Lowes is now carrying a C02 air supply
JulianTracy
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
Just noticed that Lowes is now carrying a C02 kit for nailguns as a Kobalt (Lowes House brand) branded item.
The regulator/tank holder looks exactly like the “JacPac” that I think I’ve seen mentioned here.
Sells for about $95 or so – I think I might check it out – it’ll make all of my nail guns “portable”.
I have the Bostich Trim air which is lightweight and quiet, but a belt mounted tank system might be cool – the tanks are only about 3″ diam. and 7-8″ tall.
JT
Replies
Bump.I just saw that unit this week and was intrigued as well. Got to thinking about it though, and realized that I probably couldn't handle the tank and coiled hose hangin' offa me. For trim/finish I usually have bags or an apron on, as well as a hook for a gun, and this would just be too over the top for me. Besides, I've got that itty bitty Senco compressor that weighs almost nothing. That and a Flexeel hose feel like freedom to me.
If you want to get serious do what I didnt have the time to do. Paintball dudes use co2 or compressed air air is better because it does not change with temp like co2 will. The Air tanks are aluminum wraped with a carbon fiber resin. You can get one for under 100$ and they are about 5$ to fill. They are usually filled to 3-5000 PSI!!!! They regulate down to 300ish right on the tank. I thought of getting another regulator and fastining it down streem and then a coiled air hose. I could probably trim most of a house with it in my pouch. They have an experatin date though 5-7 years I think but that is for saftey reasons because of the high preasures.
More info on what you said.http://www.specialopspaintball.com/articles/Co2orN2.asp
Well there is a big volume difference between CO2 & compressed air too.
3000 psi of CO2 holds a lot more volume than 3000 psi of compressed air.“When politicians and journalists declare that the science of global warming is settled, they show a regrettable ignorance about how science works.†Nigel Calder, editor of New Scientist
3000 pounds of dry compressed air is about 80 cubic feet, or roughly the volume of an old style phone booth at STP (I remember that from my days scuba diving).
It would take to long to dig out the physics or chem books to figure the volume of the same pressure for CO2.
Whatzit?
Dave
Well I will do a small extrapulation, I don't want to go back to mol weights it will hurt too much on a friday.
5lb aluminum co2 bottle 5.25" OD about 15" long will have 44 cubic feet from 1800 psi fill.
IIRC a dive tank is about 4 to 6 times that volume & amost twice the pressure.
So let me slaughter the math on this one----- I'm gonna say about 5 or 6 times the volume when released into the atmosphere.
I'm sure one of those "really smart" guys might catch wind of this & correct my non-calculated guess.“When politicians and journalists declare that the science of global warming is settled, they show a regrettable ignorance about how science works.†Nigel Calder, editor of New Scientist
Glad I'm not the only one that didn't want to strain any brain cells.
PV=nRT
Ideal gas law, but I would have to figure the moles of CO2 and then look up the gas constant.
Ooooh, I feel pain......time to stop!
Dave
This looks like a longer lasting alternative. I ordered the regulator only from them and a 5lb tank from e-bay. Less than $100 and way more longevity. Just for the occasional "I don't want to lug out the compressor" blues. I'm going to mount it in a milk crate with a padded bottom and test it out.
http://www.cruizer.net/
Thought I would resuscitate this thread since i picked on of these co2 units up today. 85.00 for the regulator, hose, 1 full 9 oz bottle and one empty one. Tried it out with my pc 18ga nailer and it works great. I have a small bookcase install job tomorrow and I couldn't see lugging the compressor and hose up two stories for such a small job. Most of the installation work i do doesn't involve a whole lot of nailing and i use a 23 ga pinner quite a bit so this seemed like a good fit for me.
It's nice and lightweight so you don't really notice it on the belt. We will see how it works over the longer term.
Edited 4/10/2007 9:00 pm ET by TomW
I have one of those coke cola co2 bottles, I hook it to my framer and it drove the nail. all the way through a 2x
You must have picked up on one of the older packages - the ones Lowes has now have no bottle in the package at all - just a sticker that reads - free bottle.So anyone buying them now will only get 1 bottle total with the unit.At $28 a bottle - that makes it a bit less of a deal.Just a note - Dick's Sporting Goods will refill the bottles for $2.50 in my area.JT
This unit has that same sticker, there is an empty bottle in the package as well. I was surprised to see it in there.
Has anyone tried these CO2 bottles with a framing nailer, one that uses .131 x 3-1/4 nails? If so, how many shots did you get? Inquiring framers need to know.
I went and bought one yesterday. You get one empty and they give you a filled can. The cans I got are about 2" in diameter. I used it to shoot staples in weatherstrip and it worked great until I started to take it apart and the connector at the regulator didn't seal. I will probably return this one and try another. I do a lot of small projects that bringing in even my small senco is a pain in the butt. This will fit in my small tool box and save trips to van. For big jobs I still have other compressors.
If you don't mind, let me know what you think of it after using itt for a while.Thanks,Julian
I was looking at the CO2 setup yesterday at lowes, almost bought it. Be interested in how it works out for you. Does anyone know if you can get the CO2 tanks refilled or do you just have to buy new tanks each time??
Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
You can refill. In C'ville go to Shopper's world (small shop next to Staples) or Dick's Sporting goods. (My kids play paint ball, same tanks)
Thanks
I went to Lowes to see it for real and Im not too sure of the quality of the regulator but for punch out it might be just right. Specialty Tools has one too.
http://www.specialtytools.com/product_info.php?products_id=7742
I noticed that setup a couple days ago too. I've only had a few occassions where that would have been real nice to have but it still seems cool.
I wonder how feasible it would be to refill it myself with compressor air for quick little needs. My buddy is a body man and has a portable air tank that he uses to fill car tires without haveing to run a hose or where he has to go somewhere there is no compressor. something like that may work as well, nuilt out of an old tank of whatever type.
When you're this good, EVERYONE wants a crack at you!
http://www.petedraganic.com/
Refills with compressor are not feasible. The reason you get so much volume from such a small tank with co2 is because it holds liquid co2 at somewhere around 800 psi. As it converts to a gaseous form it expands tremendously. Air could possibly be compressed into the tank but at 135 psi in such a small vessel you would be lucky to get five or ten shots out of your nailer.karl
Wait a few months when the novelty wears off and anyone who might have bought one already has, you'll find it on the bargain shelf at around 15% of retail.
be unretail
Novelty?You must consider air compressors a novelty too, huh?What, if you aren't hittin it with a hammer - it's too new fangled for ya?Tiny compressed air tanks for pickup trim jobs and the such have been around for years.Only thing is - they've been closer to the $200 range for a setup as compared to the Lowes price of $99. And actually, the Lowes version comes with a free extra filled tank - retail value of about $25 - which makes the setup itself abotu $75. First time the capability has ever been avail. for so little.My buddy uses his Dewalt 16ga (18v) gun for everything. Me, I like the idea of using all of my guns cordless - and I already have a Bostich trim pro compressor as well as a Oil twin stack.Sometimes I'm too lazy to bring that little 20lb guy in for a small job.We'll see, I just picked up the Lowes kit - maybe I'll be knocking it after I start using it, who knows?Beauty of Lowes and HD is that you can return anything for any reason so if it sucks it'll go back in a heartbeat.JT
WHEW!!!Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Actually I started getting concerned about the longevity of well being versus tennis elbow, carpal tunnel and hip/knee replacement so I opted for operating mechanical fixing devices and only use a hammer when there is little other choice.
I'm starting to cut back on getting carried away with always manually moving heavy items but that seems more ingrained into life style and harder to get away from.
But still I'm trying to work smart,
sometimes.
be I'd rather be a hammer than a nailyes I would
every court needs a jester
Work smarter not harder - amen to that.As much as I'd like to be the hammer the last year or so I've been the nail for a good amount of time... (pending divorce)I'll let you know what I think of this C02 thingy after using it for a bit - of course, that insight will be worth what you paid for it.Regards,JT
Have you used it yet??!!! Huh? Huh?? Have you used it yet?? Whats taking so long???? :)
I have almost bought the kit 3 times this week. Just havent done it yet. The $99 price is actually pretty good. I figured out that I could probably cobble something togethere for about $70, but not sure if pressure regulator would work with the high pressure of CO2.
Think Ill probably go and buy one tomorrow. Will give it a try on Saturday for some small punch-out trim workLive by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
I was at a tool show last week and a local dealer was showing off Dewalt's self contained battery powered air nailer. Was not much heavier than a cordless screw gun but had a built in minuature air compressor to fire finish nails with. Fairly quick cycle time. Has anyone else seen them?
Jim
Doesn't porter cable have something similiar to that
Not sure, haven't looked lately, wouldn't be suprised tho. I think I will wait for the "Festool" version <G>.
Jim
Don't wait. Buy it now before Lowe's gets hammered for contributing to global warming and decides to quit selling CO2.BruceT
"something like that may work as well, nuilt out of an old tank of whatever type."why I started this thread.http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=79606.1
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
Holly crap I wish I had seen this two months ago before we purchased our paslode 18 ga finish nailer (fuel cell powered) we only used it for a couple of months on and off (Slow season round here too) and its acting up on us. it misfires for no good reason because the fuel cell is new and the battery is fully loaded ( will have to go to the damn owners manual again and check what is going on there or just go get another one since its still on warrantee.) We bought it because of the convenience it gives you when your going on small jobs but for the price it costs and all the things that can go wrong with them that little tank your talking about sure seems like a better way to get the convenience factor that I'm looking for.
Thanks for posting this thread cuz it opened up new options for me.
Anybody else out there having trouble with the paslode ????
You uys scare the beejees out of me. I've never had any problems with the framer or the straight trimmer.
every court needs a jester
just hold on... it's yur turn....Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Yesterday my angled paslode finisher kept jamming in front of a customer-seemed like ever other nail. Made me look like a real pro. It runs for months with no problems, then gives me a hard time for no apparent reason.
I know exactly what you mean I went to a customers house to put a couple of trims up for him and the damn thing acts up on me. Its agood thing he had a finish nailer and compressor because I would of had to run back to the shop for mine. driving 1/2 an hour for 1/2 an hours work doesn't make much sense to me. we took it back to the store they will either give us a new one or fix it (we will see what happens)
there's a review in the latest JLC on the JacPac by a carp. includes a test he did on how many nails the cylinder will drive, he did 15 ga, 18 ga, 8d, and roof (1 3/4?)
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
So what was hiis conclusion? Did he like it?I've not had time to fool around with the one I bought due to some recent friend and family illness's and subsequent passing away(s).Haven't got JLC for a while, but I often think it's more helpful to me than FHB is because of the subtle shift in the content between the two.JT
IIRC he liked it for small jobs. too fast a use resulted in the bottle frosting up, and the plastic clip to hold it on your belt looked weak. also, he suggested an extra clip on your belt cause you can loose air getting it on/off.haven't checked the JLC site to use if the review is there.
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront/45f04798002e8c0927177f0000010569/UserTemplate/82?s=45f04798002e8c0927177f0000010569&c=dbd9bf5186234158c9a58b0f0cb6a8b4&p=1
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG