Will a Car Buffer and Polisher make my car shine more?

I have a ski boat and a new Ford Mustang that are both my pride and joy. I keep each clean as a whistle and in show room new condition. This means I will spend a Saturday afternoon washing and waxing both my car and boat. I am a fanatic about wax but it really is a lot of physical work putting on 2 coats of wax on them. Will a car buffer polisher really make the job easier and will it harm my car's paint over time?

A car buffer polisher is the right automotive tool for you! It will make much quicker work of both putting on the wax and polishing it to high sheen. Don't worry about damaging the paint over time. The sheep's skin pads are very easy on your car and a car buffer polisher will put a much more even coat of wax on your car than if you did by hand. You can also get a mini car buffer polisher kit for those hard to get areas as well.

An Ingersoll Rand Impact Wrench is the choice for most professional mechanics

I am a professional mechanic and I have used all sorts of different brands of tools. From Snap On to DeWalt. I am about to invest a lot more money in my automotive tools and I am curious as to what you think the best brand name is for an impact wrench?

Its obvious you understand the value in investing in quality automotive tools by the other manufacturers you have mentioned. In your case, I would recommend an Ingersoll Rand impact wrench to your collection. Ingersoll Rand is the leader in air tools and air compressors in the automotive industry. IR tools are built to high standards and generally will give you a long life. Also, Ingersoll Rand has service centers around the world in case you should have any warranty issues. The Ingersoll Rand impact wrench comes in very size and configuration you will need.

Automotive Tools for my Garage

What are some suggestions for some automotive tools I can purchase for my home? I just want to be able to do some basic car repair work.

For basic home auto repair, such as changing the oil or replacing filters, changing the spark plugs and brake pads on your vehicle, general tools such as a wrench and a screwdriver is a great start. You might want a socket set and other hand tools as well. One common thing that is commonly overlooked is a car battery charger. Most likely, the first problem you will encounter is a dead battery and a car that won't start.

3/4 inch Impact Wrench

I have a farm in east Texas and I run several John Deere farm tractors. These machines are fairly large and I need to remove some larger nuts from them. My trusty 1/2 impact wrench just isn't cutting the mustard. I need more power to break these old and rusty nuts but I don't want a gigantic impact wrench either. What is a good size impact for me?

I would recommend a 3/4 inch impact wrench. A 3/4 inch is good compromise between a 1/2 inch and the larger 1 inch models. A 3/4 inch impact wrench should have enough nut busting torque to remove those stubborn nuts and is smaller than its 1 inch big brother. One consideration is if you need the extended anvil. We have several models with a 6 inch extended anvil. This allows to get access to nuts buried inside a wheel rim for example. If the nuts are right out in the open and standard anvil will work just fine.

Air Saw is a much lighter version of a Sawzall

I am doing some body work on my old Ford truck and I have been using my cordless Milwaukee Sawzall to do some sheet metal cutting. My sawzall works great, but it is heavy and bulky. Sometimes I can't get it into places I am trying to cut because of the cordless battery and rather large size of the saw. Is there another alternative?

Air saws are commonly overlooked and are not very well known. An air saw is lighter and generally more powerful than its electric cousin, the Sawzall. Most auto shops already have an air compressor to run their impacts and air ratchet wrenches. An air saw will run off the same shop air as well. Since the power source for an air saw is an air compressor, the air tool itself is considerably lighter and smaller with the same or greater cutting power.

OTC1794A Transmission Jack

What does the air/hydraulic jack mean on the OTC 1794A transmission jack? I have seen transmission jacks that are hydraulic or air but not both. Can you explain this a little better?

Air/hydraulic means is that the primary or first stage of lifting is done using an air jack that is powered by your shop air. The first stage is simply to lift the transmission jack into position before the transmission is actually lefted up. Once the jack is in position, you pump the hydraulic jack to lift the load . This unit also has brakes on 2 of the wheels. This is a nice added safety feature that allows to brake the jack so it won't roll across the shop.

Bags for Sidewinder Solvent Recovery System

Does the Sidewinder solvent recovery system come with any bags? Also, how long can I expect one the solvent bags to last?


When you purchase a Sidewinder solvent recovery system, it comes with only 2 solvent bags. You will for sure need to purchase more of the solvent bags for recycling operations. It is a good idea to line the 5 gallon bucket you use with a fresh solvent bag for every use. The bags are inexpensive and should be used with a clean cooking bucket. Basically, you just put the solvent bag in the cooking bucket and fold it down the sides just like your garbage can at home.

My 1 inch Impact Wrench is Heavy!

I own a Chicago Pneumatic 1 inch impact wrench and I use it all the time. Nothing beats a 1 inch impact on those larger nuts! One thing is that after using it for extended periods of time , my arms gets tired. This thing is heavy! Is there a lighter 1 inch impact wrench out there or should I consider moving to a 3/4 inch impact?

You need to check out Ingersoll Rand's line of Titanium impacts. Their 1 inch impact wrench, the IR 2190Ti, weighs in at only 14.5 lbs and still boast up 1200 ft/lbs of working torque. This unit also has a front handle design that allows you to hold the impact in a more comfortable position. I think the Titanium might be just the solution you are looking for to lighten the load on your arms.

Air Flange Tool

I am working on some sheet metal for a custom car. I am at a point where I need to attach two pieces of body work together with some bolts. I am considering using a drill with a metal bit on it to bore out the holes where I have marked them. However, when I tried this process on a test piece of metal, the bit just slides off the mark and scratches the sheet metal. Is there a better air tool out there for punching holes for my bolts?

The air tool that I would recommend for your project is an air flange tool. This air tool is designed to easily punch a hole in metal up to 5/16 inches thick. The great thing about using an air flange tool is that the tool won't slide off the mark. It will punch the hole right where you put it. You can also use this tool for fasteneing pieces of metal together as well.

Whats the deal with a Nitrogen tire inflation system?

I have been hearing about people putting Nitrogen in the car tires and was wondering what the deal was? I thought that was something Nascar drivers did and I have no idea what the advantages are for the regular guy.

Nitrogen tire inflation systems are becoming increasingly common in professional auto shops as a way to increase fuel effeciency and tire life for their customers. All that happens is a Nitrogen tire inflation system fills your car's tires up with inert Nitrogen instead of plain old air from the shop air compressor. One advantage is Nitrogen is less prone to escape from your tire. This means your car's tires will maintain optimum pressure for longer periods of time. Also, the oxygen in regular air is corrosive to the tires rubber and valve stems. So by using Nitrogen in your car's tires, their life will be prolonged and even your fuel efficiency will increase over time.

New Ingersoll Rand Cordless Impact Wrench

Ingersoll Rand has updated its line of cordless tools including their cordless impact wrench. Ingersoll Rand's is synonymous with quality air tools and is one of the most popular tools used by professional mechanics worldwide. Now with their new line of cordless impact wrenches, they now offer a great impact that isn't tied to an air compressor.

The new IR cordless impact wrench has several new features including:

• the new IR cordless impact wrench as 110% better power to weight to other competitive cordless wrenches.
• A new microprocessor that delivers optimized power
• Universal charger that handles any voltage or any chemistry
• Battery design offers 1,00o plus real charges

If you are looking for a cordless impact wrench that has enough torque and power to take on the toughest nuts, look no further than the new Ingersoll Rand line of cordless impact wrenches.

14.4 or 19.9 Volt Cordless Impact Wrench

I noticed that Ingersoll Rand now has 2 models for the 1/2 inch cordless impact wrench. One uses a 14.4 volt lithium ion battery and the other uses a 19.9 volt. What is the difference between the two cordless impact wrenches? Is one more powerful than the other?

The 14.4 volt cordless impact wrench ( the IR W175) is really just an 1/2 inch anvil put on the 3/8" cordless tool. This produces a 1/2" cordless with 175 foot lbs of torque. The larger 19.9 volt W360 is a dedicated 11/2" impact that produces a astounding 360 foot lbs of torque. This cordless impact wrench has more that enough power to tackle some pretty tough nuts. Basically, you just have to decide how much power you really need and pick one accordingly.