Recharging a battery jump starter.

I am considering purchasing a jump starter for my car and I am interested in a model that I can plug into my cigarette lighter to start my car. I like this feature because I won't have to actually get out of my car to jump it. Also, how long does it take to charge a battery jump starter?

I would recommend purchasing a K&K jump starter that you connect directly to your battery under the hood. While, the cigarette lighter feature is convenient, I am not comfortable with pumping that much electricity through those thin wires on the back of the lighter. The jump starter manufacturers feel it is necessary to used 4 guage wire on the cables for a reason and your lighter doesn't have 4 gauge wire on it. The charge time depends on how many jumps you have done with it. If you have only jumped one dead battery, the charge time is around an hour. However, if you have done several dead batteries, your jump starter may take several hours to recharge.

Looking for information on Masking Paper and Masking Supplies?

I am getting ready to paint my old Corvette and I am looking for some basic information on masking paper and masking supplies. I have never used it before and I want to know the basics. Can you help me?

Great question and good luck painting your 'vette.

We have just posted an informational article on how to use masking paper and other information on the products. We also carry a full line of masking supplies and should have everything you need to complete your project. Masking paper is not that hard to master and you should have your corvette looking showroom new in no time!

Oil Filter Crusher cycle time.

I was wondering if you could tell me the cycle time of this crusher (John Dow AFC-100 Automotive Oil Filter Crusher) and its overall quality.

Thanks for your email and visiting our site.

The John Dow Automotive Oil filter crusher takes about 30 seconds to fully crush an oil filter. So 2 filters a minute is realistic for the machine. As to the quality issue, if you use 85 psi of pressure and keep it lubricated, there is no reason why this unit should not last 10 years. It comes with a one year factory warranty. One of the best features is the hydraulics are made by SPX power team. They are the largest manufacturer for automotive hydraulics in the country. What this means for you is there are lots of authorized service centers in the US to do any warranty work you might have. I gather from your email address that you are in Virginia. There are 4 service centers in your state. The bottom line is that if you use the proper air pressure, keep the machine lubricated, and only put one automotive oil filter at a time in the unit, it should last you 10 years without a problem.

Portable air compressor for farm use.

I need an portable air compressor I can use around the farm to sand blast & paint rusted farm equipment. I will need a breathing air filter and hood also. I want it portable so I can blast & paint pipe fence so I will need a gas or diesel motor verses electric.
My question is what size compressor do I need to do this? Can you recommend a compressor that will be good for this type use?

Thanks for your email.

You definitely want a gasoline powered air compressor that is mounted on wheels. This will allow you to drag it around. Also, I would recommend getting one of the smaller wheelbarrow air compressor. These portable air compressors have a single wheel mounted in between the two tanks. Most painting equipment doesn't require much CFM and I would think one of these smaller models would be fine. Sandblasting, however can demand a lot of air and a smaller unit may not have enough. I would check with those manufacturers and find out what they require. You are going to sacrifice some performance for portability. CFM is going to be your limiting factor. The larger the tank, the more air the compressor can supply. The smaller units have smaller tanks and can't go as long as the larger units. So the sandblasting equipment is going to determine the size of compressor you will need.