Pneumatic Tools

Air is not the only gas used in pneumatic tools, though it is the most commonly used and the least expensive gas. Carbon dioxide, readily available in portable cylinders, is often used in pneumatic tools. Air is typically compressed on the work site, requiring a compressor that can be large and heavy.

Pneumatic tools have long been used in manufacturing and professional craftsmens' shops, but only recently have they become popular in home workshops. The noise of an air compressor and the bulk of gas storage cylinders limited acceptance in residential settings, but today's compressors and storage tanks are smaller and quieter.

Pneumatic air tools are cheaper and easier to maintain than their electric counterparts, mainly because they have few complex parts. They can also be safer than electrically powered tools around flammable materials. Since the worker is not holding a heavy motor, pneumatic tools reduce worker fatigue as well.

There are pneumatic versions of virtually any power tool: drills, hammers, grinders, saws, screw and nut drivers, chisels, etc. A jackhammer is nothing more than a large pneumatic chisel. Pneumatic tools sometimes are so large they must be mounted on trucks. Pneumatic impact tools such as hammers and impact wrenches are widely used in manufacturing, metalworking, and automotive repairs.

Some makers of pneumatic tools include Chicago Pneumatic, Master Pneumatic, Astro Pneumatic Tool Company, Central Pneumatic Tools, and American Pneumatic Tool. The "old school" flavor of these well-known brands indicates how long they have been making pneumatic tools. Of course, there are many "generic" pneumatic tool makers, most in Asian countries.

Pneumatic tools, especially those which use compressed air, are widely viewed at environmentally friendly. But it is unclear how much pollution is generated in compressing air on the spot with an electric or petroleum-fueled compressor versus running a tool directly from electric current. Large, central electricity plants may be more efficient in producing the same amount of power required to drive a bolt or screw. Certainly, professionally maintained electric power plants tend to be less polluting than small gasoline-fueled engines maintained haphazardly by amateurs.

The bottom line is the pneumatic tools deliver more power and are cheaper to maintain and repair. Therefore, we can expect to see more households using pneumatic tools whatever their environmental effects.