Snap On / Blue Point air ratchet

[lotus_esprit_s1]

I`ve got a SnapOn BluePoint air ratchet(XT705A) I was given ages ago. I thought I`d use it today for the first time but it is pretty slow going. I stripped the head and cleaned/oiled it but it's far quicker using a hand ratchet.

Am i expecting too much from the tool? I had visions of it being like my airgun, Or is something wrong? There does seem to be a lot of "exhaust gas" coming from the air outlet

 

[brightspark]

I`ve got a SnapOn BluePoint air ratchet(XT705A) I was given ages ago. I thought I`d use it today for the first time but it is pretty slow going. I stripped the head and cleaned/oiled it but it's far quicker using a hand ratchet.

Am i expecting too much from the tool? I had visions of it being like my airgun, Or is something wrong? There does seem to be a lot of "exhaust gas" coming from the air outlet

it should run at 150 rpm free speed at 90psi

 

[gordon stephenson]

It maybe that the vanes of the air motor are a little tight with dirt/rust etc, have you tried sqirting WD40 etc into the air inlet conector then reconnect to the air line and retry, this often does the trick with air tools that have not been in use for a while.

 

[stormin]

If you are using it on tight or rusty old nuts they're nothing like as fast as an impact gun. Good for whizzing up new stuff though. My clarke 3/8 one will really get hold sometimes and try to break your wrist so they've still got a fair amount of torque. It's just applied constantly rather than in short hits like the impact guns.

 

[davenport]

my bluepoint 3/8th air ratchet was a little sluggish when i first use it.. it has free`d up after a week or so and now spins much quicker than when first new..

as said though its never gonna have the balls of a specific rattle gun but does speed up assembly on new stuff greatly...

 

[graffian]

Also depends on the size of the motor. I had one snap-on 3/8 drive one that was a complete ******, had a motor the size of a cotton reel. I have another with a motor considerably bigger and it works loads better. Can probably count the number of times it's been used since buying[mid 80's] it though.

 

[lotus_esprit_s1]

On clean threads for assembly use I reckon it is doing 150rpm. I just thought it would be a lot quicker (It`s 1/2" BTW)

Guess i`ll just carry on spinning nuts/bolts up the old fashioned way, but i`m sure it'll come in handy some time!

Thanks for replies

 

[pondy]

i have a blue point 3/8 air ratchet which is kinda slow but has alot of power to it, i also have a mac one which is alot smaller overall size but still 3/8, spins alot faster but has less power, i use it for use on small stuff, bolts that are not going to need to be very tight, if i used the blue point one on the small stuff, it just breaks everything
sam