I could use some advise about air tools.

So far I've acquired battery operated tools - an impact wrench, ratchet, drill, impact driver, etc. All very nice, all work great, gtg., and I use them all the time around my house and my diy auto maint & repair hobby.

The situation is I need some tools that are traditionally air-driven that don't typically have many if any battery analogues, like die griders, cutoff tool, and air hammer. Tradesmen and mechanics are migrating from air to battery, with some exceptions where the power or duty cycle still require air, but almost nil for die griders, cutoff tools, and air hammers, which are the next tools I need. I replaced my old compressor that reached the end of its life with a better one less than a year ago, but I didn't buy it with enough capacity to drive the types of air tools I'm looking at.

If tools like die griders, cutoffs, and air hammers will never transfer to battery, I'm out of business for a while because of the expense, space, and power requirements required for larger compressors. I thought I might find corded electric versions of these tools, but I have not found much if any in those categories either.

So what are my options, if any, or do you think these tools will be more widely avail with battery power in the not too distant future ? Any advice along these lines are greatly appreciated.

You might look into air storage tanks to increase the available CFM. These tools typically run intermittently. Or you can run them from a nitrogen tank or similar.
But in the end because a gas powered compressor with good flows is simply not that expensive that is what I would recommend and I also use. How many cfm do you think you need. I have two of these one at 12.5 cfm which should do for most any normal people and an IR at 25cfm as I use air sanding in the field and need more than the 12.5
Lastly in my area at least there are always a decent selection of used compressors at modest prices.

Milwaukee has a die grinder and cut off tool:
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/...ing/Grinders/2485-20
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/...ing/Grinders/2522-20

I have a Dewalt 20v grinder that is pretty bad ass. I have used it for grinding and with a cut off wheel. I also have a sds + rotary hammer drill that uses the same battery that is also pretty tough.

As a non-professional I find I use my air tools less and less as i collect battery powered tools.

More brands have battery power tools in the 60v range which take the tools to a completely different level.

It's possible to add an additional air tank to your existing setup. I'm not necessarily recommending this.

All this does is increase the amount of compressed air in storage and ready to let you run a little longer time-wise.

It'll just take a longer time for the compressor to fill up both tanks.

In other words, it won't increase your pressure, just the stored cubic feet of air available to use.

There are numerous articles, and some videos, on the internet. Your risk, use caution and common sense.


On the other hand, the problem with the typical homeowner air compressors, marketed to a specific price point of a few hundred dollars, is that, while they're ok for home use, it's usually not easy to drain the tank. Water gets in the system, and the air tank will rust from the inside out, and that can be catastrophic. Chinese made? Who knows what quality that metal is.

Is there no way to purchase a larger more powerful compressor?

DISCLAIMER AND WARNING: Years ago I sold a lot of air tools and compressors and such. I've been in a lot of shops where they had very SKETCHY shit for their air system. Either they were broke and couldn't afford a good quality large and safe system, or just cheap bastards. I've seen shit blow up, from air lines and fittings to compressors and tanks and such. Even was there when one blew up. You'll never forget that. Also, I saw, more than once, cheap shop owners trying to plumb air around the shop using cheap plastic pipe from one of the big box stores, and the air pressure ruptured those all the time.

And having said all that, I encourage you to sell what you have, recoup your $$$, and buy a better quality air compressor. Be sure to have a quality air dryer. And make sure that, whatever you have, you can and WILL drain the system once a week of water.

Best wishes to you.
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The battery die grinders are pretty large.
I briefly looked into one but can't see using one over any of the air ones that I have.
Same with an air hammer.

Corded tools are still out there. I recently picked up a saber saw, half the price of a battery operated one. For as often as Im going to use it, that was sufficient. Same with a demolition hammer drill. At the homeowner level getting into a family of tools that all use the same battery pack works - I have leaf blowers, weed eaters, work lights, reciprocating and oscillating saws, 5" circular saws, impact drivers, a radio, etc which all take the same 18v battery. I have a 12v smaller driver now which gets a lot of use because of it's size and weight, especially when Im on a ladder.

As far as air tools go, I discovered operating my first orbital sander that 12 CFM @120psi and a 80 gallon tank is minimum. My tiny 5 Gallon will handle a impact gun, and some smaller tools, but it's going to take a lot more for the auto shop level stuff. I could buy bigger but I get by as it is. A lot of those sanders, drills etc that consume a lot of air are already replaced with the battery or corded ones simply because it got them for remodeling projects. As long as I'm not wet sanding a fender I can use a corded palm sander (a new replacement was half the battery powered bare tool price.)

I started out in garages, air powered tools were the norm, but even they were an upgrade for a hand tool - and things like a 3/8" drive ratchet still don't fit well under some hoods. With modern engines and small underhood areas its worse now than in the days of standing next to your 300CID 6 Ford inside the frame rails of a 80 F150. Getting a whole bunch of air powered tools may result - for me - in a lot of stuff sitting pretty but not used. I just take it a project at a time and review what is necessary - and economical.