PSI Technic — Compressed-air pressure setup for | psitechnic.com
Operating pressure and air consumption for the tools most often connected to a workshop compressor — nailers, impact wrenches, spray guns, blow guns and inflators.
The baseline of the chart is 90 psi (6.2 bar): most air tools are rated to run at that pressure measured at the tool inlet. Because hoses and fittings cost pressure, the regulator at the compressor is normally set 10-20 psi higher, so the tool still sees its rating while air is flowing.
Nailers split into two bands. Brad nailers typically run at 60-100 psi, a window wide enough for trim and light assembly work. Framing nailers commonly need 100-120 psi to drive full-length nails into framing lumber — the top of that range is what keeps nail heads seating flush instead of standing proud.
Impact wrenches add the second dimension: airflow. A 1/2-inch air impact wrench typically draws about 2.5-5 CFM at 90 psi, which is why the chart lists CFM next to pressure. A wrench fed at the right pressure but without enough CFM behind it tightens the first bolt and fades on the third.
On narrow screens, swipe or scroll the plate sideways.
Spray guns sit at both extremes. Under the EPA definition, an HVLP gun must deliver 10 psi or less at the air cap and reach at least 65% transfer efficiency; conventional air spray runs at 40-60 psi. The HVLP figure is measured at the cap, not at the compressor, so the gun's own regulator does the final step-down.
Two entries are ceilings rather than targets. OSHA 1910.242(b) caps compressed air used for cleaning at 30 psi effective at the nozzle when no chip guarding is fitted. And passenger car tires are commonly inflated to 30-35 psi, but the correct value is the figure on the driver's door jamb placard, not the maximum on the sidewall.
To use the chart: find the tool, note its pressure and where that pressure is measured, then set the regulator following the steps on How to Set an Air Compressor Regulator. If the tool's CFM draw is close to the compressor's output, check the 25% headroom rule on Choosing a Compressor by CFM and Tank Size.
Further reading