Air tools and accessories buying guide

Recently invested in an air compressor? You're going to need a few accessories to get it up and running and make the most of your equipment. After all, your air blow gun or sand blaster won't be much use without an air hose or air fittings!

These types of accessories are essential for most common jobs like inflating tyres, cleaning or even touching up paint.

These days, it's possible to find air compressor kits with everything you need to get going easily and for a reasonable price.

Air hoses

It goes without saying that a hose is probably the most important piece of kit. Without an air hose, you won't be able to use any tool!

Usually made of polyethylene, air hoses should ideally measure about 5 metres in length for everyday tasks. This should provide you with enough length without being too cumbersome.

In terms of diameter, make sure to choose the correct diameter to match the outlet of your pressure regulator to limit pressure loss. Most air compressors designed for regular use will have a 6 to 8mm outlet (inner diameter). Professional air compressors will generally have a 10 to 12mm outlet.

When it comes to fittings, the ideal option would be a male connector at one side to plug into the air compressor and a quick coupler at the other side so you can attach any tool you like. The size of these fittings is universal and governed by the standard ISO 6150B.

To ensure you can carry out your tasks with ease, go for an air hose that accepts a minimum of 8 bar pressure.

Air blow gun

Air blow guns are essential for tasks like cleaning, dusting or drying out anything you come across!

Depending on exactly what you want to do, there are several options. Some air blow guns come with interchangeable nozzles or even extension tubes to get into tricky spots. It's worth noting that a 5 to 10cm right angle nozzle will work perfectly for most cleaning tasks, especially if you do a lot of work on your car!

Tyre inflator

Owning an air compressor means having the ability to inflate anything you want, whenever you want.

When it comes to air tools, a tyre inflator is usually just as important as an air blow gun.

It's best to go for a tyre inflator with a CE marked pressure gauge. This way, you are sure to get the most accurate pressure readings possible. The dial of these pressure gauges are much more accurate meaning you won't get false readings. Tyre inflators can handle pressure ratings of up to 10 bar so you'll be ready to inflate any type of tyre.

Generally speaking, tyre inflators come with a standardised nozzle for cars. But you can also find inflators with interchangeable nozzles to blow up anything from inner tubes to footballs!

Air spray guns

Highly practical if you do a lot of mechanical work, air spray guns are ideal for cleaning, lubricating, degreasing or even removing rust by spraying any type of solvent or similar products.

These spray guns work just like paint guns except they can be used to spray a range of products using a container located below the gun. When the trigger is pressed, air runs through the body of the spray gun to move the product inside the container. The amount released by the gun depends on the type of nozzle fitted.

When it comes to choosing this type of accessory, the criteria are much the same as with any other air tool. You'll need to think about operating pressure (to match the size of your compressor), the container capacity (which dictates how often you have to top it up), the equipment used to control the gun (pressure gauge, etc.) and any accessories required (lances, hoses, couplers, etc.).

Paint guns

A paint gun can be used to apply any type of paint to any type of surface.

However, there are a couple of different types of paint gun to choose from. Siphon paint guns feature a container below the gun while gravity fed guns have the container above the gun. The paint in a gravity fed gun descends into the gun by its own weight whereas siphon fed guns work by creating a siphon effect in the body of the paint gun. The nozzle is an important part of the tool as it controls the projection of the paint.

The pressure and flow rate of the gun must be chosen carefully. If you are carrying out small jobs – meaning smaller surfaces – go for a lower pressure paint gun with a smaller container. If you are carrying out a big job, go for a high pressure gravity fed paint gun, but bear in mind that these paint guns are trickier to handle and adjust properly.

Air hoses

If you want to just want to use the air compressor on the move or on an occasional basis, the ideal hose will be a polyethylene spiral air hose.

For more heavy-duty tasks, you'll need a flexible PVC air hose, preferably with a reinforced exterior.

The inner diameter of a spiral air hose should match the diameter of the air compressor pressure regulator (usually 6 to 8mm). The ideal length of this type of hose is about 4 to 5 metres. Any shorter and the air compressor will be too close to you as you work; any longer and you risk losing pressure and/or flow rate.

PVC air hoses are best used by professionals and are designed for large air compressors with an outlet diameter of 10 to 12mm. Given the high capacity of the air compressor in this case, there's no ideal hose length per se but you will need at least 3 metres.

In any case, you will need to choose an air hose equipped to handle the operating pressure of your air compressor. As a general rule, polyethylene hoses will accept up to 8 bar while PVC hoses can handle 20 bar or even more.

Automatic air hose reels

A great way to make sure you never get tangled in an air hose is to get an automatic reel. Of course, this means you won't be able to move around as much unless you have a very long hose.

Air hose reels are often swivel and retractable. They are fitted with a male coupler to connect to the air compressor and a quick female coupler to attach the hose which is unwound when you need to connect your tools.

In the same vein as basic air hoses, you'll find air hose reels fitted with polyurethane hoses or PVC hoses. Polyethylene is usually only used for spiral hoses.

The length of the hose varies between different reels. Be careful about where your air compressor is set up and the types of tasks you want to carry out. Above all, make sure you get a hose that is long enough! Ten metres is about the maximum length a small air compressor can handle.

The vast majority of air compressors, air hoses and air tools on the market are CE marked and are 'universal'. This generally means they are governed by the same standard (ISO 6159B). This standard covers, among other things, the size of the pressure regulator outlet (1/4") and the size of the male and female connectors (quick release or otherwise) which is almost always 1/4" (or 6.35mm).

Air fittings can be screw in, in which case they simply thread into place. Hose tail fittings feature a barbed connection and can be tightened via a hose clip or a screw; the diameter of these fittings must be chosen to match the hose. Comparatively, a quick release fitting is designed to be simply pushed into place. It's important to choose the right size of fitting for the type of flow rate and air tool you are using.

As long as you are using CE marked air fittings, you should have no problem connecting and operating your tools.

How to pick the right air fitting for your tool

Screw in, quick release and swivel air fittings

Screw-in fittings can be male or female and thread sizes include:

• 1/4";

• 3/8";

• 1/2".

Quick release style fittings have a male (M) or female (F) threaded end (1/4" to 1/2") or a barbed end (for Ø 8, 10, 13mm pipes) and a bayonet end which push locks into place and acts as a sort of shut-off valve. These fittings are designed to be used with a swivel nut.

Hose clamps can be used to minimise the risk of leaks for high pressure applications.

Ball swivel air fittings can be used to swivel the tool at the end of the hose to prevent the hose from kinking or pinching.

A range of union fittings is also available such as reducers (to go from one thread size to another), tees and so on.

Just like a paint gun, an air spray gun uses compressed air to spray liquid.

This type of tool is often used to spray solvents, degreasers or penetrating oil. It can also be used to lubricate and grease as long as the oil used is light and of a liquid consistency.

As detailed above, these tools work as spray guns. The container is found at the base of the tool and contains a liquid. The liquid is sucked up by a siphon effect and sprays out of the nozzle when the trigger is pressed. These air tools are connected to air compressors using a universal male nozzle.

Features

All air spray guns work in basically the same way. However, they differ in terms of:

• nozzle type;

• container volume;

• the type of pressure the tool can handle (to match the pressure rating of your air compressor).

For any type of regular work, a 500ml container will suffice. For regular use, go for a 900 to 1000ml container to avoid having to top it up too often.

In terms of pressure, the vast majority of air spray guns are equipped to handle 8 bar. However, pay close attention to this criterion as if your air compressor delivers higher pressure than your air spray gun can withstand, you are sure to damage it!

A pneumatic jack can be used to lift and hold heavy weights for heavy-duty tasks. The lifting capacity of the biggest air jacks can reach almost 30 tonnes. These tools are designed for car mechanics and are equipped to handle extremely heavy loads.

Air jacks come in a few different types including:

• pneumatic jacks;

• air hydraulic jacks.

Pneumatic jacks

These air jacks generally feature two or three air bags which inflate using compressed air. The load capacity of these jacks is decent and sits between 2 to 3 tonnes depending on the model. These air jacks may be fitted on fixed frames or wheel-mounted frames. Small in size and easy to handle, these jacks are highly practical and can be used to lift heavy weights to heights of 300 to 500mm.

Hydraulic air jacks

Hydraulic air jacks are more powerful and offer better performance for professionals or keen hobbyists. They work in much the same way as traditional car jacks except in this case, the compressed air works to move hydraulic liquid which transfers power to the jack. The most powerful models can lift up to 30 tonnes.

These jacks come in two different types: bottle jacks on fixed frames and wheel-mounted models. The only downside of these jacks is that even when completely folded up, these jacks are still quite tall which can be an issue if you have little ground clearance on the object you want to lift. However, they have a good lifting range and some models can even be fitted with extensions.

Given the lifting capacity of these jacks, they are often fitted with safety devices such as self-locking in case the air compressor fails or brakes.

A pressure test pump is the right tool to use to detect leaks or test the watertightness of a system (e.g. a water, hydraulic or heating system).

The pump puts the system under pressure which helps you to spot leaks and detect any issues with watertightness (in which case, the pressure will not be able to remain stable). All pressure test pumps are fitted with pressure gauges to allow you to control the pressure of the system in real time.

These test pumps work using fairly simple technology: a tank is used to hold a fluid (oil or water) which is injected at a higher-than-normal pressure into a system via a threaded connection (usually a 1/2" coupler). A pressure gauge is used to keep an eye on the system pressure. If the pressure goes down once the system is put at higher pressure, this means there is a leak somewhere. Pressure test pumps are protected by a pressure relief valve and can be drained by a valve or push button.

Features

Pressure test pumps all differ in terms of:

• tank volume – generally about 10 litres;

• technology used to pressurise the system – manual, pneumatic, etc.;

• type of fluid that can be used – water, oil, glycol;

• safety devices – non return valve, etc. ;

• pressure gauge – basic or minor graduation;

• type of pressure that can be handled – from 30 to over 1000 bar for the most powerful models.

It is imperative to keep on top of regular maintenance if you want your air compressor and air tools to last! Air fittings and connectors don't require any particular maintenance beyond taking care not to crush or twist them or let them get damaged in any way (for example, by letting them trail on the ground or rolling over them with your car!).

The same goes for the air hose – compressed air shouldn't contain a lot of solid material (especially if you have a filter on your air compressor) so there's no need to clean it. However, it's important not to pinch, squash or bend the hose too much. Some materials are more resistant than others.

Caring for your air blow gun or paint gun is a bit different. It's important to clean your tools after each use using a suitable product based on the type of product you have sprayed or the type of paint you have used. In addition to cleaning the container, you should ideally also remove the nozzles before brushing them and leaving them to soak.

Air compressor maintenance and oil changing

No matter the size of your air compressor, it requires regular maintenance and special care.

The first thing to know is that you must clean the air filter regularly. The ambient air that is drawn in to be compressed is full of dust which can end up clogging and even damaging your accessories. If your air compressor also has an air outlet filter, clean both at the same time.

Drain your air compressor after each use. The process of compressing humid air creates condensation which can end up corroding the metal that makes up the compressor tank. All compressors feature a drain valve and this is usually located on the base of the tank. If you don't plan to use your air compressor for a while, leave the drain valve open.

Finally, once a year (or more if you use your air compressor regularly) drain the oil. Like for any type of engine, a high-quality oil ensures all moving parts are lubricated properly. Refer to the product manual to find out the viscosity and type of oil recommended for your air compressor by the manufacturer. Don't forget to check the level of the oil several times a year and top it up if necessary.

Remember that accidents caused by ill-functioning air compressors do occur. Refer to the manufacturer's recommendations concerning servicing and be sure to get your air compressor checked regularly to ensure it is running safely and performing as expected.