Pneumatic Tool Manufacturers
Each of the companies listed makes pneumatic tools. They are very competitively priced. All of the tools are built to last. I would base my decision on service and availability of nails and parts. Yes, I know that the tools (at least mine!) rarely if ever break down. But, in the event it happens to you, who wants to have to mail it away?
Check out the following companies' web sites!
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Each title below is a direct link to a downloadable mp3 file. Just click the title if you want to listen. Right click if you want to download into your computer to save and play at a later date.
The Copyright to all radio segments is owned by Tim Carter. I would love to know what you think of these radio segments. Do you like them? Do they help you? Have they saved you money and/or time? Let me know by sending me an email: [email protected]
Roger Bacon Class of 1970 35th Reunion
Each title below is a direct link to a downloadable mp3 file. Just click the title if you want to listen. Right click if you want to download into your computer to save and play at a later date.
The Copyright to all radio segments is owned by Tim Carter. I would love to know what you think of these radio segments. Do you like them? Do they help you? Have they saved you money and/or time? Let me know by sending me an email: [email protected]
Roger Bacon High School Golf Outing
Drainage Solution for Flat Spots in Yard (French Linear Drain)
Each title below is a direct link to a downloadable mp3 file. Just click the title if you want to listen. Right click if you want to download into your computer to save and play at a later date.
The Copyright to all radio segments is owned by Tim Carter. I would love to know what you think of these radio segments. Do you like them? Do they help you? Have they saved you money and/or time? Let me know by sending me an email: [email protected]
Steve Heil and Blue Ash Equipment Rental
Water Hammer in Basement Bathroom
Black Drain Pipe in Window Well
Steve Heil and Mini-Skid-Steer Loaders
Each title below is a direct link to a downloadable mp3 file. Just click the title if you want to listen. Right click if you want to download into your computer to save and play at a later date.
The Copyright to all radio segments is owned by Tim Carter. I would love to know what you think of these radio segments. Do you like them? Do they help you? Have they saved you money and/or time? Let me know by sending me an email: [email protected]
New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina
Each title below is a direct link to a downloadable mp3 file. Just click the title if you want to listen. Right click if you want to download into your computer to save and play at a later date.
The Copyright to all radio segments is owned by Tim Carter. I would love to know what you think of these radio segments. Do you like them? Do they help you? Have they saved you money and/or time? Let me know by sending me an email: [email protected]
Upcoming Interview with Chuck Eglinton of BidRobot.com
Pneumatic Tools - Use Tips & Safety Issues
Pneumatic tools work best when you give them the respect they deserve. As with any mechanical device, they require periodic maintenance and cleaning. Here are some other helpful suggestions. I followed these to the letter when I used the tools. I suggest you consider doing the same.
Always read the instruction manuals that come with the tools.
Absolutely wear safety glasses! Chips of wood, concrete, or even a nail could bounce and cause a serious or permanent eye injury.
Don't power the guns with bottled gases such as oxygen, CO2, etc.!
Use clean, dry compressed air. Be sure the pressure is set accurately. Don't exceed the tool manufacturer's recommended air pressure!
Be sure that the tool is equipped with a fitting that releases air pressure when the tool is disconnected from an air hose. Storing air in the tool is DANGEROUS.
Always disconnect the tool from the air source or power source when performing maintenance or clearing a jammed fastener.
Never carry the tool around when connected to an air supply with your finger on the trigger.
If the tool requires lubrication (some do and some don't), lubricate each day. This will reduce or eliminate down time.
Always treat the gun like a loaded pistol or rifle.
No horseplay! Don't take target practice at lunch breaks. Only fire the gun into lumber.
Always check the underside of what you are nailing. It is virtually impossible to detect when a nail misses. You can't "feel" a miss as you would when hand nailing. Plywood roof sheathing and subfloors must be nailed securely. Inspect the underside for misses.
Also, check the air pressure. The pressure should be set so the nail head is driven flush. If the pressure is set too high, the nail drives deeply into the wood. The holding power of the nail is significantly reduced.
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Carpenter's levels have come a long way since the 14th century B.C. Back then the Egyptians had figured out that a weighted string represented a plumb line. Furthermore, they realized that something level was opposed to this plumb line by 90 degrees. Using a simple A frame device, they created highly accurate levels. In fact this design persisted until the middle ages.
Accuracy
Up until a few years ago, I didn't realize that there was such a wide variance in the accuracy of carpenter's levels. Many of my first levels were very inaccurate. The space between the edges of the bubbles and the lines on the vial were huge. You always were guessing if the bubble was centered. I even had a level where the bubble was actually bigger than the space between the two lines.
The accuracy issue, I came to find out, lies in the vials themselves. Not all vials are made the same. The most important requirement of a level is the sensitivity of the vial itself. Federal specifications call for a 45 minute minimum vial sensitivity. The test for vial sensitivity is easy. Put a carpenter's level on a table. Adjust the table or surface till the level reads "level". If you swing one end of the level around like the hands on a clock and the bubble moves, the vial may have poor sensitivity.
Mounting the Vial
The vials are always installed in a holder which is then set into the level. The best levels have their vials either plastered in place or machined into the level body so that the vial holder can't move. Some inexpensive levels have the holder siliconed into place. The silicone can distort if the level changes shape or is stressed.
Marking the Vials
Most level vials are mass produced. The curved glass is not always the same. The amount of fluid in the vial may be off by half a drop or so. This means that the bubble in the vial is not always the same size. We discussed the problems this causes earlier.
It would stand to reason that the best levels would be ones where the vial marking lines actually line up with the edges of the bubble. It is a time consuming process, but the results are well worth it. One manufacturer, Macklanburg-Duncan, does, in fact, go to these lengths to produce a precision tool.
Acrylic Vials
Some levels you may look at have acrylic vials. Starting with a solid block of plastic, the vial manufacturer hollows out the chamber with a precision grinding tool. The hollowed out area is actually shaped like a barrel. The advantage to this is that the bubble will always try to seek the highest part of the vial. Thus, if the grinding was done correctly, the level should read accurately no matter which edge you use. However, once again the grinding process may not be carefully controlled. Vial sensitivity is the key. If the number is available, ask for it. The lower the number falls below 45 minutes the more sensitive it is.
At least one manufacturer, Stabila, offers a lifetime guarantee on their acrylic vials. They claim that the level will maintain an accuracy of 1/32nd of an inch over 6 feet for the life of the level.
Care of Levels
Have you ever seen a contractor's pickup truck with a gun rack in the rear window? Often you may see levels hanging in these racks. What a mistake! Wooden carpenter levels almost always have a predrilled hole at one or both ends. You should hang the level from this hole when not in use. This eliminates stress on the level. Levels in direct sunlight in a closed up truck cab are like being in a sauna!
If you use a level in masonry work, periodically during the day use a damp rag to wipe away mortar and cement particles. Dry the level immediately with a dry rag. Absolutely NEVER immerse the level in a bucket or trough of water to clean it!
Periodically coat the wooden level with a thin film of tung oil for protection. Don't saturate it with oil, as this may also cause it to warp.
Levels are an important tool. Buy a good one, take care of it, and your jobs should be plumb, level, and true. If the Egyptians could build using their primitive, yet effective, tool there is no reason we can't do the same.
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The following companies make either wooden, aluminum, and/or electronic levels. As for the most accurate wooden carpenter's level, my research indicated that only one company in America hand marks the vials so that the edges of the bubble touch the lines exactly. This company is Macklanburg-Duncan. The brand name of their wooden level is American. The glass vials in these levels are protected by glass lenses. I have owned these levels for years. Heck, I didn't even know it when I bought them, that they were so accurate! Remember, when you look at a level, check to see if there is any space (liquid) between the markings on the vial and the bubble. The more space, the greater degree of inaccuracy.
Electronic levels are also becoming popular. Macklanburg Duncan also has a level called the SmartTool. It tells you pitch, degrees, etc. In addition, it has a handy bubble level for those people who are driven crazy by trying to get the object perfectly level or plumb! I suggest you call all of the manufacturers and get information. See which level works best for you.
Certain companies, like LS Starrett, make a variety of levels with different degrees of accuracy. That is why I suggest you research all the companies to see what they have. Also, some companies offer unique levels such as the split laser carpenter level by the David White Company. If you just invest 20 minutes checking out these companies online, you will not be disappointed with the information you will receive!
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Making a triangular A Frame Level
To make a really first class A frame level, it would help if you had some woodworking talents and equipment. The joints should interlock to make all the pieces of wood be in the same plane. A simple half lap joint at each intersection will work. This means that where each piece overlaps, one half the thickness of each piece of lumber has been removed. If you craft tight joints, the A frame will not move. Take your time and you grandkids will be amazed at your talent. They will tell stories to their kids how you used the device to help set stone blocks on the Great Pyramids!
Looking for a simplistic but highly accurate level? Mother Nature is right all the time. Use her force of gravity and a simple A-frame level to tell you when something is level. The Egyptians used these to build many of their structures. This simple level will give you an accurate, level plane every time as long as you calibrate it accurately from the start and you construct the A frame so it is rigid. If the legs to the frame are able to move, the location of the plumb bob will change!
You start by making the frame. Select a fine grained wood, mahogany if at all possible. If you can build an equilateral (one where all sides are equal length) triangle that's great. The angles are all the same - 60 degrees. Suspend a plumb bob from the top screw. Make a groove in between the pieces of wood so the string is not pinched. The string must not be allowed to get caught in the joint (inaccurate future readings!). Now, set the bottom rail on a perfectly level surface. You can create a level line using a water level setup in some clear plastic tubing. With the bottom rail on the level line, mark the spot on the bottom rail just below the plumb bob tip. Using a square, mark a line across the bottom rail. Take a fine coping saw and make a shallow saw kerf. This is your level reference point. From now on, whenever the A frame is on an object and the plumb bob is above the kerf, BINGO! the surface is level!
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