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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

CFM

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mwkellner

01-12-2006 09:59:56




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My dad's air compressor is a Craftsman 3hp / 12 gallon / 100psi. It says 7CFM @ 90psi on it. I know that sometimes specs are exagerated for marketing. My question is when I am looking at air tools can I use 7CFM as a realistic measure? I have very little experience with air tools and need y'all's help learning. Thanks alot.




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mwkellner

01-13-2006 06:06:08




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 Re: CFM in reply to mwkellner, 01-12-2006 09:59:56  
Thanks for all of your replies. Right now we only use nail guns with it. I was thinking of getting an air chisel and/or needle scaler. I think that those tools use about 4 CFM. What do y'all think of a small sand blaster for OCCASIONAL use. I know nothing about them but could use one from time to time (after getting ripped off a couple of times paying to have it done).



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CNKS

01-13-2006 11:38:35




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 Re: CFM in reply to mwkellner, 01-13-2006 06:06:08  
Forget the sandblaster--you need at least 15 cfm for that, then it will still be very slow. As to getting ripped off, you will pay almost as much for sand alone as it will cost to have it done by someone in the business. The large sandblasters, 250 cfm or more, will actually use less sand than a home unit. Only advantage of doing it yourself is the convenience, that is a plus for me -- I have done it both ways.

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paul

01-12-2006 22:35:33




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 Re: CFM in reply to mwkellner, 01-12-2006 09:59:56  
A lot of tools need 4.x, next notch is 6.x, then you get into seriously big demands.....

Things you use in small bursts, like a impact or a nailer can get by with even less.

Fast spinning tools, like a drill or a sander or a grinder take a lot.

Your tank is kinda small, not much reserve, sometimes the pump specs are a bit, um, optimistic.... But you should be able to run a lot of the basics for home use.

--->Paul

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jpuleo

01-12-2006 17:15:03




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 Re: CFM in reply to mwkellner, 01-12-2006 09:59:56  
You can run almost any air tool on it. Problem is you will only be able to run them for a few seconds. Fine for impacts and ratchets. bad for sanders and grinders. Not good for paint sprayers. But if you want to run an impact for occasional use it will be fine. But it gets pretty usless when you can grind for 8 seconds and them wait 50 seconds for it to refill. WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU WANT TO DO?



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CNKS

01-12-2006 14:19:09




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 Re: CFM in reply to mwkellner, 01-12-2006 09:59:56  
The figure simply means that the compressor will keep up with a tool that uses 7 cfm of air at 90 psi. That figure is supposed to be accurate, not saying it is. Yes, you can match air tools to that -- I would look for tools that use somewhat less than that, in case the measurments are not exact -- better yet, buy a larger compressor.



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Slowpoke

01-12-2006 11:27:54




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 Re: CFM in reply to mwkellner, 01-12-2006 09:59:56  
If you take a 200 mile trip in a truck that gets 7 miles/gallon and a 12 gallon tank, you'll have to stop and fill up often. You'll spend time waiting for the tank to fill before getting to your destination.
It's the same with air tools and the compressor. If the tool (engine) uses more air (fuel) than tank can supply before the task is done, You will have to stop and wait till the tank fills up again before you can finish the job. With air, if you don't have enough, the pressure continues to drop untill the tool no longer works. Then you wait.

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VaTom

01-12-2006 10:47:02




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 Re: CFM in reply to mwkellner, 01-12-2006 09:59:56  
As Old points out, you can use a larger tool on a smaller compressor. You'll run out of air and have to quit working until the compressor catches up. A solution is to have more storage. I had an 80 gal tank with a compressor smaller than yours. Worked very well until I blew up the compressor sand blasting.

Now I have 140 gal storage and a larger compressor. Pretty hard to have too much. 12 gal isn't much storage.

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old

01-12-2006 10:35:56




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 Re: CFM in reply to mwkellner, 01-12-2006 09:59:56  
Well you can use a tool that say uses 10 CFM on a 7 cfm system but it will not do as much. Best way is if you can get a compressor that puts out twice the CFM that the tool calls for but I know in the real world that never works out. Best way to say it is the more CFM the compressor has the better off you are for what you can do.



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