Scuba reg to air tool adaptor.

[SouthernSharktoothDiver]

Hey all,
First off, sorry to the mods if this is off topic. I've recently acquired several old, no longer maintained regulators. Self service might be possible, for some of them, but I'm already trying that with a conshelf and I don't need more projects in that vein right now, but one idea I had was that I might could use one (or more) of them in conjunction with a full tank to run compressed air tools like drills, grinders, nail guns, etc. Does anyone know if there's an adaptor out there for this purpose? Or, alternatively, if it's just plain cheaper/better to buy a fitting that goes directly on the tank for this application.
Thanks

 

[rhwestfall]

yes there are LPI fittings to replace standard air chucks. I have also built "scuba to standard air adapters to allow me to not have to change fittings. Check in with Randy at Piranha Dive Manufacturing. I have the adapter to use a blow gun, and a tire inflator. I've not yet run "tools", and wonder how much run time I'd get on an impact gun or air socket driver. Might be interesting on a brad nailer. I typically run a very long bit of hose from the garage shop compressor through the house if I'm doing something....

You also need to figure out ideal pressure. With an IP of 135-ish, it might not be ideal for the tool.

Curious as to what comments we may get here...

 

[broncobowsher]

Yes, there are adaptors.
But you are over thinking it. Just cut a hose and shove in a barbed hose adaptor to convert to regular NPT that an air hose fitting will attach to.

note: you should really install an OPV on the 1st stage. since you won't have a 2nd stage to bleed pressure if the 1st stage creeps up on IP. And you admit you are dealing with old junk, so likely to happen.

You can get a pressure regulator if you really care about only running 90PSI to your tools. I run mine (and most real mechanics I know) in the 120 PSI range. And when you really need the power, 150 PSI. One shop I was in was running 150-180 unregulated. Air tools worked really well. Couple of impacts would blow out the hammers a couple times a year. They tried to throttle it back to 90PSI once. All the techs were pissed. Being techs, they upped the pressure. They finally let us run 120+PSI and things are good. I have no issues running 135 off a 1st stage through most anything. At the flow rates an impact will run at, it will have drop by the time it is in the gun.

Burst type air tools (air guns, blow guns, short duration stuff) are very happy. Long duration tools, paint guns, sanders, die grinders (other than a short zip of something) will quickly burn through a scuba tank. Air brush is continous, but low volume and are generally OK. Tools usually have a SCFM rating on them. That is a CFM at 90PSI. IF they say 10 SCFM, and you have a 100 CuFt tank, about 10 minutes run time. Probably a little less. The math is really that simple.

 

[Waterwulf]

I use an old regulator modified with a long air line to check/top off my tires on my motorhome. It works much better than a tire air compressor or gas station hose

 

[happy-diver]

With the right stuff there is not a requirement for cutting scubahoses

See I told youse there is a legit reason for the long hose out of a cave

 

[ChrisMBC]

I have a standard cheapy air regulator (1/4” NPT in/1/4” NPT out), with a scuba LPI -> 1/4 NPT on the inlet port, and a standard air hose QD on the outlet.

This setup can plug into any scuba LP hose, and convert it into air tool QD while also stepping the pressure down to something appropriate. Works a treat and means I can use all of my regular air hoses/tools without swapping fittings.

 

[happy-diver]

Yeah I don't even use a mobile phone when I leave the house lots of miles and they've all got cameras

Yeah they're too busy talking, and too fat to get up to take a photo, shhh happy they may be listening
have you seen them that can't even provide a decent set of photos when they're selling their own gear

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I added a regulator between the scuba reg and my presta valve tire inflator for seating tubeless bicycle tires. Uses a scuba LP hose adapter to NPT thread. I have the reg set to 60 PSI which is enough to seat the tires. 120-140 from a scuba reg would blow them off the bead. The small regulator was like 20 bucks from amazon. It's adjustable to 140 so it could be used with air tools. Though the tank might not last as long as you think running a drill. A brad nailer might be ok. I just went cordless with my 18 gauge nailer though.

 

[tmassey]

I can’t believe no one included a link to such an adapter:

DGX Adapter: 1/4-Inch NPT Male = BC Inflator QD Post

This adapter has a 1/4-inch NPT male fitting, used by most compressed air powered tools, and the other end has a standard BC inflator male QD post

www.divegearexpress.com

This plugs into a BC inflator hose and converts it to 1/4” NPT. From that, you can adapt to literally anything, including whatever flavor of shop QR you already use.

DGX has a bunch of other adapters that can be useful as well, including reg port (both LP and HP) to NPT, which allows you to bypass the BC hose if you prefer.

Like others have stated, I use this so I can grab a scuba tank and refill tires or use my little nailer/stapler without dragging out the shop compressor. I ended up dedicating an old Conshelf to the task. Works well, and the Conshelf only had 2 LP ports anyway, so not much use to a non-vintage diver anyway.

 

[broncobowsher]

With the right stuff there is not a requirement for cutting scubahoses

With dealing with a pile of old used regs there will be left over hoses. Cut hose and barbed hose adaptor are things I had laying around. Adds up to putting this together for free.

I have done it other ways as well. Started off with a tire inflater that plugged into a BC quick connect. Realized I could take that apart and it was a BC to pipe thread adapter. I also found that it is low flow. It works for a tire top off, but hook it up to the half inch impact and you get nothing usable. With the cut and splice, works great.

There are always ways of spending money. Then there are ways of working through what you have and use that.