Replies

1. 
   fredsmart48 | Jul 23, 2003 08:03am | #1

   They would use a lot I mean LOTS and LOTS of air.  

2. 
   SCFrankland | Jul 23, 2003 05:25pm | #2

   I have seen an article in FWW where a guy had a big diesel motor that ran a compressor and a hydraulic pump.  The air powered all of his smaller tools the bigger tools were powered by hydraulic motors. 

   Scott C. Frankland

   "This all could have been prevented if their parents had just used birth control"

3. 
   JohnWW | Jul 23, 2003 05:48pm | #3

   Lee,

   Interesting question, so I looked up air motors in the Grainger's catalog, it's obvious why they aren't commonly used.  A 3 HP motor running at 90 PSI needs 95 CFM and costs $2,700.  Hydraulic motors are less expensive and more efficient, but require more sophisticated plumbing than an air system. 

   If you're a scrounger, you could probably but a system together out of used components for relatively little investment but it would be a a fair amount of work. 

   The Amish use air and hydraulic tools in their shops because they don't want to use electricity, but the up front investment is formidable.  They use diesels for the primary power, I recall that FWW did an article about them several years back.

   John W.

1. 
   rslatm | Jul 23, 2003 06:36pm | #4

   Apparently DC is allowed but not AC. I wonder how they figured that one out,  plus the mess when a hose breaks.

1. 
   JohnWW | Jul 23, 2003 07:44pm | #5

   Rick,

   I have a lot of respect for the Amish, but I find their position on some technology being acceptable and others not hard to understand.   Maybe I just don't know enough about their beliefs. 

   I agree with you, from experience, that leaking hydraulics are a mess, but hydraulic lines to stationary woodworking machines probably wouldn't be prone to the damage or the abuse that a lot of hydraulic machinery gets hit with.

   John W.

1. 
   TKanzler | Jul 23, 2003 10:38pm | #6

   I think it has something to do with being off the grid, i.e. not directly connected to the "outside" world.  There are a couple of guys on Breaktime who were raised in that environment (recalling some comments from a year or so ago), so if you're curious, you may want to post the question over there.Be seeing you...

1. 
   Manchild | Jul 24, 2003 05:55am | #8

   I spoke with a woman recently about technology and the use of it by certain people. She said they look at the pros and cons and come to a decision as a community if possible. I think it's a good way to go if you have the support and time. So much technology doesn't support family, community, relationships, etc.. Why go blindly into it usually for more profit.

2. 
   Napie | Jul 24, 2003 06:30pm | #11

   The Amish north of us will use cell phones, go figure......

4. 
   forestgirl | Jul 24, 2003 02:12am | #7

   When I saw the Title, it connected immediately with "air guitar" -- Huh?!  Well, that'd certainly be safer!

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

5. 
   gpasewicz | Jul 24, 2003 04:17pm | #9

   There was a television program on last night about the Amish living in Lancaster County, PA.    Long story short:  There is at least one Amish workshop using a pneumatic cabinet saw.

1. 
   rslatm | Jul 24, 2003 04:40pm | #10

   Tools can be run on air motors but it'd not a cheap way to go. Considering what an air motor costs and the amount of air needed. Not to mention how much electricity is needed to produce the amount of air. Hydraulics is much more efficient and cheaper to set up. There are guys doing underwater logging that use hydraulic chainsaws. 

2. 
   DBishop | Jul 25, 2003 01:58am | #12

   There is an excellent documentary about the amish called "the devil's playground".  There is a real problem with crank among amish youth...

1. 
   gpasewicz | Jul 25, 2003 04:13pm | #16

   It's true they face many of the same problems that mainstream society faces.   A couple years ago it made national headlines when two Amish teens were arrested for selling drugs for the Pagans motorcycle gang.

6. 
   ian | Jul 25, 2003 08:40am | #13

   I'm more curious about why you would want to use air floor tools.

   Except for portable sanders and nailers, the only advantage with air tools is if you are working in water there is no risk of electrocution.   

1. 
   Curtis | Jul 25, 2003 11:47am | #14

   Hi

   its not woodworking, But while I was in the Navy, we had a old steam driven lathe,at the ship yard, If steam could be used to drive a large lathe,I dont see why air couldnt be used for wood?

    C.A.G.

1. 
   gpasewicz | Jul 25, 2003 04:11pm | #15

   I'm not an engineer, but I'll give it a shot:  An air compressor depends on mechanical strength to pressurize the air.  A steam engine uses heat to pressurize the air.  It's probably much easier to build pressure using heat.