I bought myself a compressor and el cheap tool kit. I was kind of hoping that the cutoff tool would be the right thing for cutting out the cancer. Had a go at it today but this tool was useless. No torque at all - stalled with very little pressure - hardly any sparks. There is an adjuster on it that seems to throttle the air supply. Played with that a bit but it didn't really make any difference.

So do I have a faulty tool or just the wrong tool for the job?

Is the compressor putting out enough pressure to run your cut off tool? I seem to recall my cut off tool required alot. Check the cfm output on the compressor an see how much the cut off tool requires.

what size compressor do you have??? you need a whole lot of pressure to run a cutoff wheel, and it runs out quick with a small compressor.... I like body saws.... small and quick....but the small blades break easily..

Cutoff tools and grinders need a LOT of air. You need a serious compressor to drive them. Look at CFM ratings, they're the most important when dealing with tools like this. With my compressor, I can run the tool for maybe an inch or two cutting sheet before I have to pause and wait for the compressor to refill the tank.

A Dremel works well for some areas. Buy the fiber reinforced cutoff wheels. You go through them fast, but the cut is quick and smooth. The brown-colored cutoff wheels are pretty useless for cutting steel. They break apart way too easily.

Don't think it's supply problem. The compressor is a 5hp 20 gallon that is suppose to do 5@90. The compressor recovers pretty quickly after I shut off the tool and the lack of torque is from the get go.

Body saw? google here I come

QUOTE (swl @ Mar 25 2006, 07:07 PM)

Body saw? google here I come

this is the exact one I have.... hard to find blades for it though... but it cuts nice and quick..... HERE

Thanks James. I thought of the dremel but was thinking it might be a little light. I'll get some of the disks you suggested and have a go at it.

Body saw looks cool but I don't think I'll find one in town here. Right now I'm just opening up some ports in the inner rocker to see just how bad off the longs are. The dremmel might be good enough for that. If I go ahead with the repair (may be to far gone) It might be useful to have the body saw.

QUOTE

Don't think it's supply problem. The compressor is a 5hp 20 gallon that is suppose to do 5@90. The compressor recovers pretty quickly after I shut off the tool and the lack of torque is from the get go.

That wont supply the air you need. I had a 5.5hp 30 gallon craftsman that couldnt do sh*t.

I am using a 4 1/2 inch electric grinder . Cost about $20.00 from harbor freight, on sale. It can grind with a grinding attachment, or has 1/16 inch thick cutting wheel. this zips through sheet metal. It also can be used to only cut as deep as you want, as opposed to a saw that will saw all the way through. for instance, on the Longs, there are two separate layers. My outer layer had some rust, while the inner layer had none. I was able to just cut out the outer layer, while keeping the inner layer totally intact. this can also be done for other overlapping parts, etc. I use a dremel tool with a small cutter when I need to cut into a corner, etc. The smaller dremel cutters are very easy to break. I also have an air grinder that I use, but it does take a lot of air pressure, and volume. I have a 5 Hp compresser that does pretty well. Try putting a little oil in your air tool to maybe lube it up a little and get a better seal. Joe O.

Electric grinder or sawzall is the best....cheap and you can beat them to death.

I have found that air tools aren't as good unless you have a tank as big as Fat Albert and 220volt.....

This is the Saw that I use, Ingersol Rand model 429....

I too have a smaller compressor, I've been using it since 1983, it is a 2 horsepower, 20 gal. tank, 2 cylinder, and it runs on 220v, Mike is right about the size needed, however, I added about 60 feet of 1 " schedule 40 Pvc from my compressor, which routes up the wall and into the attic of my garage, then back down the other wall to the filter/regulator, then I run about 40 feet of rubber hose, and for the most part, my compressor keeps up with the tools that I use. I think the extra storage seems to help.

I then use the Ingersoll Rand model 301 for clean up, it really kicks ask

Go with the electric grinder (from experience) and some good cut-off wheels. Eats through sheet metal like a hobo on a ham sandwich. Plus you can get a wire cup brush later on to clean off surface rust and anything else that is buggin you. Sawzall works good too.

There's a big difference between air and electric, and when one is called for the other cannot substitute very well.

IMHO, when torque is needed electric is better. When it comes to grinding or cutting, I would use an electric grinder.

Looks like everyone has covered the basics and answered your question, but I wanted to reiterate what has been said by mentioning what works best for me.

I have a 5HP, 20 gallon Husky compressor similar to yours and it cannot do any heavy work like cutting or grinding. I believe that the CFM ratings that you see on air tools should be treated as minimums, and I know that both my cutting wheel and my die grinder just don't work for cutting with the 6CFM coming out of my Husky, but work well with the 12CFM from my 240V IR compressor.

What I recommend:

- electric 4 1/2" angle grinder, for cutting disks, grinding wheels and flap disks. The flap disks are nice for grinding with a little more delicately and giving a nicer, smoother finish than the grinding wheels. Several in different grits are nice to have, depending on what it is you just welded. I like to have 2 angle grinders, one with a cutting wheel on it at all times (harbor freight el cheapo), and another with one of the grinding wheels (nicer unit that can take more abuse) - speeds up a lot of work.
- electric drill and a wire cup. This is for taking off rust, paint and other messy stuff that would gum up the grinding wheels or flap disks.
- everything else are air tools, I even prefer my air drill to the electric one that I have.

Ive done a lot of sheet metal cutting with the angle grinder, and man I wish I just would have bought a good body saw before I started (just finished making a blast cabinet). My sawzall worked horribly for me (I had to clamp 2 pieces of angle iron with a gap inbetween just to get a straight line). The body saw should work well with your 110V compressor.

Hope this helps, and heres to not finding any surprises when you open up your longs.

- Michael

cheaper than the IR saw, I am getting this one:
Eastwood saber saw

cheaper than the IR saw, I am getting this one:
Eastwood saber saw

It just depends on what tool is needed for the job.

For small work, can't beat the dremel with the reinforced disks.

For big fast work, I love my Sears electric sawzall.

For little jobs a small hand nibbler works well. Nibbles out small rectangular bites. Getum at Radio Shack.

I also have a big ass OLD Campbell Haulsfeld 5 HP 220 compressor system with cast iron cylinders. It's like 12cfm at 90PSI or some ungodly figure. I bought it for the max airflow at 90 PSI. It WILL do the job but I like the electric stuff better.

Ken

I agree more tools = better coverage....I have a cutoff tool (air), a nibbler (air), shears(air) and one of the lil saws shown above (air)....they are all good but even my 60 gal 2 cyl 10cfm @ 90 22v comp will get tired after a while......

MY $.02 is a grinder for the $$$ and the various bits to attach. Oh and the dremel...with LOTS of disc's...they will break easy....

To answer the 1st post those cutoff wheels (air) are horribe air eaters...lil tank is a no go

Thanks everyone. Lots of good info there. The cutoff tool has been banished to the basement.

Dremel worked just fine. Not super fast but good enough - I had to be carefull to keep the rpm up and let the wheel do it's work.

I do have an electric grinder but I didn't know you could get cut off wheels for grinders (where is the blushing newbie smilie?). Working down there though I don't think I'd want to be slinging around the big grinder - god only knows how much damage I could do!

Thanks all.