How to Set Up Your Air Compressor for Power Tools

By ModHomeEcTeacher

 

If you're a bonafide Do-It-Yourselfer you can't go one more day without, at the very least, a mini air compressor. Once you experience the ease of pneumatic tools, life as you know it will never be the same.  It's too complicated, you say? Ha! Not after you see step by step how easy it is to rig up for interchangable pneumatic tools. I'm partial to the stapler for upholstery purposes.

From left to right: The coupler, the male coupler plug and the female coupler plug. You need plenty of these to make attaching and detaching hoses and tools a cinch.

Your new air compressor and the tools you need to get it set up:

couplers

pliers

wrench

air hose

staple gun (This one from Harbor Freight was $17.99 and works great)

teflon tape

compressor oil (not shown)

Allen wrench (not shown)

1. Unwrap and see what you need to set up

2.  Attach rubber stopper on front of compressor

3.  Attach wheels by inserting bolts through the frame, washer and nuts on the back side and using an Allen wrench, tighten the bolts.

 

4. Wrap threaded outlet with Teflon tape

5.  Attach main coupler to the air compressor

6. Attach a female coupler plug to both ends of the hose

7.  Snap a main coupler on to the other end of the hose

8.  Attach a female coupler plug to the pneumatic tool to snap in to the compressor hose

9.  Your pneumatic stapler is ready to go, but first...

10.  Remove oil and filter cap and fill with compressor oil per the instructions

11.  Don't let that man of yours take over the air compressor or you'll never get it back

Take note that the air compressor in the first photos is a different brand than this one. The first one was a lemon and had to be returned.

This little portable compressor costs only about $70.00 and it will handle most DIY jobs. 

Other uses for an air compressor include:

blow out plumbing lines

airbrush painting

snowmaking

inflating tires

blowing up balloons

pneumatic hammer

potato launcher

impact wrench

rotary sander

cleaning shop floor with pressurized air

drill

riveter

ETC.