Maintaining Peak Efficiency In Your Pneumatic Tools

1. Keep your tools in a clean dry place.
   
   
2. Make sure the air is as clean and dry as possible.
   
   
3. Always blow out your hoses before they are connected to the tools. This will prevent dirt, ice and condensed water from being carried into the tools by the air flow.
   
   
4. Always check for leaks in pipes, couplings and valves. Make sure the tool is getting 90 psi of pressure at the tool inlet while it is running.
   
   
5. If your tools are not fitted with automatic drain valves, remember to blow off your filters regularly. This will reduce the amount of moisture entering the tool.
   
   
6. Moist air in cold weather causes freezing in the tools. Don't use alcohol, diesel oil, paraffin or similar products to prevent freezing. They destroy the oil film in the tools, thereby increasing wear.
   
   
7. Don't heat the tools on an open fire or with a blow torch; you will cause permanent damage to the tools.
   
   
8. Use KILFROST from Keystone Lubricants. It is the only lubricant with a guarantee against freezing in compressed air tools. It is not an additive and "must not be mixed with other oils."
   
   
9. Always use a lubricator and take care of it. Never let it get empty.
   
   
10. Remember to regulate the lubricator. Too little lubrication increases maintenance and replacement cost. Make sure that you take special care of the lubrication of a new tool.
    
    
11. To assess correct lubrication, hold your thumbnail in front of the exhaust. The oil content should make it shiny. If it is not shiny, there is not enough lubrication. If there is a drip or run of oil, this it too much oil.
    
    
12. If the retaining spring breaks loose, the inner parts will get excessive wear. Loose nuts must be tightened up at once.
    
    
13. Never strip a tool down outside.
    
    
14. Never use a tool with a worn front head (chippers & scalers).
    
    
15. Never use a chisel with a worn shank. It scores the front head and damages the piston.
    
    
16. When changing chisels, put them carefully aside, preferably on a stand. Never put a hot chisel down in water or snow. This also applies to grinding wheels, stones and discs.
    
    
17. Never use a chisel as a crowbar. It wastes energy and damages the tool. Let the tool do the work.
    
    
18. Blow hoses and tools clean with compressed air at the end of the day or if they have to be sent to the workshop for repair.
    
    
19. Send tool to the workshop after about every 8 weeks of use for cleaning, lubrication and repair, even if they appear to be in good working order.
    
    
20. Pipes, hoses, couplings, valves, chisels and all other fittings which are not in use or are defective should be sent to the stores or workshops.