Words by Ramsay Beacham
Photography by Lachlan Payne

High-pressure air isn’t just for pumping up your tyres after a beach run. A decent air compressor has a list of applications as long as your arm, and can be one of the most versatile tools in the shed.

No matter what you’re working on, you can bet your bottom dollar a compressor and some associated air-driven tools will reduce the job by half. If you’re a regular DIYer, an air compressor is one of the best investments you can make.

While 12V compressors can pump up a tyre in a respectable fashion, they’re not really suitable for operating most air tools. Although they may make it to the required pressures, most of these things require high volumes of air too.

Most 240V shed compressors will be rated in CFM, which stands for cubic feet per minute. The higher the CFM, the less time you will spend waiting for the compressor to fill the tank up.

For pumping up tyres and footballs, you don’t need a high CFM capacity, and even intermittent-use items like rattle guns are okay.

However, if you’re planning on spray painting a whole 4WD, it’s a different story. You may want to consider a bigger, more powerful unit, usually with a separate motor and compressor.

A rattle gun makes it all that much easier to swap your muddies on for the weekend	By checking and adjusting your tyre pressures every fortnight or so, you’ll maximise the handling of your 4WD and the life of your tyres
At just $154 from SuperCheap Auto, this 50-piece kit is great value. It contained a rattle gun, rattle ratchet, air chisel and air gun. It also contained a variety of sockets and fittings, and even a little inline oiler	For making homemade drawer systems and other woodworking pieces, there are a variety of nail and staple guns available

Applications

Imagine you have a compressor full of high-pressure air sitting in your workshop, a retractable hose reel and a good-quality tyre inflator/gauge. You would be more inclined to check your tyre pressures every couple of weeks.

This practice ensures that you’re running optimum tyre pressures at all times. Hopefully, you will pick up on any slow leaks or scuffed tyres in time to do something proactive about it – like pump them up.

Speaking of tyres, you can also act out your very own pit-crew pantomime with a rattle gun on hand. Not only will it see you swapping your weekend muddies in record time, they’re also great for removing bolts from all over your 4WD at a rapid pace.

Be thoughtful of smaller bolts and ones that are seized or rusted. A rattle gun can strip threads beyond recognition in the blink of an eye.
Another handy specimen is the rattle ratchet, which works in the same way as a normal hand ratchet.

However, once you’ve loosened a nut or bolt, they simulate a speedy back and forth action to remove the bolt for you. This is especially handy in confined spaces where you can’t get a decent swing with an ordinary ratchet.

General-purpose air guns can be found in many shapes and sizes to suit a range of applications. You will find yourself using these every day, blowing down the workbench, or giving your air filter a quick touch-up.

The uses of an air gun are only limited by your imagination.

Whenever you join a fitting to a hose or air tool, make sure you use plumber’s tape to avoid any leaks	This die-grinder kit comes with a variety of stones suitable for even the most finicky of jobs
With some research and practice, you could give your fourby a cut-price re-spray. Maybe do some airbrushing while you’re at it...	These multi-purpose sprayers are great for applying degreaser or truck wash to a dirty wheel, body or engine bay, amongst other things

If your fourby has the odd patch of rust here and there, one is thing for sure – it’s not going to heal itself. Some air-operated items that will come in handy during bodywork include air sanders, air nibblers, air grinders and cutters, and of course, the good old spray gun.

With a bit of know-how and some practice, you can clean up these small areas. Or, for the ultra enthusiastic, a complete body respray is never out of the question.
SuperCheap Auto can also supply you with all the other necessities involved in body repair work, from sandpaper and paint removers through to a full range of paint colours, styles and sheens.

A basic direct-drive air compressor will set you back upwards of around $100. However, you can also get a separate motor compressor from SuperCheap Auto for around $499 on a good day.

Thirty metres of hose with quick-connect fittings will sting you around $60, or you could go the whole hog and get a retractable hose reel and hose for around $124.

A basic five-piece starter’s kit consisting of an air gun, spray gun, tyre inflator, liquid sprayer and short hose will set you back another $50 or so. Other ultra handy air tools include a die grinder at $40, air drill at $70, and air grinder at $90.

If you’re into building your own drawers and other woodwork pieces, you might want to consider an air stapler at around $50. An air compressor has almost unlimited uses, and new air tools emerge every year.

If you can’t find the fitting you’re looking for here at SuperCheap Auto, it’s time to get some new glasses	Some air tools require oil before every use to keep them well lubricated. Often all that is needed is a couple of drops down the hatchet
A retractable hose reel is a good option to keep your shed nice and clean	Many tools that would normally run off electricity are sold as an equivalent air-powered item, including grinders and sanders

The Costs

A basic direct-drive air compressor will set you back upwards of around $100. However, you can also get a separate motor compressor from SuperCheap Auto for around $499 on a good day.

Thirty metres of hose with quick-connect fittings will sting you around $60, or you could go the whole hog and get a retractable hose reel and hose for around $124.

A basic five-piece starter’s kit consisting of an air gun, spray gun, tyre inflator, liquid sprayer and short hose will set you back another $50 or so. Other ultra handy air tools include a die grinder at $40, air drill at $70, and air grinder at $90.

If you’re into building your own drawers and other woodwork pieces, you might want to consider an air stapler at around $50. An air compressor has almost unlimited uses, and new air tools emerge every year.

Goodbye wagon, hello dual-cab ute. This air chisel came in a kit along with the rattle gun and rattle ratchet. It’ll make short work (if a little rough) of most bits of metal	Air guns come in many shapes and sizes, and are great for both blowing out dirty air filters and pumping up footballs
Both your compressor and most air tools you use will require lubrication	A separate motor and compressor model will generally cost more than a direct-drive air compressor, but they are usually much heavier duty

The Limits

An air drill is much more compact than its electric equivalent

The list of air-operated tools that you can run off a compressor goes on, and on, and on.

It includes but is not limited to air staplers and nailers, air-operated grease guns and even pop riveters.

To justify an air-operated grease gun, I reckon you’d either have to have arthritis, carpel-tunnel syndrome or a fetish for greasing your undercarriage to no end.

If you don’t have yourself a good air compressor yet, get on it. They’re a bloody handy thing.

In my opinion, they’re an integral part of every good shed.