On 2/14/2013 11:12 AM, John Grossbohlin wrote:
"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.

i always thought the pressure at one end of the hose has to be the same
at the other end of the hose, given a static condition. is that not correct?

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