"Mike Marlow" wrote in message ...

Digger wrote:


In addition to other suggestions, I would check size of airline. 1/4"
is often not large enough to deliver enough volume of air for some
brands of air tools to function properly. I typically use at least
3/8" line if the run is more than a few feet.

That's always true of high volume tools like DA's and some paint guns, but
I've never heard that to be true of an air nailer. They're a one shot
tool. I'd be more suspicious of either too low of a pressure setting, or
the thing crapping out as the tank is approaching cut in pressure level.
Maybe people have had problems with air nailers and small diameter hoses
(especially if they are firing in rapid succession), but intuitively, that
would surprise me. Other things have surprised me in the past...

Back when I was regularly using air tools (paint guns, sanders, grinders,
impact wrenches, nailers, etc.) we ran off an Ingersoll - Rand industrial
compressor that had a large tank and fast recovery rate. The compressor's
working capacity was never an issue. What was happening at the other end of
the hose was a different story. Like with dust collection, long runs with
small diameters can lead to huge drops in working pressure at the tool
end...

To set the "right" pressure for the tools we had a gauge on quick release
fittings that could be installed at the tool end of the line. We'd regulate
the pressure to that gauge rather than the gauge on the regulator on the
compressor. That allowed us to regulate the working pressure in the context
of the length and diameter of the hose. Once set the line gauge could be
removed to lighten the tool weight. We had a regulator with a gauge for the
spray gun as that often needed tinkering.

To help keep the volume up we used high pressure garden hoses for most of
the run and then a 3/8" air hose closer to the tool. This was cost effective
compared to buying large air hoses. We did this as the compressor was at a
fixed location due to it's size and 220V electric power requirement but we
might be working outside 200+ feet from the garage.

John