# air tool oil



## joetab24 (Apr 10, 2009)

borrowed a compressor and pneumatic framing gun. my friend gave me some air tool oil to add. do i add it where the gun and cord connect AND where the cord and compressor connect? thanks for your help


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

I don't have a framer, but I put a drop or two where the hose connects on my 18 gauge.


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## analogmusicman (Feb 4, 2008)

I use just 1 drop of 3 in 1 oil right in the fitting on the gun that the air hose connects to


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## dc loud (Apr 17, 2010)

Yes I believe the previous posters are correct. 
Add the oil to the tool where the air hose connects to it, then connect the tool to the compressor and fire away. Do not add oil to where the hose connects with the compressor or you can expect fouling of your air line in short time. DC


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## vsheetz (Sep 28, 2008)

yup - 

http://blogs.toolbarn.com/brianm/2006/03/air-tool-maintenance-oil-filters-and.html


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## joetab24 (Apr 10, 2009)

thanks guys!


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

be careful to not over oil. couple drops every 6-8hrs is plenty


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

analogmusicman said:


> I use just 1 drop of 3 in 1 oil right in the fitting on the gun that the air hose connects to


 I was taught to never ever use lubricating oil in any compressed air application, as the 'diesel' effect can cause an explosion.
Its my understanding that air tool lubricant is to be used only!


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

"Wildies" post caught my attention.I'm not cutting "Wildie". I worked in industrial maintenance for 38 years, working with all types of pneumatic equipment, tools, and air compressors. In My Honest, Educated, opinion: air tool lubricant is lubricating oil. ALL of the air line, air tool lube oils I have ever ran across was petroleum based oils. I was in a position to have the MSDS sheets on ALL lubricants we used in two of our plants and ALL lubricants we used were petro based. Our air line lubricants, and any special "air line lubricants" we may have bought had the MSDS sheets and I had to read/understand them. For air tools, automatic air line lubricators, we used just plain old 5W non-detergent oil. Call it motor oil, call it special air line oil, the MSDS sheets read the same as to what the oils contained, and their base product--refined crude oil(s). Ironically, for our air compressors, 360 HP, 1500 [email protected] PSI, we used a 30W non-detergent oil that the MSDS sheet read almost exactly the same as the air line lubes, just a different viscosity. I agree with "tpolk", over-lubing is probably more harmful to an air tool than under-lubing. As far as using synthetics--think twice: _Some_ "O"-rings in air tools are not designed to use with synthetics and the O-rings will deteriorate very quickly with synthetics. I use plain ole' 5W non-detergent motor oil, straight from the auto parts store, in my nailers, air grinders, air drill, etc. Just a few drops every so often, depending on use. NO problems. David


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

Thurman said:


> "Wildies" post caught my attention.I'm not cutting "Wildie". I worked in industrial maintenance for 38 years, working with all types of pneumatic equipment, tools, and air compressors. In My Honest, Educated, opinion: air tool lubricant is lubricating oil. ALL of the air line, air tool lube oils I have ever ran across was petroleum based oils. I was in a position to have the MSDS sheets on ALL lubricants we used in two of our plants and ALL lubricants we used were petro based. Our air line lubricants, and any special "air line lubricants" we may have bought had the MSDS sheets and I had to read/understand them. For air tools, automatic air line lubricators, we used just plain old 5W non-detergent oil. Call it motor oil, call it special air line oil, the MSDS sheets read the same as to what the oils contained, and their base product--refined crude oil(s). Ironically, for our air compressors, 360 HP, 1500 [email protected] PSI, we used a 30W non-detergent oil that the MSDS sheet read almost exactly the same as the air line lubes, just a different viscosity. I agree with "tpolk", over-lubing is probably more harmful to an air tool than under-lubing. As far as using synthetics--think twice: _Some_ "O"-rings in air tools are not designed to use with synthetics and the O-rings will deteriorate very quickly with synthetics. I use plain ole' 5W non-detergent motor oil, straight from the auto parts store, in my nailers, air grinders, air drill, etc. Just a few drops every so often, depending on use. NO problems. David


 Thanks David, for your detailed reply! My instruction came from my airforce training, more years ago, than I care to admit! Who says you can't teach an old dog, new tricks!
I'm not a major pneumatic user! Just a compressor, a couple of nailers and a socket driver!
The operating manuals for these say that air tool lubricant only, is to be used! I assumed the reason for this was to avoid an explosion!
I suppose that it may be, as you say, to avoid damaging the seals!


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## analogmusicman (Feb 4, 2008)

dc loud said:


> Yes I believe the previous posters are correct.
> Add the oil to the tool where the air hose connects to it, then connect the tool to the compressor and fire away. Do not add oil to where the hose connects with the compressor or you can expect fouling of your air line in short time. DC


 
hmmm...have you ever experienced this "fouling"? just wondering because there are automatic oilers for most compressors and I assume they attach to the output of the compressor.

tnx,


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## Inertially (May 2, 2010)

Where do you get non-detergent motor oil? 

All modern motor oils have detergents/additives.

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/AskMobil/Is_Mobil_1_a_Detergent_Oil.aspx


I have a feeling any 0w/5W-20/30 oil is fine.
Shop teacher used that without problems.


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

analogmusicman said:


> I use just 1 drop of 3 in 1 oil right in the fitting on the gun that the air hose connects to


:thumbsup:


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