Air powered 1/2" impact guns

I’m partial to ingersoll composite impacts. I have the 2135 ti max and used it professionally for years. Now it just sits as I don’t have air at home and my shop provides tools now.

I’ve always felt there was a major lack of power with the quiet version as compared to the loud one. I don’t believe it’s only 50lbs difference, but that’s just going by feel.

I have had the issue with the buttons popping out that someone mentioned, but only with my 3/8 gun.

I’ve always hated snap on air impacts. They’re heavy, I don’t like the forward/reverse shift mechanism, they’re loud and weaker than ingersolls.
 
i decided + ordered the Ingersol Rand 2135QXPA 1/2" gun $220 + tax. reading + learning that your air source as well as supply lines have a lot to do with the tools performance. its a made in China quite common with a year warranty + seeing that my over 20 year craftsman that has almost the same controls that i like lasted OVER 20 years being 74 YO this one should last as long as i can still DIY it. i am 74 going on a hundred + feel great + although slower still perform DIY decently + i attribute this to healthier lifestyle in my later years using nutritionals, exercise, + hormone replacement for 20 years, just keep on truckin + HELP YOURSELF be the best you can!!!
 
my old 1998 craftsman professional 1/2" impact "seems" to be weaker these days, only used by me an amateur DIYer on the same 60 gal craftsman standing compressor putting out 90 psi. reading i decided to get a larger 3/8 air hose + V fittings but shopping for another gun if needed in the $150 range + seems air cats are preferred with many price ranges + appreciate any real life reviews, thanks in advance,
See if you can find another craftsman professional since you got good life out of the original. That’s the one I use. It maybe 1/2 drive to take lug nuts off.
 
I like mine. It's simple and does the job. No fuss and great value IMO. Made in North Carolina. So I'm all for that too.
it’s made in taiwan says it on the box

tztool is the same thing for less money. they tried to send their attack dog torque test man to the amazon review section to get people to stop buying it.
 
I see the air impacts cheap at yard sales. Bought an IR 231 and a CP 734 for 15 bucks for both, recently, everyone switching to cordless I guess.
 
my old 1998 craftsman professional 1/2" impact "seems" to be weaker these days, only used by me an amateur DIYer on the same 60 gal craftsman standing compressor putting out 90 psi. reading i decided to get a larger 3/8 air hose + V fittings but shopping for another gun if needed in the $150 range + seems air cats are preferred with many price ranges + appreciate any real life reviews, thanks in advance,
1. 90 psi in the tank is NOT ENOUGH. Of course your impact gun is weak. You need 90 psi AT THE TOOL INLET, WITH THE TOOL RUNNING. My regulator is set at 130 psi, which gives me about 90 at the tool when I pull the trigger.

2. My elderly Snap-On IM510B, which I purchased used 'n' abused and had been using for ten years or so, seemed to be getting weaker. Even as a "used" impact with lots of use, it would EAT the new and nearly-new Company-supplied CP and IR impacts. It was the ONLY 1/2" drive impact in the entire plant that could properly tighten the jam-nuts on the big air conditioning high- and low-pressure copper tubes we worked on--but not any more. Getting tired. I was in a bind, I NEEDED high-torque for the job I was on at the moment. Bought a new Snappy MG725. As I was removing the whip hose from the old impact to install on the new impact...I saw that the filter screen just behind the air inlet was about 1/3 or more plugged with debris. I cleaned-out the debris and put the air hose back on it. The MG725 mostly sat in a drawer in my tool box while the warranty ran out. The ancient '510 was back to it's usual self, leaping IR 231s and CP 734s in a single bound.

3. REALLY GOOD PLAN to get the "Euro High-Flow" style quick-couplers, also sold as Milton "V" style. The Euro/V fittings have MUCH less restriction, allow more pressure/volume to get to the tool. The Prevost "safety" couplers in the high-flow style (green push-button) are strongly recommended, but very expensive. The Milton version is hard to connect.

4. I bought an AirCat 1680 aluminum-bodied 3/4" impact a few years ago. (Current version is 1680A, plastic housing) Have only need it a handful of times. Works great except on the scraper blade of my snow-plow; it won't take those nuts loose. I've heard good things about their product line, but I won't buy plastic-bodied impact guns. I want metal.
 
Last edited:
My Aircat 1150 has served me well. My old boss had a Dewalt impact that couldn’t take the bolts off his trencher chain. My 1150 did it with their weak air compressor and the low flow fittings. (I’ve switched all my stuff to high flow.)

I’m not really an electric fan yet unless it’s for junkyard.
 
it’s made in taiwan says it on the box

tztool is the same thing for less money. they tried to send their attack dog torque test man to the amazon review section to get people to stop buying it.

Shoot, you are correct and I was wrong. I read the info IN the Box and looked at the warranty card info - listed their NC address.

I didn't even look at labeling on the box.

Sigh. Well, I still like it though !!
 
Question? Why buy air powered when battery powered are so good these days?

An honest question.

I’m shadetree and haven’t even pulled out the pneumatic impact in years.

Battery powered will get you 1000 ft lbs or more , are portable, and awesome. The tire guys at my local tire store don’t even use air powered any longer. ALL their impacts are battery powered.

It’s an honest question.

If you’re in a factory maybe it makes sense to use air all day long.

Maybe folks just haven’t tried the battery impacts and aren’t familiar with them?

Maybe the pneumatics are better for farm equipment and large machinery? On a modern car/truck there is no bolt that can’t be taken off with a battery powered impact.

Most DIY people already own 18V batteries for their Dewalt, Ryobi, Bosch, Milwaukee drills, etc. Why not just pick up a battery impact for the batteries platform you already own?
 
Last edited:
In the $150 range I would pick up the IR 231. Old school, a little heavy and not quiet but it will last and is cheap and easy to rebuild. Great first gun for an apprentice as well.

Paco
 
off the impacts BUT the comment on hormones, male levels of test decline with age + estrogen usually rises especially if over weight or eat poorly as well as too much alky, so replacing T + controlling levels of estrodiol results in more go as well as better immune function, works for ME!!
 
I have an older model quiet predecessor to the IR 2135 quiet gun, as well as an Aircat 1150 as well for the "I'm done asking" mode. At first I was disappointed in the IR. Stepping up to high-flow fittings, ESPECIALLY the quick release right on the tank (don't forget that one!) really woke the IR up. That was years before the 1150 came out, I only bought it for a particular project, replacing the rusty rear suspension on my pickup, where breaking stuff off is a more than acceptable outcome.

I also have a little 3/8 Astro Pneumatic Nano that really rips, for a little guy. For a serious DIY person, I'm really set.
 
Off-topic for air wrenches; but my Milwaukee 2767 m18 battery powered impact will out torque anything so far mentioned on this page and I can throw it in the trunk and carry it with me. https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Power-Tools/Fastening/Impact-Wrenches/2767-20
I've taken off crankshaft bolts for myself and a couple neighbors who had "wussie" air impacts. If there is room to get the Milwaukee on it on an auto or light truck, it's coming loose. Period.
I own two milwaukee M18 half inch impacts and love them. I have my air tools just sitting in the tool box resting waiting for some use.
 
Question? Why buy air powered when battery powered are so good these days?

An honest question.

I’m shadetree and haven’t even pulled out the pneumatic impact in years.

Battery powered will get you 1000 ft lbs or more , are portable, and awesome. The tire guys at my local tire store don’t even use air powered any longer. ALL their impacts are battery powered.

It’s an honest question.

If you’re in a factory maybe it makes sense to use air all day long.

Maybe folks just haven’t tried the battery impacts and aren’t familiar with them?

Maybe the pneumatics are better for farm equipment and large machinery? On a modern car/truck there is no bolt that can’t be taken off with a battery powered impact.

Most DIY people already own 18V batteries for their Dewalt, Ryobi, Bosch, Milwaukee drills, etc. Why not just pick up a battery impact for the batteries platform you already own?

Tire shops seem to be the hold out on pneumatic impacts as it's usually the business that buys them not the employee.

A lot of Transmission builders still use pneumatic because the "after spin" once the trigger is released.....I had to reprogram myself to hold the trigger down longer when tearing down a unit with a battery powered impact.
 
Question? Why buy air powered when battery powered are so good these days?

An honest question.

I’m shadetree and haven’t even pulled out the pneumatic impact in years.

Battery powered will get you 1000 ft lbs or more , are portable, and awesome. The tire guys at my local tire store don’t even use air powered any longer. ALL their impacts are battery powered.

It’s an honest question.

If you’re in a factory maybe it makes sense to use air all day long.

Maybe folks just haven’t tried the battery impacts and aren’t familiar with them?

Maybe the pneumatics are better for farm equipment and large machinery? On a modern car/truck there is no bolt that can’t be taken off with a battery powered impact.

Most DIY people already own 18V batteries for their Dewalt, Ryobi, Bosch, Milwaukee drills, etc. Why not just pick up a battery impact for the batteries platform you already own?
I can tell you this much for sure; I don't work in the automotive industry, I work in the welding industry as in power plants, chemical & oil refineries, Steel buildings and bridges, heavy construction, etc. We use gang battery chargers that charge 6 batteries at once. https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Batteries-and-Chargers/M18-Batteries-and-Chargers/48-59-1806 NO ONE uses air tools anymore for hand tools. Power cords too much hassle. OSHA violation to have cords on the floor, and there USED to be 100+ cords going in all directions on commercial jobsites. They MUST be run overhead or they are a trip hazard. Battery operated tools are now industry standard and they are used by Ironworkers, Boilermakers, Steamfitters, Pipefitters, Carpenters, Plumbers, Electricians, Drywallers, etc.
The only things using air anymore are BIG industrial tools that would be impractical to battery power; a sandblaster using a 1" supply hose, jackhammers, air powered tuggers (chain hoists) with 6 & 12 ton capacity, none of which the most avid mechanic has any use for at home or in the garage.
 
while working YEARS ago on building construction the tool battery charging was a Pita on temporary power + an night with the battery lifts used on many jobs the TEMPORARY power would go out overnight, enter the workers with low lift power + dead battery tools!! thank goodness there was regular electric power tools!!!
 
Question? Why buy air powered when battery powered are so good these days?

An honest question.

I’m shadetree and haven’t even pulled out the pneumatic impact in years.

Battery powered will get you 1000 ft lbs or more , are portable, and awesome. The tire guys at my local tire store don’t even use air powered any longer. ALL their impacts are battery powered.

It’s an honest question.

If you’re in a factory maybe it makes sense to use air all day long.

Maybe folks just haven’t tried the battery impacts and aren’t familiar with them?

Maybe the pneumatics are better for farm equipment and large machinery? On a modern car/truck there is no bolt that can’t be taken off with a battery powered impact.

Most DIY people already own 18V batteries for their Dewalt, Ryobi, Bosch, Milwaukee drills, etc. Why not just pick up a battery impact for the batteries platform you already own?
Have you looked at the size of a cordless impact that can deliver 1000 ftlb, not the nut busting fantasy number on the box? Real torque on a real testing machine usually results in little more then half of that and the gun is going to be huge, so big it becomes almost useless for automotive use. If you do buy one that can produce a legitimate 850 ftlb it will weigh about 8 lb be almost a foot long and cost more than an air powered unit that is much smaller, lighter and easier to handle.

The other misconception is with torque numbers, drills use torque which is turning force where impacts use hammer blows, a slower impact with bigger hammer(s) will remove a tight or rusted bolt easier than a cordless that has more blows per minute from a pin clutch mechanism or smaller hammers. Too much torque will just break bolts off, for automotive use big hammer blows always wins. Big cordless are better suited for commercial use. I used a larger cordless on a badly rusted bolt and it broke it, in this case it was not a bad thing as it had a nut on the other side but if that was a sub frame bolt that went into a captured nut in the body it would have been a serious problem, strangely enough the old under powered (on paper) IR 231 hits those type of bolts with enough blows and hard enough to rattle them loose.

I use mid size and smaller cordless a lot and most of the time they do the job but when they wont the answer is generally not a bigger cordless.
Inside the engine bay or interior of the car they are a great tool, for taking 15 year old rotten rust belt suspension and frame parts apart in tight places they are not up to the job, most of the time they are too big to even get in there.
Think of one as an addition to the other not a replacement, having both opens up a lot of alternatives. There is much more to impacts than just air or cordless. Just remember the numbers on the box are nothing more than advertising and useless info.
 
Back
Top