Frequently Asked Questions
Nitto or ARO air fittings, which do I have?
Look at the plug on your tool. A Nitto plug has a wide stepped nose and is the common standard in New Zealand. An ARO plug is slimmer with a single groove. They do not mix, so standardise on one across compressor, hoses and tools. Both are here in 1/4 inch BSP from $8.
What size air hose do I need?
9.5mm, sold as 3/8 inch, for impact wrenches, grinders and anything that uses a lot of air. A thinner recoil hose is fine for blow guns, tyre inflators and nailers. Keep runs under 20 metres or you lose pressure at the tool.
Recoil hose or hybrid hose?
Recoil hoses spring back out of the way and suit a bench or tyre bay. The 5 metre at $12 and 10 metre at $17 come with fittings. Hybrid polymer hoses stay flexible in winter and do not kink, so they are the ones to lay across a workshop floor, 10 metres at $87 or 20 metres at $145.
Which tyre inflator is more accurate?
The digital inflator at $82 reads to 0.1 PSI and is the one for setting pressures on a car or ute. The gauge model at $116 is tougher and quicker for truck and farm tyres where a PSI either way does not matter.
Do you sell air nailers and staplers?
Yes, a 34 degree clipped head framing nailer at $385 and a 90 series narrow crown stapler at $188, plus blow guns, couplers and hoses to run them. Both take standard nails and staples available at any hardware store.
How do I stop air leaks at the fittings?
Wrap the male thread with two or three turns of thread tape in the direction of tightening, do it up firmly with a spanner, and check with soapy water under pressure. Replace any coupler that hisses when a plug is seated, the O ring inside has gone.