saw a new set up and my local yard today. for like $159.00 (CDN) you can hook up your small guns to a small (9oz) cylinder that clips onto your belt.
Wow! looks cool enough. claims 500 shots.
Then later in the day was at my local tool house and saw they had the same set up on sale for $99.00 (CDN)
now I get really interested. guy says I can get the canisters refilled at any paintball shop. ( they also refill them) So I told him to put my name down for when they come in.
Totally impulse descision ( not that that ever happens when it comes to tools) But anyway – now I’m wondering what’s the deal? I thought these things were brand new – as today was 1st I’ve ever seen of them. But I did a search and seems they been around since at least ’06. Found a bit of old BT feed back, but am wondering if anyone has had anything new to say about this set up.
thanks for any input.
Jacpac Co2 system link:
http://www.supplierpipeline.com/video2.asp?btype=need&products=y&videos=y&vidjpq=y
Edited 2/1/2008 11:36 pm by alrightythen
Replies
Lowes sells something like that under the Kobalt name, might be the same thing.
I've got one and it's great for the odd job that needs air but too much of a hastle to bring out the compressor. it works great with no regrets.
Edit to add: but the belt thing doens't cuyt it for me, means I'll be toting the bottle and the gun everywhere I go. Don't need any extra weight. I just leave it on the floor.
Edited 2/2/2008 9:22 am ET by john7g
I was actually questioning the belt aspect. didn't know if if the canister is too tippy and would maybe need a small stand built for it to sit in. View Image View Image
It's really no big deal leaving it lay on it's side, works without an issue so far. Having it on your belt means carrying your gun with you everywhere too, to the chop saw, to the truck...
yeah I thought about the gun being tethered to you as well. View Image View Image
The Kobalt version at Lowes is identical to the Jacpac, except for the case is diff.If you buy it at Lowes, it comes with a empty tank and they'll give you a free 2nd tank at the time of purchase - you choose whether your 2nd tank is a small one or larger one.Get the larger one - the small one's don't last that long.It doesn't allow for rapid firing of guns, and probably the usability is limited to 16 ga and smaller nails.With my 16 ga gun, I found that I had a lot of dud nails fired cause the recycle on the regulator is kindof slow.For $89 or so, it's a good deal, considering that the tanks sell for $24 and $35 each, so the cost of the regulator itself is only about $40 - and the tiny coiled hose they give you is pretty slick and the Lowes kit comes with an airtool accessory kit - no big deal but has a trigger air nozzle and some tips.All in all - pretty good value.I may start using mine again - haven't used it much cause the tanks weren't lasting because I think that every time you hook it up and unhook it you are pissing away the pressure. So for a larger job - it's maybe better.Plus, I picked up about 4-6 tanks at a rummage sale so I may get those filled and start using the system on small stuff again.Julian
They don't have Lowe's here in Canada. The Jacpac was the 1st of its kind that I've seen. Was at the lumber yard again, and I was wrong about their price. They actually have it priced at $169.00 ( CND ) The $99.00 seems pretty good buy. Although now that our dollar is worth more it might be worth a trip cross the border....actually guess I'd spend 5 times that in gas.
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Well, if you can figure out how to have me ship one to you (forms and whatnot) I'd be willing to pick one up for you and ship it your way.I think they are now $89 + 6% tax and that comes with 1 empty tank (sm.) and 1 filled tank (Lg. or sm.)I'm at Lowes 2-3 times a week anyhow.Regards,Julian
Thanks Julian, probably not worth it. for a $10 difference plus the slight benefit of our current dollar, I know I'll pay that in shipping and most likely customs costs.
Thanks for the offer. View Image View Image
I have the Kobalt setup and it's great for small jobs. I was doing marquetry demos at the atlanta woodworking show and I use a 23 ga pinner to put my veneer packs together and the bottle arrangement made it possible to demo that at the show without schlepping a compressor down there.
I got the lowes version. For $89 you really cant go wrong. I got two of the 9 oz tanks with it. Went and bought one of the larger tanks also.
It does get a little heavy if you hook it up to your belt, your carrying the tank/ regulator and your gun on an already too heavy toolbelt. It is nice if you have to do work way up on a soffit or something. I made a wood case/ tray that holds the bottles upright. I just but the tray in the middle up the room, hook up a hose, and away I go.
I have used a framiing gun on the CO2 bottles, but it does use up the gas.
Could you be a little more specific? Which framing nailer was it? How many shots per bottle, and how was the power level? Would it power a framing nailer for some light pickup work or maybe a soffit or two?
It'll drive anything that takes compressed air but it's not about that. The cubic volume of gas required per shot to drive the bigger guns will deplete even the large bottles faster than driving the smaller appetites of trim & brad nailers. The math can be done if you can figure how much cubic foot of gas is used on every shot from a framing gun and then divide that inot the volume of the tank.
Soffits & framers off the tanks? I wouldn't even consider it and bring out the compressor if I couldn't hand nail it or screw it.
that got me thinking. If the fill at paintball places, then the paintball tanks and the gun tanks must both have the same nozle, then why not just get a 20 oz. or 12 oz. paintball co2 tank and have thousands of shots, meaning less trips to the refil store, and mabey no reason for your machine. I know my sports athority store has coupons that, the more times you refill, the more savings you get untill you get a free fill.
"It is like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer: it feels so good when you stop"
And there are these too:http://www.cruizer.net/#1
wow, pretty much a scuba tank. seems too cumbersome though
"It is like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer: it feels so good when you stop"
I have a small scuba tank that I use. Lighter than a compressor, no noise, and one tank will do a couple hundred framing nails.Amateurs talk strategy, Generals talk logistics.
Canadian Tire sells a handy little 2 or 3 gallon pressure tank with pressure gauge, 6 foot whip threaded for airline fittings and a Schrader valve filler for about $35 or so. Fill it yourself with your compressor.
Not much cool factor to it, but it does the job.
There's a massive difference in capacity betweeen pressurized air (in gaseous form) in the 2-3 gal tank and the liquid CO2 in the smaller bottles. More bang for your cu in in the CO2.
No doubt capacity is different, but I'm not trimming out the whole house with it and the air tank does the trick in those awkward spots to drag a compressor or airlines to. I can also refill anytime, anywhere.
when you say "pressure tank"; do you mean simply a "tank" Ie a regular tank with regulator but no motor?
I have an 11 gallon tank like that, that I can fill up. it doesn't last long before needing a fill. View Image View Image
I have the Lowes version with 2 small tanks and one larger one. I've gone through about 3 tankfulls before deciding that it is way more trouble than it is worth. The tanks leak CO2 overtime (at least mine did). The O-Rings get lost or damaged pretty easily. Getting refills can mean a 1/2 hour wait at the sporting good store - maybe a paintball store does it quicker but there don't seem to be any close to me .
The unit itself is cheesy plastic and the yellow coiled air hose blew apart pretty quick. This tool will not stand up to any serious long term use. Getting refills seems to be the biggest problem. The time it takes to get the refills will quickly negate any time savings by not having to drag out and set up a compressor.
Get a Paslode Impulse trimmer and/or a small compressor. I have the dewalt 1 gallon D55140 and the impulse trimmer.
Thanks for the input from the other side. I like the idea of being able to use something that works with the mulitude of guns that I already have, rather than buying another gun.
I'd be interested to see if others have come ot the same conclusions as you. View Image View Image
I worked with a guy who used scuba tanks. He had a small compressor that was for filling them up from France. It would take a long time to fill the tank but it would last all day. It's kind of spooky working with that kind of pressure.