So you have an air compressor to do a few things around the house, but what else can it do? From pumping up your minivan's tires to more daring fronts, we will examine the many uses for an air compressor in your home's garage.
By attaching a tire chuck to your air compressor's hose, you can easily add air to automotive tires. Check the side of your tire to determine how many pounds per square inch the tire should be inflated. Then, use a tire gauge to find out how much air is already inside the tire. Push the end of the tire chuck to the tire's valve to inflate. You will hear a hissing sound as it inflates, but no air should be felt around the valve. Remove the chuck and check the pressure. If the gauge reads at the level suggested by the manufacturer, you are finished. If not, either add or remove air from the tire.
The blow gun is an attachment that allows the user to eject a controlled stream of air from the air compressor. The gun usually has a lever on the side of it to allow for use in the on position when it is pressed and the off position when pressure is released. The air from the blow gun can be used to blow debris from a work bench or clear cobwebs from a barbecue grill. A needle attachment, sometimes used with a blow gun, can be used to inflate sports balls.
The carpentry field gains a lot of help and speed from the use of air tools. These include, but are not limited to, air nailers, air sanders, air drills, air caulkers, air cutters and air staplers.
Tasks around the home also get some help through the use of an air compressor. Pressure washers, air wrenches, air grease guns, air polishers and grinders, air ratchets and paint sprayers can be attached to an air compressor.
After all the chores are done, why not use the air compressor for something fun? Be aware that using an air compressor for a use other than those intended by the manufacturer may damage your machine and/or void any warranty on it. Directions for creating your own snow machine can be found at SnowatHome (see references below). While this setup makes small amounts of snow, it can be a good addition to the white stuff Mother Nature puts down.
