By Mark Clement
So here's one of my least favorite things to do: lug my hand-carry compressor to and from the jobsite. It's sixty or seventy pounds of total discomfort, and once it's there it's loud and dirty. In fact, the smaller the job, the more I resent the aggravation.
But there's a light-weight, dependable alternative that speeds things up without taking much space or energy to use—and it's reasonably priced. Bostitch's CAP1516 Trim Air compressor is a great addition to my pneumatic fleet. I used it doing punch out for framing, working in the shop with pinners and staplers, and for a quick crown molding job and it earned its keep.
Framing Punch
There's always some fire blocking, bridging, hangers or something to be tidied up before the inspector shows up (or after he leaves.) By that time, however, the big jobsite compressor is off to the next project. Despite its name, the Trim Air worked well driving framing nails, even bump firing several in a row. At 1.6 gallons it's not intended for framing—but at 19.5 pounds with a sweet inset carry handle, it's ideal for walking around the site and plugging into a wall outlet. It's got low amp draw, runs quietly and gives me the power and reach to get nails where they need to go. No fuss, no muss.
In the Shop
The Trim Air's quiet motor makes it great for the shop and shop tools. It runs finish tools without a hiccup and gave me the air I needed for various woodworking projects. In fact, it tucks away so snugly under a bench that I found myself using this compressor all the time for shop work. And, again, it's so quiet and smooth I don't need to tuck it in a sound proof room so I can work sanely while in the same room with it.
Quick Hit Trim
For quick hit trim jobs or punching out a house, the Trim Air is a go-to tool again. Its tank carries 1.6 gallons of air, which is plenty to keep a single finish nailer busy popping up crown, zapping off casing or pinning chair rail. It delivers plenty of air running through a 50-foot hose, and the oil-free motor means that I don't risk glopping oil on a customer's floor in a finished space. And I can even blow sawdust left over from the miter saw off the driveway effectively before I leave, which beats pushing a broom.
Details
I like the rubber feet on the unit. They enable me to put it down safely just about anywhere. The on-off switch is supremely easy to reach and operate. The air pressure is easily adjustable, the pressure gauge is easy to read, and the handle is tucked out of the way, giving the body a smooth, lean profile and simplifies storing it on-site, in the shop, or in the truck.
There's only one small thing I wish the CAP1516 had: a ball valve to drain the air, but then, I always can put in my own valve.
CAP1516 Trim Air, Stanley Bostitch, $145
Mark Clement is a remodeler and author of The Carpenter's Notebook and The Kid's Carpenter's Workbook, Fun Family Projects! Learn more at TheCarpentersNotebook.com.
| 
)
