Buying a rattle gun

[cbfb]

Got a compressor a while back, which is apparently rated at ,200L/m(6.4cfm), 2.5HP, 115psi, 40L tank.

It's proved indispensable for running an air ratchet, tyre inflator, blow gun, degrease gun etc. But it came with a SCA 1/2" Impact Wrench which is absolute crap, won't undo stuff I can loosen easily with one hand using a 3/8 ratchet.

Don't use a rattle gun much, as can normally just use a long breaker bar, but it would be great for taking off wheel nuts etc. Other thing is I'm looking at doing the cambelt on my Galant in the next few weeks, would be easier with a rattle gun.

So there's no point me spending silly money on a really good one (would love to but don't have the spare cash), can anyone recommend a reasonably priced (or even one of the cheaper) ones that could at least undo wheel nuts etc? Seen a lot on TM but not convinced.

[tgaguy1]

With rattle guns you get what you pay for. There are no short cuts. If fitting wheels with a rattle gun, make sure you apply the final torque with a power bar or wheel brace. The wheel nuts will come off if you just rattle them up, especially using cheap Chinese guns (Learned that lesson the hard way )

[cbfb]

Won't be putting anything on with the gun, just taking it off.

What I want to know is what sort of price range are you looking at for a gun that will do what I want? I'm not a pro, it won't get a hell of a lot of use but it does have to do the repetetive jobs like getting wheel nuts off.

Second hand guns are an option, just struggling to find anything

[rokhound]

unfortunatly I think you will struggle to find anything that will be really good when you are only running 6.4cfm. A lot of these tools require 6-9cfm at 90 psi and if your compressor doesn't have the grunt you are wasting your money.
Grab a copy of the latest shed magazine, there is a good article on compressors in it.

[cbfb]

Hmmm, didn't think about the compressor. Bugger.

Nah can't afford to get a new one of those as well. Will have to be a bigger breaker bar and step up the weight lifting lol

[wjw]

I'm looking to buy a battery powered impact wrench now as the compressor + gun combo worked out waaay too high

[cbfb]

Aye that's one way to go, you had a play with any? The guys at bunnings reckon they're the nuts but I'd want to try one out first

[pressy]

the snap-on ones are the best i have tryed. very torquee. just the price isnt the best, but you get what you pay for.

[Overkill]

I'm looking to buy a battery powered impact wrench

Mint piece of kit to have in your truck, seen them at work and they go REALLY well, will be getting myself one soon

[mud_slinger]

just out of curiousosity, have you changed the speed on the rattle gun, should have a knob that turns it up and down speed wise

[Cleary]

I'm looking to buy a battery powered impact wrench

Mint piece of kit to have in your truck, seen them at work and they go REALLY well, will be getting myself one soon

Try iTools for any battery powered kit - they seem to be pretty cheap.

http://www.i-tools.co.nz

[Lynx]

I have that rattle gun, use it every day, absolutely no issues with it.

Cheers Daniel

[Overkill]

just out of curiousosity, have you changed the speed on the rattle gun, should have a knob that turns it up and down speed wise

The one I watched power away was one from Supercheap Autos, here's a link to a digital torque adjuster one......

http://www.amazon.com/Nocord-Digital-Co ... B0014JL5YQ

Not cordless, but corded which would be better for the time when you go to get a tyre off your truck to find the batteries flat

[cbfb]

the snap-on ones are the best i have tryed. very torquee. just the price isnt the best, but you get what you pay for.

Ouch, yeah the prices are up there, worth about as much as my work hack. But yeah I agree I'm probably looking for a cheap(er) solution when there just isn't one.

I'm looking to buy a battery powered impact wrench now as the compressor + gun combo worked out waaay too high

I'm looking to buy a battery powered impact wrench

Mint piece of kit to have in your truck, seen them at work and they go REALLY well, will be getting myself one soon

Do you guys mean the 18v cordless drill type ones, or the real cheap 12v ones that run off the car battery? Had written the 12v car battery ones off as being shite, are they worth a look?

I have that rattle gun, use it every day, absolutely no issues with it.

Cheers Daniel

Was hoping someone might have the same gun, wondered if mine is just a dodgy one. What sort of compressor are you running? Got mine on 90 psi. Will it undo wheel nuts etc easily?

just out of curiousosity, have you changed the speed on the rattle gun, should have a knob that turns it up and down speed wise

Yeah it did take me a while to figure that out, but it was already set to the highest setting, adjusting it seems to make little difference.

just out of curiousosity, have you changed the speed on the rattle gun, should have a knob that turns it up and down speed wise

The one I watched power away was one from Supercheap Autos, here's a link to a digital torque adjuster one......

http://www.amazon.com/Nocord-Digital-Co ... B0014JL5YQ

Not cordless, but corded which would be better for the time when you go to get a tyre off your truck to find the batteries flat

They look pretty good, wouldn't care less about whether it's corded or not. Corded prob better actually so it's not gonna go flat. Want one for when I rotate the wheels or have a job to do on the car. If it's an emergency wheel change a wheel brace and a bit of grunt will be fine.

[Lynx]

Used mine on shop air and the compressor in my van, 110psi, yeah wheel nuts no problem, even uses 3/4 sockets on it somtimes. I suspect your compressor is just too small.

Cheers Daniel

[cbfb]

p.s. you reckon this would be ok for changing wheels and doing the cambelt etc? what about really tough ones like changing cv joints etc? tried that before wouldn't want to have a go again without a good impact wrench

[rob-mu]

I have used my mates 1/2inch snap on electric rattle gun and that thing was brutal,Undid anything i tried
Cheers
Rob

[cbfb]

Used mine on shop air and the compressor in my van, 110psi, yeah wheel nuts no problem, even uses 3/4 sockets on it somtimes. I suspect your compressor is just too small.

Cheers Daniel

Might be worth putting the pressure up to 110 then, that might help, didn't know if it was safe to push them past 90, can't find the bloody instructions. Also I'm running a long (30m?) hose, that would account for a bit of a drop in pressure by the time it got to the business end no? Might have to look for a short hose just for jobs involving the rattle gun.

[Lynx]

My hose is 40m, i think your reading into this a bit much, your compressor is just not built for it. Try upping the pressure, but i doubt it will help you.

Cheers Daniel

[nzhunter]

I have used my mates 1/2inch snap on electric rattle gun and that thing was brutal,Undid anything i tried
Cheers
Rob

I've got one of these, its the best tool I've ever bought, if i broke it I'd buy another tomorrow, thats how good it is. I work as a diesel mechanic for Goughs CAT so it gets thrashed day in day out in the field. I also have a snap on 1/2" air rattle gun which I haven't used at all in about 6 months since I've had the electric one. I compared them all but the next best to the snap on one is a dewalt version but its not as good. Make sure you get the big grunty gun though not the little one. I'm actually just about to sell my current one to upgrade into the latest version, if anyones interested i'll be selling it

Dan

[cbfb]

Bugger, will have to look at an electric one then.
Dan what are you looking at for your old gun? PM me if you want.

[sibainmud]

Used mine on shop air and the compressor in my van, 110psi, yeah wheel nuts no problem, even uses 3/4 sockets on it somtimes. I suspect your compressor is just too small.

Cheers Daniel

Might be worth putting the pressure up to 110 then, that might help, didn't know if it was safe to push them past 90, can't find the bloody instructions. Also I'm running a long (30m?) hose, that would account for a bit of a drop in pressure by the time it got to the business end no? Might have to look for a short hose just for jobs involving the rattle gun.

With rattle guns it's not the pressure at the end of the hose, it's the flow rate through the hose. I have used a rattler to get my flywheel off using a $120 Supercrap compressor to run it. You just have to wait for the compressor to cut out @120psi, then you get 5 seconds of full power before you will have to wait again. While I was waiting, I gave each bolt head a smack with the trusty 16oz ball pein. Worked a treat.
When I ran the same gun at a workshop with a 18cfm compressor we hook 2 old LPG tanks to the system as accumulators to help with the flow rate.
Another tip is to ditch the standard 3/8 (10mm) hose in favour of 1/2 (13mm) hose.

P.S, How much for the snap-on second hand gun?

Cheers,

[cbfb]

Used mine on shop air and the compressor in my van, 110psi, yeah wheel nuts no problem, even uses 3/4 sockets on it somtimes. I suspect your compressor is just too small.

Cheers Daniel

Might be worth putting the pressure up to 110 then, that might help, didn't know if it was safe to push them past 90, can't find the bloody instructions. Also I'm running a long (30m?) hose, that would account for a bit of a drop in pressure by the time it got to the business end no? Might have to look for a short hose just for jobs involving the rattle gun.

With rattle guns it's not the pressure at the end of the hose, it's the flow rate through the hose. I have used a rattler to get my flywheel off using a $120 Supercrap compressor to run it. You just have to wait for the compressor to cut out @120psi, then you get 5 seconds of full power before you will have to wait again. While I was waiting, I gave each bolt head a smack with the trusty 16oz ball pein. Worked a treat.
When I ran the same gun at a workshop with a 18cfm compressor we hook 2 old LPG tanks to the system as accumulators to help with the flow rate.
Another tip is to ditch the standard 3/8 (10mm) hose in favour of 1/2 (13mm) hose.

P.S, How much for the snap-on second hand gun?

Cheers,

Will give it a go at 120 psi, if that doesn't work i'll be buying an electric gun. cheers

[wjw]

I'll be buying one of these as it matches my drill... so no new batteries or charger:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =391667814

It's also rated higher than the dewalt one.

[madlux]

ditch the compressor, get a battery rattle gun, snap on or dewalt.

[will i am]

i bought my blue point rattle gun off the snap on truck
$300 on special. real light weight
and it pisses on our battery snap on rattle guns when the compressor is at full load

[wjw]

I'll be buying one of these as it matches my drill... so no new batteries or charger:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =391667814

It's also rated higher than the dewalt one.

bought this, its great, on one charge I've done the truck tyres 4 times, front bumper twice and rick use it in his workshop for an afternoon and its still going.

[cbfb]

I'll be buying one of these as it matches my drill... so no new batteries or charger:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =391667814

It's also rated higher than the dewalt one.

bought this, its great, on one charge I've done the truck tyres 4 times, front bumper twice and rick use it in his workshop for an afternoon and its still going.

That's impressive - what do they set you back?

[wjw]

$248 for the bare tool as I already have a battery and charger set with my drill. Looked at the DeWalt equivalent as I have one of those drills too, but they don't have as much torque.

[cbfb]

$248 for the bare tool as I already have a battery and charger set with my drill. Looked at the DeWalt equivalent as I have one of those drills too, but they don't have as much torque.

Not bad! A bit out of reach at present cause I'm saving up for a welder but maybe a xmas present!