Air tools vs. electric ?

I ran across a Milwaukee 1/2" M18 drill at a yard sale several years ago. One of the reasons I bought it was the indicator built into the battery. Both batteries were good and were the high capacity ones. I think I paid $35 for it. I still have it.

I now have at last count 9 M18 tools. The one I like the best is my 1100 ft. lbs 1/2" impact. I've taken the neighbors semi lug nuts off with it and just took the nut off a front CV axle. I first tried a breaker bar and after one pull said the heck with this and got big bertha and it hammered a few times and spun it right off.

When I got my new 1/2" drill it had a side handle with it, thought this funny they actually included that. Well after jamming a 1/2" drill bit in steel and damn near broke my wrist I went and got the side handle. This thing is no joke. In the past cordless drill had such a crappy chuck you couldn't hold a 1/4" drill bit without it loosening. The Milwaukee will tear the drill shank up before coming loose.
 
We have collection of both with a 7.5 hp compressor.

Cordless impacts are wonderful now but if doing lots of work pneumatic hard to beat if working within the hosed area.

A 1/2 low speed pneumatic drill is small and fits where electrics can't.

But for lots of short work activities the better branded cordless are doing well.

But cost to run, factor in not only higher new cost but replacement cost for quality battery.

V18 batteries are about 90 bucks for branded and 50 for Chinese.

So we have corded drills we can use when we only need a couple holes bigger than cordless but if doing a lot of work the real tools come out.

Cordless impact 1/4 drive has great torque but it cannot move screws set with the pneumatic equivalent.

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If you already have/need a compressor, adding any pneumatic tool make for a very low investment. And you know that tool will be ready to use for next 20 years. You do not need to think about batteries/chargers or any kind of compatibility. Never know when a bolt will call some care from my impact gun. But when needed, 100% sure things will be noisy on shop.

On other side, if it will be an tool used frequently, care should be taking about efficiency, practicity, mobility....and over some years, if no more replacement part, just buy another one with new better technology.
 
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