor and bits. I invested in a spraygun and a sandblaster. Halfords sell sandblasters and I use child playpit sand in mine. It is a lot less abrasive than the genuine sand, but you will get a smoother finish(takes a bit longer to achieve though) A tip if you cant get a proper sand blasting cabinet. I got hold of a number of very heavy duty clear plastic bags(big ones) I put the sandblaster and sand into the bag, and the bit I want to clean. Then I tape up the bag along the middle with just enough room for each arm at the ends. Get a tight elastic band and close the remaining holes around my arms. Then blast away. The air presure makes the big fill and go tight so it is easy to see into. The sand is contained and I just keep refilling the holder with what is in the bag,. But beware you dont blast your skin off.
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I love classic merc's but bikes take up less space.
Current ride is a Yamaha YB 100 and I love it! Oooow and now a running GPZ400R!
Next stop, Direct Access hopefully by the end of summer.

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Windy guns are OK but don't get too carried away. Myself and a mate were changing the shocks on his MK2 Golf GTI, and there is a special tool needed to tighten the top mount nuts. We didn't have it so we used a windy gun.

Big mistake. The right one worked OK but the left one decided that the nut was going to become part of the top mount bushing instead of tightening. Like a piece of cloth wound round an electric drill.

Luckily we were able to back out OK without too much damage, but its a warning not to go over the top.

I've got the Aldi compressor but I didn't buy the air impact wrench because there are better ones available. The compressor though is great value and I find the blowgun and the tyre inflator to be the two most useful tools.

Actually that reminds me Stinkwheel, the combination of your previous exhaust decoking advice and the blow gun almost got me into trouble two weeks ago. I wanted to decoke the MZ exhaust, but my girlfriend had completely ransacked the entire house in an attempt to 'Tidy and make it nice'. The practical upshot of this was that I couldn't find anything including my caustic soda. So I decided to try the old "Pour petrol down the exhaust and light it" technique. I had the exhaust off, and on my workmate in the middle of the parking area near my house. I poured a little petrol into the exhaust, carefully placed the jerry can back in my garage and lit it. It burned like a candle... well more like an oil lamp I guess. I tipped it up and this made the flame go out. So I poured some more petrol into the exhaust and lit it. Again, an oil lamp type effect with very little shifting of coke from the exhaust. "Hmm" I thought. Being that I'm using compressed air for everything these days, perhaps I should try and blow the flames through with the air compressor. At this point yellow flames were licking out of the engine end of the conical MZ exhaust, so I resolved to put the blowgun in the exhaust outlet and pull the trigger. This initiated what can only be described as an afterburner effect. A sheet of blue flame about three metres long leapt horizontally from the engine side of the exhaust, accompanied by a roaring which is usually reserved for a military jet. That wasn't the exact effect I had hoped for, but it did make me chuckle. So much so I spent a good two or three minutes simulating gas turbines whilst laughing maniacally and thinking to myself "I'm allowed to do this, cos I'm an adult!

Still, it didn't decoke the exhaust, although the following weekend I located the caustic soda and it seemed to shift a helluva lot more of the black coke than usual! Very Happy

So, there isn't really any point to this story, apart from me telling everyone that I built a ramjet in my shared parking area...
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Welcome to 2003 Razz

. I still haven't used my Aldi nail gun for anything 'constructive' yet. And I've got me sander-blaster thingy to try out too now.
Incidentally, the 3/4" socket set I got from ebay (about £45 delivered when I got it) has worked fine with impact wrenches - I already had the adapater. It goes from 19 (or maybe 17) to 50mm and is easily the same price as getting a decent breaker bar and 36mm, which was what I needed at the time.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I'm sure I mentioned the low-pitched buzzing noise as the flame is sucked back inside followed by an explosive jet of flame from exhausts decoked by fire. Often followed by the whole lot firing itself across the yard at speed.

If not, I appologise.

It doesn't actually remove the coke, but it turns it into dusty, powdery coke. Easily wire brushed off the baffles and which gets fired out the back next time you start the engine.

The owners manual for my first Jawa actually stated that to decoke the exhaust, you should "Place 200cc of petrol in the exhaust supressor system in some secluded place and carefully apply a match.".
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

cyberglass · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Karma :

Im now taking the exhaust off my bike so i can try this.

if i die im sueing the both of you Mr. Green

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DL650 Vstrom 2004
DRZ400S 2003
Yamaha R1 2005

Lone-Wolf · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Jul 2004 Karma :

KevTM · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Karma :

They do make life so much easier and less stressful Laughing

It pays to buy a decent air compressor though.. I was feeling flush (stupid) and just bought a Boxer 55 from MachineMart, it's more expensive now than when I bought it Confused

.. anyway it powers all of my Aldi tools continuously Thumbs Up

As said, why didn't I buy it 10 years ago! could have saved a lot of hassle and time.

Vincent · Banned Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Karma :

How much are aldi doing the compressor for Razz

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Space Is Deep

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Had a compessor or about a year now, still haven't bought any tools for it, and I still haven't put the garage up either, to busy out riding the bike tbh...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Vincent · Banned Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Karma :

binge · Emo Kiddy Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Karma :

Got a 200PSI 1000 Litre compressor and tank at work. We'd be lost without it.

It powers the Nitrogen machine, Tyre machines, all our air tools, The car ramps and so on.

Compressed air is really handy.

Ben

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

loply · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Karma :

Incidentally, anybody got an air powered ratchet?

I bought one but frankly find it quite useless.... It makes LOADS of noise, uses tons of air, and rotates way too slowly (although it does have a lot of torque).

Its not much use because its just quicker to do it by hand, I wish I could make it spin faster.
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Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

binge · Emo Kiddy Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Karma :

tutton · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Karma :

Brothers bluepoint snapon one, has a adjustable airflow handle like most airtools these days, on full goes like the tits, twice if not faster than hand id say.
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Past: '05 Peugeot XPS '99 Aprillia RS125 '94 FZR600R
Current: '02 ZX636 A1P '51 CCM R30

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Mine spins at a moderate speed, but I tend to use my electric drill for that sort of thing. Couple of times when it's been useful due to it's dimensions.

ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :

KevTM · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Karma :

I've just got the Aldi-effort rachet, it is quite useful due to the torque, it's gotten a few screws out that were untouchable by hand. Thumbs Up

binge · Emo Kiddy Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Karma :

Best air tool I own is this.

https://www.denlorstools.com/shop/images/IR-2115TI.jpg

Ingersoll Rand 3/8 impact gun
Titanium body, so weightless
Gets wheel nuts off most cars And hub nuts off most cars too.

Bloody amazing bit of kit.
Set me back £250 mind you!

Ben

ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :

I have the same IR Ti 3/8, tres handy Smile