Thread: Compressed air - inline oiler questions

Hi Andrew,
Can't help you with that particular brand, but I just checked over 3 different ones in some workspaces here, and 2 had very distinct directions in the way of arrows, embossings and 'in' & 'out'. The other one, an older type, had nothing...seemed very universal, but it was intended to couple with a seperate pressure regulator, whereas the others had integral pressure taps.
As for putting them at the end of a line, maybe that's a way around it. Have it bolted to a wall near your work area, plug a longer hose into it from your compressor, with a short hose permantly kept on for air tools. I don't reckon it would work just flopping about on the end of a loose hose! Put your water trap and regulator on the compressor so all air out is dry, and just lube the air tools.

Good luck,

The oilers are no good for tools such as nail guns staplers etc. The oil will only flow when using a tool that has significant and constant flow, such as a rattle gun or die grinder. Just oil your tools with good quality oil before you use them, is my advice. I have had my two senco guns for over 25 years, and they have had a very good workout over the years as well.

I use my comp and hoses for tools in the morning, and spraying in the evening, and don't change hoses etc.

At work we do the same as Fossil. We have a sewing machine oil bottle with air too oil in it. Several drops in before using and alls good. Some of the staple guns would have thousands of staples through them a day and would be over 12 years old.

Andrew, I've got an in line oiler and the only time I use it is with my die grinder or air chisel.

I have it at the business (tool) end of things, separated from the tool by a 450mm piece of hose. I found out in the early days what happens to your quick release fittings if you connect direct to an air chisel.

Termite,

I read in the instructions about putting a "tail" on the percussive tools, and guessed that the quick-release might become a completely-unexpected release, so made up 50 cm hoses for permanent connection to the tools.

I'm still not sure which way the oiler goes, or even if it matters.

As it's an "in-line" oiler, I presumed it would function irrespective of its position/orientation. I guessed it would get some oil in the venturi, and that would be enough to oil the tool. As I understand it, there isn't a need for a constant level of lubrication, just a bit now and then.

I did find one pic on the net, and it showed the oiler attached directly to the tool.:confused: I'd imagine one heck of an oily froth, real quick!

The pic had the line from the compressor going in to the big metal end (female thread), and the tool on the smaller male threaded end.

I'll give that a go.

Cheers,
Andrew

Andrew, come and have a look at mine.

Andrew in line oilers are good but usually only work in one direction , run some air through onto a piece of cloth and see if it is carrying any oil
two other things don't use the hose after an olier for spray painting , already mentioned
And keep the level up
The reasons I don't use them is because you have to have them standing upright close to the tool you are using and if they empty and you don't notice big problems, or if you connect and use without checking

Personally I just put a few drops of air tool oil in the stapiler/ rotary tool etc before connecting up and every 1/2 hour of continious use, easy habit to get into .


Works for me

Rgds

Tried one of those el cheepo in-line oilers recently - What a mess.

Like Andrew I put the oiler next to the grinder and it seemed to work OK after the necessary tightening up of the assembly as it leaked a bit. Anyway had some more work to do with other tools and came back to the grinder to find the oil from the reserviour had leaked all over the concrete. The sun had heated the unit up and caused the brass components to expand and leak - it was one of those really hot days. :mad: :mad:

The unit got the full toss never to be used again. I'll go back to using tool oil in a bottle a few drops at a time. I do have a good quality festo industrial oiler at home but like most home workshops, I only have one set of hoses (10m 20m 30m) and don't want them contaminated with oil.

Inlet is sometimes marked with a "P" for port.
I agree with all before me on this one, unless you are using high flow tools then just a couple of drops in the tool inlet daily and that's it.
Scotty

I had a clear plastic oiler which I never used, the female thread was the compressor side and the male thread the tool side, I never got round to9 buying adaptors and just oil as required.

I use air tools (stapler, pneumatic star picket driver, nail gun and so on) every day, and I don't think I could trust an in-line oiler. When you get used to a tool you also get used to how much oil it needs. When they start to collect grime around the outlets, you know it's too much, and if they start malfunctioning, it's too little. In my experience, too much and too little is similarly bad for the tool. One or two drops a day is all they need, and when you use them all the time you know when they've been working hard and "need a drop", and so on....

Thanks for all the input, and the general consensus.

I checked the price at SuperCheap, and I don't think I can justify having a $4.50-ish piece of equipment hanging around unused.

Anyone want to swap? Is the chap with the BP-16A in need of an inline oiler (unused)? What about Chilli with the surplus 8" jointer??

Cheers,
Andrew