It's about time I got an impact wrench, what torque should I shoot for and what size air compressor to match? I don't have any other air tools, and don't plan to other than maybe a spray gun. Or do you think it's worth it to just get an electric and save the cost of a compressor?

 

I'd go for actual air tools. If you have the compressor, then in the future you can invest in some air ratchets and whatnot(air ratchets are priceless).

 

[X(] do you do enough wrenching to justify the costs of a compressor and air tools?? air tools definately save alot of time but tools worth having cost a fair penny. id strongly advise against tools from any place other than the big tool guys(snap on,mac) etc or maybe craftsman. or the premier brand of ingersol rand. these are by far THE BEST air tools on the market and if you look close they make tools for almost all of the other labels. IR is the best bang for your buck while they will be more expensive than the crap at your local swap meet or auto parts store they will last forever and have the power they should. ebay has a good selection of IR tools at far better prices than you could get locally. if you do invest in air tools remember to oil them internally with ATF or air tool oil as this helps maintain power and keeps them alive forever. please stay away from the crap brands as these lack power and dont last very long. CHICAGO PNEUMATIC is a decent lower cost brand(craftsman carries these or used to) but CENTRAL PNEUMATIC is big piles of **** ASTRO is another **** brand ive seen spend the dollars on the good stuff. craftsman has some good portable electric compressors, be sure to keep in mind that for compressors bigger is better this goes for the volume tank and the compressor itself. be sure to match CFM of the tool that consumes the most with compressor output you wont like waiting for the compressor to catch up with your air consumption. 5-10 CFM for most tools and compressors is normal kurt

 

Yeah watch out for the compressors. those little one and two tank jobs that you can carry dont even hold enough to fill 4 tires without having to kick back on. I have one of those and it needs to kick back on a build pressure while I tack lugs off. I used to have a shop compressor and just used the small compressor to fill the shops large tank for the volum of air. So at least look for a compressor with a large tank. you an get them in 100v. Then your going to be buying air ratchets and paint guns........

 

Go with a compressor with at least a 20 to 40 gallon air tank, and enough CFM to be able to feed the tools you are going to use. A good unit like Ingersoll Rand can get very pricey, and is really not necessary for a hobby mechanic. A single stage pump compressor from Sears, Campbell Hausfeld,or Husky are more than adequate. Also get the lube dispenser attachment to provide lubrication for the tools, as they don't like to run dry. Make sure to removethe dispenserand get a clean hose if you intend to spray paint.The one tool you should not skimp on is the impact wrench. I had several cheap ones and they are useless on rusted up bolts. Finally broke down and got an Ingersoll Rand thunder gun (NASCAR wrench), with 4 torque steps, up to 600 lb-ft, and it has not failed to get things loose yet. Keep in mind, that impact wrenches need to be used very judiciously when tightening stuff in order to avoid damage

 

I did notice while browsing reviews that IR is a pretty well liked brand. This one looks pretty tough for the money.
What I don't get is when I was looking at craftsman models, they needed higher CFM for less power. Less efficient design? I'm not one to save a couple bucks on inferior quality. I noticed too that their compressors were weak compared to other similarly priced models.
IR compressors though are a bit out of my range. Something like this would match up nicely, right?

 

[X(] alot of craftsman air tools were made by CP (chicago pneumatic) not a terrible brand but not nearlt as nearly as tough ,strong or as efficiect as the IR's.. last time i looked i think sears was introducing some even crappier brands(astro) but were carrying some IR as well. sears 110V 20-30 gallon compressor should work for most of your needs there NOT a good commercial grade as there not made for continuous duty but are a very good home grade i personally would avoid husky brand as i think its even lower on the quality scale than craftsman. i would also choose craftsman over campbell hausfield kurt