I'm aware that CO2 can be used to power nailers and I was wondering if the same could be said for nitrogen. In speaking with a guy at a welding supply shop he indicated that there might not be as much of a condensation issue with nitrogen and it is comparable in price. (Liquid co2 v high pressure air/N)
I guess I'm really asking if anyone knows of a source for regulators that'll take the N from 2000-2200psi down to around 150psi for the guns.
Thanks. JP
| I'm aware that CO2 can be used to power nailers and I was wondering | if the same could be said for nitrogen. In speaking with a guy at a | welding supply shop he indicated that there might not be as much of | a condensation issue with nitrogen and it is comparable in price. | (Liquid co2 v high pressure air/N) | | I guess I'm really asking if anyone knows of a source for regulators | that'll take the N from 2000-2200psi down to around 150psi for the | guns.
Jay...
This is *not* an area in which I have any expertise; but it seems to me that a gas welding regulator should be able to provide the pressure reduction. I'm just not sure that the output pressure could be set as _high_ as 150PSI...
A phone call to a welding supply outfit might provide a quick (and expert) answer.
-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA
I've got to think that it's easier -- and FAR cheaper in the long run -- to just put a moisture trap on a conventional air compressor.
I'm more interested in the portability of carrying a small nitrogen tank with me to a job than lugging a compressor and cords around.
JP
generally you can get the regulator from the same place you get the tank. if not, you can get them from an online welding supplier.
I have a co2 tank for nailguns. condensation isn't a problem. nitrogen should be fine too. I'm not sure, but I think the regulator for nitrogen is the same one as for co2. the fitting is different, maybe, but the regulator is the same, something like that.
do _not_ use oxygen or any flammable gas like propane to drive a nailgun.
co2 is a great system for small guns for when you need to move around a lot, like installing trim. the tank is quiet, clean and lasts a long time. if you want to run bigger guns the tank size needed goes up to the point where lugging it around becomes a chore- a small compressor is easier. by the time you need to drive a framing gun you will run into the problem of the flow being high enough to freeze up the regulator. if I'm going at it hard with my sfn40 (15g angled finish nailer) I can frost up the valve. the only thing to do then is stop and let it thaw. if you mostly need to run a brad nailer and might need to drive a few bigger nails a day you'll probably be OK.
I recommend getting the biggest tank you can easily carry, and build a cart for it that has a spool for hose and a way to tie it down for transport. those tanks hold a lot of energy- knocking the valve off in a fender bender is like having a small bomb go off in your car.
I carry Nitrogen in my HVAC service truck. Using nitro for a nail gun should be no problem. I use the nitro for purging AC linesets while brazing to reduce the black oxidation that forms. Any welding shop will have an appropriate regulator, it should not be very expensive either. After having a flat tire in the middle of no where I carry a tire chuck and a regular shop air gun that will connect to the nitro tank using 1/4" flare AC hose fittings. In your case it would be simple to install a air hose disconnect to the regulator. Greg
Amazon.com sells them, also any business selling arco air products should also.
"Jay Pique" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Have you considered a scuba tank? The regulators on them are
2 stage; the primary connects to the top of the tank and drops the pressure to about 150PSI into the hose which connects to the secondary at the mouthpiece which regulates to ambient pressure. Secondhand bottles can be inexpensive but be aware that they must be hydro'd every 5 years IIRC.Art
Not really. The tanks in which liquid nitrogen (or liquid argon) is stored are very well insulated (with a vacuum sleeve, just like a thermos bottle) and cooled by just letting some of the stuff evaporate: They don't explode because they have an exhaust pipe through wicht they continually leak the evaporated part of their content.
Also, many paint ball guns operate on portable regulated nitrogen tanks. If all else fails, try your local paint ball supplier. --dave
Since nobody has given the proper answer, here goes.
When a gas under pressure is allowed to expand, it cools. Cool can't support as much moisture, so it condenses. Under compression, the reverse happens. In short, the nitrogen in your tank is "dry" because the condensation and/or desiccation have happened elsewhere.
Nitrogen is used for purging operations not because it's "dry," but because it is non-reactive. Oxygen evolved from a LOX tank would take up excess moisture in a pipe, but it would also make corrosion, or it's rapid cousin, explosion.
Yes, but not practically. As CO2 liquiefies under pressure without needing to refrigerate it, you can carry a _lot_ more CO2 in a portable bottle than you can nitrogen.
Nitrogen is sometimes used (mainly as a filler for pressurising hydraulic accumulators, or for inflating aircraft tyres) because it doesn't support combustion as oxygen does and it's more chemically inert than CO2. These tasks are generally where the gas is stored in some part of the mechanism afterwards though - for one-shot usage like running a pneumatic tool, just stick with the CO2.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to digest this for a while. Further bulletins as events warrant.
JP
First, Yes, Nitrogen will work fine, regulators are available at most every welding supply stores or online. Second, why? For big jobs, an air compressor is the only way to go. With the new, light weight polyurethane hoses you can easily run out a 100' of
1/4 hose.Lastly, think Paslode for short difficult to get a hose too job.
Dave
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What's the displacement of your nailgun, and what's the volume of that tank (at 100PSI)? How many shots will you get at best from each tank?
By the way, fire departments have breathing air in 2215 PSI tanks, which is dry. So you can get compressed air in tanks just like nitrogen or whatever else, and it's probably cheaper. You don't care about purity, just dryness, right?
On 9 Oct 2005 19:03:26 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, "Jay Pique" quickly quoth:
Many finish-carpenters do that instead of lugging around a compressor. Check with the welding stores near you for the entire setup. Most should have what you need.
--- In Christianity, neither morality nor religion comes into contact with reality at any point. --FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
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Do pneumatic tools exhaust the gas at the tool? One might want to consider whether the driving gas supports life before using too much of it in an enclosed space. Just a thought.
I remodeled my kitchen, ripped out some walls and replacesd all the trim wood. I went through several "sticks" of nails in my finish nailer and didn't use much out of a 20# CO2 tank. I was using a "balloon inflater" regulator that puts out about 80PSI because that is what I had handy. It was a lot easier than stringing a hose in from the garage and having to leave a door open.
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