aircat?

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volaredon

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who knows what about them and their various lines of impact wrenches? Junk? Any good? I need a new 1/2" impact for work and dont want to spend Snap on money if I can help it.
How bout their 3" cutoff tools? air sawzall?
need a cutoff tool most urgently, my Snap on died (but its been WELL used to that point)
Im gonna see what the rep wants to send that one off for overhaul but need one for "in the meantime" then itll come home after that.
Who makes Grainger's "speedaire" line?
 
I'm not a green pusher, but maybe consider battery powered tools? I have many 20V DeWalt tools, including a nice 3" cut off tool. My airtools are now my back ups. The batteries are very expensive, but mine are over 2 years old and still work well.
 
The compressed air is free at work, and I also have a 5hp 80 gallon compressor at home. I do have a few Milwaukee battery tools.
Im still too vested in air power to switch at this point.
 
MAC had some Aircat. (and may be still do) They were pretty good tools. A 3/8" impact was a favorite. Lots of power and quite durable. If was a hammer pin style and you could rebuild the impact end in a few min.
 
We use their 6" air palm sanders at the cabinet shop I work at and they have been really good IMO.
 
a bunch of the guys at the muni garage i worked at had aircat and loved the 3/8" and spoke highly of the 1/2" so i imagine most of their stuff is pretty decent. the price point is certainly attractive!
 
Use the 1/2" impact everyday. The small and the large. Great bang for the buck. My cordless Milwaukee is more powerful, but I only have to pull that out maybe once a month to get something off the aircat can't do.
 
I’ve used the 1/2 and 3/8 aircat air impact for work full time and I liked them. There good for the money IMO.
 
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Scampin said:
Use the 1/2" impact everyday. The small and the large. Great bang for the buck. My cordless Milwaukee is more powerful, but I only have to pull that out maybe once a month to get something off the aircat can't do.
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the 1/2" Milwaukee cordless the shop has at work is alot stronger than mine ever was. Though theirs is new enough to be the "brushless" one, ,mine's at least 6-7 years old.
back to the aircat... whats the difference between the different models of 1/2"?
 
I haven't had any luck with CP even for "home garage duty" since at least the 90s.... They're junk
IR too. They used to be my go to.
 
I have several impacts but the Aircat is by far the best. I sold my Snap-On after buying one. I now have the 1/2" & 3/8" impacts plus the air ratchet. Very happy with them.
 
I have an aircat reversible whizzer/ cutoff tool that shipping says it should be here tomorrow, I think the stock number is 6520. About $90 shipped.
This will be my 1st reversible whizzer. It'll be nice to be able to have the sparks go away from me no matter where I am cutting. Not crazy about being from Taiwan, for sure.
My snap on guy came today and the "flat rate" rebuild fee on my existing one will be $155.
I've never had one of the long reach style with the cutting wheel parallel to the tool shaft, but that will be my next one. I'm not sure I'll like that style cutter, so I may buy a "cheap" one first til I try it out and get a feel for how those work.
My best air tool of any sort will be a new 1/4" air ratchet. I'm not sure if I will get the short stubby style or the extended length version. My "regular version" is shot, and it's been rebuilt a couple of times already.
Once I can breathe money wise I might try a stubby 1/2" drive impact for jobs other than tire work.
 
I gave up on IR about 20 years ago, not the same old IR. Became junk. I got my new aircat reversible cutoff tool yesterday, used it today for the first time and was underwhelmed by it's "power". Supposed to be 1/2hp. I sent my 1hp snap on in for rebuild 2 day's ago. I can definitely tell a difference between them. The aircat will probably be alright for home duty once I get my rebuilt one back. I will be looking into one of air cat's 1/2" impacts before too long
 
Part of the difference for me vs others (and even for me, work vs home) is that Im a fleet mechanic and I'm expected to keep track of my work to "prove" that I get "100% production" similar to a dealership service department, though I don't get paid by piecework/flat rate so I'm going going going and constantly using my air tools vs at home some of them get used a couple of times a week, some less than that. Usually when I notice my air tools at work starting to fall off I'll get a new one for work and "hand the old one down" to my home box. Sometimes I'll send them out to be rebuilt, but for example, in the case of my 1/4" air ratchet I think it might be done for, I think the housing might be finally wore out as ive sent it in a few times now and its getting to where theres enough play/ slop in the head that it often just slips/passes air but doesn't ratchet/ rotate the head.
I have a 1/2" impact that I sent in and got back 3 weeks later untouched because snap on doesn't "support" that model anymore.
I found a "rebuild kit" for it online and put it in myself and it's just done for. It is kind of old though.
 
70dart340 said:
I'm not a green pusher, but maybe consider battery powered tools? I have many 20V DeWalt tools, including a nice 3" cut off tool. My airtools are now my back ups. The batteries are very expensive, but mine are over 2 years old and still work well.
Click to expand...
That really caught me off-guard!

If anything the air tool is more green given the compressor doesn't have lithum batteries and the compressor and tool have EXTREMELY long lives usually.

I would buy Astro Pneumatic. So far so good on everything I have from them and the price is also very reasonable.
 
I had a 1/2" drive Aircat impact gun. Loved it. Lightweight, 1200 lb ft of torque max. Was inexpensive about $150 10 years ago. Sold my shop and sold the the tools. Don't know about Aircat quality now
 
goldduster318 said:
That really caught me off-guard!

If anything the air tool is more green given the compressor doesn't have lithum batteries and the compressor and tool have EXTREMELY long lives usually.

I would buy Astro Pneumatic. So far so good on everything I have from them and the price is also very reasonable.
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How much do you use them? I run mine constantly 40 hours each week. It's my job, it's how I live. I've had a couple of their tools over the years, they'd probably be alright for how much I use them at home but not sure about all day every day at work.
 
goldduster318 said:
That really caught me off-guard!

If anything the air tool is more green given the compressor doesn't have lithum batteries and the compressor and tool have EXTREMELY long lives usually.

I would buy Astro Pneumatic. So far so good on everything I have from them and the price is also very reasonable.
Click to expand...
Like I said, I'm no liberal tree hugger. I have and love my air tools, but with 3 acres, I can't have enough hose to reach the edges of our property. My DeWalts are better than hand tools for repairing fences, sheds, trees, and other things that require upkeep. They are also invaluable for removing parts from cars and trucks in the bone yards. I also have several hydraulic tools, like my Bendpak 2 post lift, and big lug crimpers.Most every tool has a use, and I wouldn't part with any of them. I was only offering a suggestion, not making a political stand.
 
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