Modern auto shops and availability of compressed air

[bonneyman]

Just wondering out loud. Hopefully you shop mechanics will chime in and educate me.

In the old days shops had compressed air, and just about everything used it. But today mechanics use alot of cordless tools where air tools used to be the norm. Plus, most stations don't have compressed air available for free anymore (running off the shop compressor). If anything, they have a cheapie comp station set up for topping off tires and you have to do it and pay coinage. Had some tires installed recently, and the kid used the "new" tire changer - and I didn't see an air hose. But it had an air hose hanging from the roof, so, was the thing fully electric and he used the hanging hose to fill them?
Also, I watch alot of repair vids on Youtube and I see so many cordless ratchets and drills.

Just wondering if the abundance and popularity of battery powered tools has displaced big compressors in and around repair shops.

[slip knot]

Cant speak for the auto shops but the industrial field still needs big air for cleaning purposes. The maintenance guys have all jumped on the cordless bandwagon but the shop compressor does see its uses. Blowing lines out and cleaning/drying parts are the two main uses with us.

The compressor sets outside my office. So I can tell its get lots of run time.

[pep]

For me, battery tools are more hassle than I care to live with. Charges, the batteries, and work bench space & outlets the support waste.

Some of the photos seen that the braggers post make me LMAO & shake my head.

Personally have 1 battery tool that is a drill, that one is worthwhile. But invariably, start a job, end up changing the battery pack, Older the battery the more times it needs  changing.

Only a battery tool will leave one with a drill bit stuck in a hole.

[goodfellow]

I was seeing a lot of great old corded tools (especially drills) at the recycling station at the landfill. I nearly drove over a vintage 1/2" B&D industrial drill while dropping some stuff off last year. A lot of the tools being disposed of are yard related -- blowers, trimmers, clippers, etc., but good quality corded shop tools are increasingly making their way into the trash.

I rebuild my own battery packs and that is why my cordless tools work well, but as Pep said, many times cordless tools will leave you hanging before a job is done.

[john k]

Been out of the shop 5 years, on my rare visits back have noticed more 3/8 ratchets, impact tools, drills of the battery variety, 5-6 chargers lined up on bench tops.  Even 1/2 impacts are mostly electric.  Trouble lights are cordless,  air tools in the transmission room, because they are metal which wipes off better than plastic,  every bay has air, with a regulator.  The body shop is still using  more air due to the continuous rub of sanders.  Personally have added a 1/2 dewalt impact, to my drill and 3/8 impact, all in 20 volt.  Short usage out away from the air hose.

[goodfellow]

I'm old school. I've collected tons of air tools over 50 years, and they still work. The new garage will get plumbed with lots of air drops.

[bonneyman]

I feel that having cordless dill around is probably a good thing, for those regular jobs that require one or two screws put in. Not worth the time to run out an extension cord for 2 screws. So I figured having a cordless drill might be worth having at a station when all the bays are full, it's busy, and then a customer (i.e. me) pulls up and wants a slow tire leak fixed. No room in a bay, so the guy can come out to the parking lot with his cordless impact, remove and repair the tire, and get me back on the road without my delay.

I think I'm gonna convert one of my Makita 9.6ers to LiPo cells just for the odd jobs around the house. Another thing to add to the do list.

[J.A.F.E.]

Not an exact answer but something I got a kick out of. I got tires and the shop had a line item for nitrogen in the quote, which I personally think is a lot of BS, especially for a street car and balked at the price. I requested air instead and the guy said they don't have air anymore. So I asked how they run the tire machine and airtools. The look on his face was priceless.

I ended up at a different shop.

[coolmercury]

Anybody think Nitrogen in tires is worth the cost?

[goodfellow]

Not an exact answer but something I got a kick out of. I got tires and the shop had a line item for nitrogen in the quote, which I personally think is a lot of BS, especially for a street car and balked at the price. I requested air instead and the guy said they don't have air anymore. So I asked how they run the tire machine and airtools. The look on his face was priceless.

I ended up at a different shop.

That must have been quite the conversation -- LOL

[bonneyman]

Anybody think Nitrogen in tires is worth the cost?

Can't say. But many years ago I switched from N to CO2 for pressure and leak testing, and bought a bunch of adaptors so I could hook into any system. (In fact, just hauled out the cylinder today to blow out the dryer vent piping to the roof. A spring cleaning thing for me. Worked great!) A tire knuckle was included - figured if I got a leak out in the boondocks I could top off with CO2 and get back to town. A tank of liquified CO2 goes a LONG WAY when it turns to gas.

As it turned out I never go a chance to try it - which I guess is a good thing.

[slip knot]

I'm also of the old school when it comes to the shop. I've got a pretty good assortment of air tools. BUT I also would not be without a cordless impact driver. That was a game changer for me. In fact I now have two of them...... Yeah I lost one for a while

[bonneyman]

I'm also of the old school when it comes to the shop. I've got a pretty good assortment of air tools. BUT I also would not be without a cordless impact driver. That was a game changer for me. In fact I now have two of them...... Yeah I lost one for a while

That's another reason I like old school tools. They don't sprout legs and wander away much.

[nelstomlinson]

Air is 70% nitrogen. I don't see much value in going to 100% nitrogen for normal automotive use.

[stokester]

When I worked at the Chevy shop a few years ago I too saw the change from pneumatic to battery operated tools.  With the introduction of 20v Li-ion many started using the powerful impacts for most everything.  Torque requirements be damned... (just one of my peeves).

I used air for everything; impact, drill, angle grinder, ratchets and only have a battery 1/4" drill and impact.  The old 7.2v NiCad 1/4" tools worked particularly well for dash removal/installation and accessories.

The adding of nitrogen to tires always seemed to be an upsell to me with limited to no practical benefit.  With the atmosphere at about 78% nitrogen and "pure" at 95% the claim of less air loss over time is minimal at best.  It was not available at our shop and I remember a few customers asking us to be sure to use nitrogen when we added air to their tires.  They found it difficult to accept that regular air would not have a negative effect on them.