Comments on: Hot or Not? Portable Compressed CO2 Regulator/Tank for Nailers

by: jason

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:42:42 +0000

possiblities of using this for occasional model airbrushing, any comments.

by: Simon

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:55:12 +0000

I bought the Kobalt a few days ago and used it this weekend to install base boards and crown molding in a 12″ x 12″ room. It worked very well but I do have some comments. Overall it is good for me - an occasional DIYer in a condo - but some lessons here. The back of the box lists the specs and capability, from a few hundred to many hundred nails on a 9 oz tank. I found that the 9 oz tank was good for only about 60-80 nails (not 675 as advertised). That got me through all the base board and 1/4 of the crown molding. I’m using a Porter Cable finish nailer with 16 gauge 2.5″ finish nails, at about 80 psi. Still new with the tool, I think I lost a small amount of pressure hooking up and unhooking the setup. It didn’t seem like much hiss at the time but 3-4 times (the initial playing around with a new toy, and then initial setup, breakdown overnight and set up the next morning) must have added up. Still it seems like too few nails. My lesson and recommendation is to preserve the gas and treat it like the finite resource that it is. Set it up quick with minimal pressure loss! (Also the instruction manual recommends a process to bleed the air out of the system prior to switching tools, and I did this for the overnight breakdown, but I must have lost at least 5% maybe 10% of capacity doing this!) Its probably a good idea to get two tanks and always have a full one as backup. Another observation is to watch the pressure. As you use the tool the pressure drops slightly and after ten nails you went from 80 psi to 60 or so and you have to dial up the regulator again. If you don’t notice the regulator then the half-sunk nails will remind you. A compressor will automatically repressurize. I seemed to do a lot of clean up with maybe 25% of the nails needing to be punched in with a hammer after I was done with the nailer. Lowes was helpful and switched out my tank easily when I ran back in the middle of my project. A new 9 oz is $25, and taking in the old one I got a rebate of $19, so it will be just $6 for a new 9oz tank in exchange from here on. They don’t refill it, they just swap it out. The new 20oz tank is $32 I think and so I might just switch up to that one next time. The size of the 9oz was OK and comfortable but going up and down a ladder with a rig swinging on your hip can be awkward in tight corners, especially with a nailer in one hand and a piece of molding in the other. At the end of the weekend I realize it is not quite all I hoped for but works well, simpler, quiet, and convenient as long as I have enough gas. I’ll definitely keep it and use it for finishing or furniture projects.

by: George F. Stiefel

Tue, 20 May 2008 23:53:24 +0000

I bought one about a year ago and have found it indispensable for interior finish work (moulding). The only problem I have had with the unit is that the blue air hose blew out one day last week while just sitting there. I am now trying to find where to get another one. It works great and improves mobility 1000%. Getting the tanks refilled, though, is another issue. Here in Texas, Academy Sports refills the tanks. I just bought 8 more large tanks so that I don’t run out of gas before I get back to Academy. It sure beats the heck out of hoses and air compressors and it will run practically any air tool.

by: Something Better

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:37:17 +0000

The Lowes unit is a nice little unit for the DIY user. I have one for research (already broke it though). The inexpensive regulator inside the plastic housing is a basic single stage diaphram design. They work well as long as they are working. The typical problem is that there are two main areas that fail; the seat weak seat assembly or the diaphram. Usually the seat assembly failure is due to minute debri contamination and often causes the daiphram to blow or it will blow the weakest downstream part (hose, tool, pressure release valve). A previous blogger mentioned his regulator not holding pressure. He has a bad seat assem. Once this happens your regulator must be exchanged or thrown away. Power Tank now offers a construction version of their popular automotive SuperFlow regulator that fits all CO2 bottles with a #323 (paintball style) bottle. We do NOT use a diaphram and our seat assemblies do not hold debri. There is also a built-in pressure release valve to protect any downstream components up to 200 PSI (typical max pressure of nail guns). http://www.powertank.com/products/sfID1/34/productID/223 Our Construction Series is truly designed by builders for professional builders and come with a limited lifetime warranty on the regulators. The link shows a hard case for our Sidearm Kit. This is now being replaced with a nylon tool bag which makes put-away time faster, lasts longer and fits easier in the Knack Box. It’s not as cheap as the Kobalt but will work like a Rigid.

by: Damon

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:38:18 +0000

Ok… this unit is designed to eliminate hauling a compressor around for projects or to sites, where a hundred shots takes care of business. It hold a lot more power than compressed air. I have moved my compressor hundreds of times, my back hurt just typing that, when I only need it for 30 shots. The co2 tank here is lighter than the combined weight of the three guns I bring with me…. You can probably get a 100 gallon tank for it but defeats the purpose of what this specific unit is all about. This is a compliment to a compressor!! If you are at a site for weeks, bring your compressor! If you are going to a site to do a days worth of trim or such, use your new co2 tank. It is similar to a cordless drill battery, sometimes I take one battery to a site, sometimes two, if I am going to do a lot of work with it I bring the charger….. (the charger would be your compressor in this case for those of you not following me) If you are dealing with heavy demand, bring that old plug in drill that can handle anything. Don’t expect to be sand/bead blasting or spraying a house with a freaking hip mounted co2 tank!!! This is an awesome addition to my two compressors, one is huge, one is small and now this! But it has it’s place! Embrace it’s particular beauty if you are tired of moving a compressor for a day of work!!!

by: Mark

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 04:56:40 +0000

Actually you could use ANY scuba tank the same way for much less. You could go anywhere from a 5000psi interspiro spun composite tank that holds 100cuft which are incredibly light, or scuba tank from 120 down to 13 cuft at 3000 psi. Both first stage regulators can be easily detuned down to 75 - 100 psi for pneumatic tool usage.

It’s what I used when I first set myself up in the trim business. I had just quit teaching scuba and same shop where I taught to this day (8 years later) gives me free air fills which is nice. But to buy would be around $6. A standard 80 would last my 18 gauge nailer all week. Air leaks are a definate killer of any such system.

BTW, the 5000 psi system mentiones would have to be filled at your local firestation. Most will do it as long as the tank has a current hydro and visual inspection for just a small donation to the department.

by: James

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:47:49 +0000

environazi, #### you. Plants need CO2 to live. You have no evidence to support your statement. CO2 is a naturally occuring compound, you dumb ####. If you’re so concerned with someone’s CO2 output, go kill yourself. And don’t post crap like that on benign websites. There’s some material for your blog.

by: Daniel

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:08:45 +0000

I’m new to the C02 idea, but it sounds great. I only use my compressor on occassion, and was wondering if I just unscrew the cannister from the regulator between sessions, or if it needs to stay connected? How long will the C02 last, or will it leak out once you’ve used it to nail a few things?

by: Stuart

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:58:07 +0000

Free air swaps is a pretty convincing way to get more people to buy the CO2 system! When I checked my local store a few months ago, they had an offer to bring back empty tanks for a ~75% discount on a new one.

by: Donald

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:32:02 +0000

I’m getting the Kobalt Portable Compressed CO2 Regulator in a few weeks. Was check specs at Lowe’s, and cost of re-filling tanks. Our Lowe’s will swap the empty tank for a full tank at no charge! I was very surprized, the manager said it was an option all Lowe’s had, but only the smaller ones were doing it.
Another thing to keep in mind - air tools need oil. Might be good idea to attach a portable oiler at the end of the air line. I can’t wait till I have one. It will help a great deal around the farm.

by: nick.r

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:48:09 +0000

i also play paintball and am suprised nobody has mentioned the hp nitro tanks that eveybody uses in paintball nowadays. i use a 68 cubic inch carbon fiber tank that can be filled with compressed air or nitrogen and will hold 4500 PSI of air, alot! you get no liquid in your tools and can be filled for free or at the most $3 at any scuba shop or fire dept. it is regulated at the bottle to 700 psi, same as co2, same threads as co2. its the way to go.

by: Seth.R

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:27:34 +0000

for all those wondering about spray painting.I don’t think it would have the volume and probably would freeze up the gun and paint.

by: Nismo812

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:14:49 +0000

I help run a paintball setup at a summer camp. This would be a great addition for anyone who doesn’t want the combersome use of luging around a compreaasor for medium to small jobs.

To fill our paintball tanks we lease a 50lb tank from a welding supply co. for $80 a year then buy the contents (the CO2) for $20 each time we need it refilled. with this all I need do is refill the small tanks myself for the paintball guns. Same thing as the nailgun tanks for this kit.

CO2 is different than compressed air because it shrinks alot when compressed and expands alot more when released. Therefore you get alot of shot from one 20oz tank (around 1500) and the same number of nail shots with the nailgun setup.

by: Josh

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:33:35 +0000

Hey guys… Has anyone had any trouble with the regulator not sealing all of the way. I have had two of the regulators do this and i am very conserned. The first time an in-line pressure gauge read over 160psi which is the max pressure the gauge read to and the regulator was supposedly closed. I returned it and got a new one but is starting to do the same thing only slower. If you havn’t had trouble with it i would suggest using a pressure gauge st some point in the line so you know the exact pressure. Other wise this is an extreamly cool product. I have three 9oz tanks and a 24oz tank the i can have filled at Academy Sport and Outdoors for $2 for the 9oz and like $3.50 for the 24oz. I’m using it with pneumatic potato cannons and it works great.

by: Jim

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 03:56:27 +0000

I work at a welding shop which also has a fire extinguisher and paintball line of items which I deal with. We have been using CO2 for a long time on 15-20lb CO2 tanks with our framing nailer. It works great and it is so much more quieter. These new systems are pretty slick looking. We have smaller cryogenic CO2 tanks at our shop. We use these to mostly fill smaller 100, 50, 20, 15, 10, and 5lb CO2 tanks. When filling CO2 is transferred in a liquid form. So therefore it is done by weight. Weigh the cylinder you are filling when it is empty, add the tank size weight and that is the weight you fill it to.

by: Voice of Reason

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:38:48 +0000

CO2 is taken from the atmosphere hence there is no net gain or loss from the atmosphere. It’s also reasonably easy to obtain so less energy is used to obtain it than other gasses as Stuart suggests.

Just goes to show that people who have no grasp of science and/or engineering should just shut up about the environment before they break something.

by: Stuart Deutsch

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 02:02:38 +0000

There’s a huge problem with compressed O2 - it’s explossive. But then again, without life, one does not breathe, and without breathing, there’s no CO2 exhalation. (I know, I know, I have a lousy sense of homor.)

Compressed gas requires special safety precautions as it is. There are some paintball guns with electronic componentry, and a lot of metal grinding is done with air tools. The reason compressed air works is because air is (correct me if I’m wrong) 81% nitrogen, which makes it relatively inert.

Nitrogen or Argon could be alternative choices, but they cost a lot more to produce. The compression and containment of these gases might in fact require more resources and produce more waste than CO2 compression would.

By all means, it’s alright to rain on a parade if doing so enlightens the audience. However, to make bold suggestions, one should provide references and supportive evidence. If these are unavailable, then it might be better to avoid drawing a debate.

I spent about 10 minutes googling and have been unable to find any reference regarding how a bulk CO2 tank is filled.

However, given the prices of other gases vs. CO2, the later’s production process is unlikely to be complex, which if true, would suggest a smaller environmental impact compared to alternative gas compression.

For an easy way to see what I mean, consider solar cells. Sure solar cells convert solar radiation to electrical power, but the production of a large efficient array uses more enegy than could be saved by its operation during a reasonable amount of time (we’re talking about decades here).

Although I’m certainly not implying that all environmentalists are naive, there are some that like to preach blindly. Please avoid falling into that category.

by: environazi

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 03:50:26 +0000

Hate to rain on everyones parade but wouldnt compressed O2, even with its limitations, be better than liquid CO2 concidering its enviromental impact. So you need an extra tank or two to do a job at least you can still LIVE.
Life wasn’t meant to be easy!

by: Leslie Wong

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:56:17 +0000

Anybody ever use this with an impact air wrench? I don’t have a compressor or an air wrecnh but when working on my car, sometimes an impact wrench would be handy.

by: Johnathon

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:28:55 +0000

Found this site that sells the JacPac products: http://www.mytoolplace.com/JacPac-C1674.aspx

by: Lee Berry

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 10:35:36 +0000

I’m slow to catch the excitement of these units-but getting there. FYI–Nailers
brad guns etc. require MINIMAL VOLUME of a GAS (compressed air etc.) at
around 100-120 PSI–to fire 1 shot–around a fraction of a SCFM-(Standard Cubic FT/Min). A DA sander or impact wrench , paint guns etc. need 4 to 8
SCFM or more to run–way to much for bottled gas in small, portable sizes even though they pack a lot of gas due to their high pressure. Any attempt to
run a nailer etc. on the unregulated pressure of CO2 would DESTROY the gun
and probably your face in the process. Also note that the VOLUME of CO2 at
refill VARIES with temp-hence variable production.–27 years fluid power exp.

by: scott mccutcheon

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 18:23:05 +0000

Ken, You are not alone in thinking that you are the only not getting a lot of nails per tank. I did exchang it for another unit and got the same results both times. The only differance is the second unit came with a empty tank.The first did’t have a tank at all.Im going to call the company and voice my concerns.

by: jim belisle

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 02:26:50 +0000

I ran into a builder 30 yrs ago that was using a regular Coke CO2 bottle with a press. regulator. He had the bottle in a back pack to transport to the roof etc. said he could do all the nailing in a 3000 sq ft house on one tank but what about using it with a spray paint gun ?????

by: ken

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 19:09:21 +0000

I receieved the regulator about a week ago and have used it a couple of times. It works really good with my trim guns, but for some reason the tanks, which I have two, have only lasted about 75 nails each. I’m wondering if anyone else is having this problem or if I just have a faulty regulator. I’m going to exchange it for a new unit. Other than that it seems to be a great tool for small jobs

by: kt

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:25:15 +0000

Has anyone found any spec sheets on this? I’m wondering what kind of flow rate it produces and valve size. thanks.