# Tow behind air compressor?



## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

50 cfm won't run a nail gun. What tools do you use?


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## kameljoe21 (Feb 25, 2015)

I checked its a gas unit with 110 CFM. 

50cfm will run a lot of tools, You must not understand Cubic Feet per Minute. 
Units like this are measured in Actual *cubic feet per minute* (ACFM).
Most air tools run between a few cfm to 10 or 15 depending on why type it is... examples

Dual Action Sander6 CFMGrease/caulking Gun4 CFMHigh Speed Grinder 5"4 CFMImpact Wrench 1/2"5 CFM


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

> You must not understand Cubic Feet per Minute.


How silly of me. I've been doing this for over 25 years all wrong, I guess. You must count air loss during operation for accuracy. If the unit runs at 110 cfm, you're good.


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## kameljoe21 (Feb 25, 2015)

Would a large compressor work for my shop tools with no problems? 
Even with the huge cfm, I have used a unit like this some years ago for a jack hammer, I just have never used one with small air tools. Would something like this be ideal?


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

It would run about any air tool you ever want to run with it, but not very efficient for small tools. The engine would need to be running the whole time you need to use air otherwise the holding tank just bleeds down rather quickly. These compressors can just sit and cycle as needed, just like any other air compressor. The compressor loads and unloads as needed to produce air and maintain a set pressure on the tank.

Gas engines can get finicky when they sit around a lot, so it could be problematic to get it started every time you need it. Personally I wouldn't want to have to crank it up and listen to it every time I needed a little air. Yes you could fill a large tank like the 500 gallon and then isolate it and shut down the compressor. For small tools that would last a while, air hungry tools like grinders or sanders would go through it fairly quick requiring another start up. 

We have an 85 CFM diesel at work and use it to run all kinds of tools from a blow gun, die grinder, 4" grinder to impacts from 3/8" to 1-1/2" drive, even a couple jackhammers. I have a Chicago fitting adapted down to a manifold with Milton fittings and a couple 1/2" hoses for smaller tools. The tank pressure on our compressor is easily adjustable from about 80psi up to 150 or so. The engine idles down when the compressor unloads and revs up when it loads, just like any other small engine powered compressor would.

It would work but in my opinion it would be far from ideal. Besides noisy and having to start it up every time, the compressor and the extra tank take up a lot of room. Being outside in all kinds of weather you would probably get a lot of moisture in your air.


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## CrazyGuy (Nov 18, 2017)

Not sure if you are in the middle of nowhere or have neighbors, but if you have close neighbors I don't think this is a good idea, among other reasons like Iamrfixit said above.


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## kameljoe21 (Feb 25, 2015)

I am in the middle of no where, my neighbor make more noise than this thing would. 

I think I will go take a look at it this weekend. 

Thanks for your help.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Back in the 70s I worked for an outfit that had a couple of pull behind compressors. The smaller one had a 2 cylinder engine and about a 50 gallon tank. The larger one had a 4 cylinder engine. I don't know how big the tank was but the entire thing was about the size of a mini van. It was used to power multiple sandblasters more than anything else.

What type of air tools are you using? how many at a time? Sanding [and blasting] grinding and painting require the most cfm.


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