Technical How to get water out of air tools?

I have heard many opinions on this. Using ATF. Pouring in some acetone thinner. Just running dry air through it and adding more oil. Somebody suggesting sythnetic oil.

Was running my compressor without a water separator, and 20 minutes in I noticed water bubbles squirting out of the bottom of my tools. I have about four tools that are filled with water. Any good tips out there?

 

squirt some brake fluid into them than run them a bit and repete. Brake fluid absorbe's water

 

I keep a squirt bottle of Marvel Mystery oil on my bench. At the end of every day I just squirt some in the hose of my air tool, put a rag over the exhaust, and run it until the oil starts coming out. Store the tool with the bit of MM in it. All air tools ingest a bit of water every time you use them. Draining the compressor and running a separator helps a bunch, but I still oil them.

 

I know Marvel Mystery oil is compatible with the rubber O-rings in the tool and my air lines. I'm not sure about brake fluid as I have never used it.

 

Just put a few drops of oil in them and run them untill you get some oil coming out of the exhaust
Not as big of a deal as you gnink

 

Drain your air compressor regularly, install a water separator.


Bones

 

I drain my tank a lot and use a water separator, but still get a lot of moisture in the tools. Humidity makes a huge difference in the amount of water that gets into your air. I just make sure to keep them well oiled.

 

Without sounding sarcastic don't get water in them in the first place. That said even a water separator won't help if you don't have it plumbed correctly. Cheap compressors have to run faster to put out the CFM but there are things you can do like follow this diagram.

 

I oil mine once a week!

 

Not meaning to be a know it all, but you can greatly improve this system, simply by turning the tee near the red arrow on the supply line “ up” and then plumb it down so the the condensed water will drain to the drain line instead of going in to the commercial dryer. You could also easily add a tee at the first elbow with a drop and drain.

I home plumbed my Fire Dept’s new shop with a home made dryer with 4 loops Five feet high large diameter pipe on a wall with drains at the bottom of each loop. Never had to go to the third drain. My air hoses would blow dust out of them.

Bones

 

WD40

 

Alcohol will absorb the water and blow it out the "exhaust", But, But, But..... it will also remove any lube so you might want to re-lube right away.

 

Agree with boneyard51 kill the water at the source , I use N A P A air tool oil. I use mine every day at work and get years of service from them

 

When I lived in Wisconsin, I never had a problem with water. When I moved to Florida I got a job at a shop with a half-ass air setup, and if I didn't drain the lines at least twice a day, my air gun turned into a fire hose.

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I was taught that the drops for the outlets should rise up off the main line and go horizontal a short way before dropping.

 

I have had the same can of air tool oil for a long time, have also used MMO as well. Thanks for reminding me to go drain my compressor tank, I also have a water separator on it.

 

The downslope won't help unless you take the air you use out from the top of the sloped line. Turn the Ts up and add 2- 90 degree street elbows and 2-45 degree elbows to bring it back down the wall.

 

OK, once a year I present this, The best way is to have No water at all, Buy 50' coil of copper the size of the tube from compressor head to tank, You will need a tank/drum/garbage can you get the idea, Hook up one end to compressor, Route to drum/tank etc., Majority unraveled in said tank, route back up to compressor, Fill said reservoir with water/antifreeze, Done! You will no longer have water, Period! Cheer's...

 

2X on WD40 it sure works on wet distributor caps.

 

oiling is as good as it gets as others have said.if you go with wd40 buy the gallon container and a squirt bottle.far cheaper and no dealing with the straw that gets lost.get a spray bottle with nozzle that adjust from spray to stream.

 

Just me, I woun't spay WD-40 on a cats a_s to help pull a string out. Just don't like that stuff.

 

If you are using air tool oil and lubricating regularly, as you should be, it is designed to pull the water out of the tool. It's why it is best to oil after use not before.

 

Moon Shine technology...excellent!


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There are a lot of good answers here. I usually just blow my compressor down then blow air through the tool to dry it out. Once you are not getting any real water out (a little vapor is not real water) then put a little oil in it and run with it.

Note: do not do this in the paint shop it will make your partner really crazy.

 

That's what it stands for, Water Displacement formula 40. Not sure about the first 39 formulas but evidently they didn't work.

 

Brake fluid doesn't harm the rubber in wheel cyls and master cyls. Why would it damage rubber O rings?

 

Dot 3 won't hurt them. Dot 5? Jury is out. McLeod says the warranty on their product is void if DOT 5 is used.

 

The only thing I can think of is not all rubber is the same, I’ve used brake fluid to soften up accelerator pump diaphragms for example.


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I crack the drain at the bottom of the tank a tiny bit to let any water out and leave it like that. Helps a lot.

 

Blaster makes a wonderful product for air tools