Alpha Tool.Com.HK Limited Polisher AIRToolMaintenance Maintenance Card User Manual

							The Alpha® AIR-Polishers are designed to run at or 
below 85 PSI.  This operating pressure is derived 
from the optimum speed and torque needed for 
most polishing applications, while staying below 
the maximum speed rating of the rotor bearings.  By 
raising and lowering the air pressure, you change 
the speed at which the tool will run.  The power or 
torque comes from the CFM or volume of air.  If your 
compressor’s CFMs are under-sized, your pressure 
will drop once the reserve in your tank is depleted.
Raising the pressure to 100 PSI and higher will 
raise the RPM of the tool.  At this point, you are 
reaching or exceeding the maximum speed 
rating of the 516-18 bearing of 28,000 RPM, 
causing it to heat up and wear out prematurely.
Sudden changes in speed will also cause 
premature wear on the bearing, so you should 
turn the air on and off slower to allow the 
bearing time to accelerate and decelerate.  One of the big differences between the Alpha
® AIR-
Polishers and others, is that our polishers are all steel 
inside.  This is why it comes with a bottle of oil, so you 
can treat the steel inside the tool and prevent it from 
rusting when not in use.  If water and contamination 
is allow to enter the tool, it will shorten the life of 
the vanes and bearings inside the rotor assembly.
Contamination in the air will get into the vane 
slots on the rotor and cause the vanes to stick and
stop floating. About a quarter of the way through the rotation, 
that same vane transitions into the vent cycle and 
the air is exhausted from the tool.  Therefore, one 
to two vanes are always loaded under pressure 
and creating the torque needed to turn the rotor. 
When excessive downward pressure is applied 
to the tool, the vanes will rub against the rotor 
on the backside causing a groove to form as the 
vane is pushed back into the rotor under pressure.
     1        2         3       4
1. New vane
2. Used vane with no grooves
3. Used vane with grooves
4. Used vane cracked along the groove
Figure 2
Over time, half of the vane will become worn away 
in the grooved area causing the vane to become 
brittle and crack, or splinter along the groove line.
When the vane splinters, as shown in vane 4 in 
Figure 2, it is the pieces of the vane that break off 
that get trapped between the rotor and the cylinder 
causing the tool to lock up.  Excessive downward 
pressure will also cause premature wear on the gears.
Learn How to Prevent the 
5 most common issues 
that cause pneumatic tool  failures…
Excessive downward pressure 
applied during polishing.4.
1.
3. 2.
Running the tool in excess 
of  the recommended 85 PSI 
operating pressure. Contamination and water 
getting inside the tool.
Excessive oiling or using the 
wrong type of  oil.
The AIR-Polisher has four vanes in the rotor assembly 
which are used to trap the air and convert air flow into 
the torque needed to run the tool.  In a no-load condition, 
the rotor will turn between 20,000 to 22,000 RPM, which 
allows the spindle shaft to turn at 4,000 RPM to 4,400 RPM. 
Under light downward pressure the rotor will 
slow down to 18,000 to 19,000 RPM, and the 
spindle will turn at 3,600 RPM to 3,800 RPM.  
As the rotor and vanes turn inside the tool, it goes 
through a power and vent cycle.  During the power 
cycle, the vanes extend out from the rotor and the 
air pushing on the front side, cause the rotor to turn.  
The Alpha
® AIR-008 oil is designed to coat the
inside of the tool and prevent it from rusting when the 
tool is not in use.  For this tool to work effectively, we 
recommend adding the oil at the end of the day.  The oil 
is not needed to run the tool, it is only added to prevent 
the tool from rusting.  Adding the wrong oil or excessive 
oiling of the tool can cause a tar-like build-up inside the 
tool, causing the vanes to also stick in the rotor assembly.
* Air line lubricators are not recommended due to the 
excessive amount of oil.
Figure 1
Worn Bearings 
						

							103 Bauer Drive, Oakland, NJ 07436 800-648-7229 • Fax: 800-286-0114 www.alpha-tools.com
Copyright © 2015  Alpha Professional Tools. All rights reserved. 
Providing Better Solutions to the Professional
AIR-TOOL
To avoid some of the previously described potential 
issues, Alpha® has created Filter/Regulator (F/R) manifold 
systems. These F/R manifold systems consist of a Filter/
Regulator with a shut off/dump valve, and a aluminum 
manifold with two or more aluminum quick disconnects.  
The filter/regulator will allow you to set the pressure 
at 85 PSI, remove and dump any water from your air, 
and remove contamination down to five microns.
These new manifold systems and parts are available 
through our distributor network, and via our website.
Contact the Alpha® Tool Dept. Help Desk to learn more 
about a solution today! 
SOLUTIONS
HELP DESK
800-648-7229 ext. 505
Pneumatic Tool  Preventative
Maintenance & Solutions
with 4 couplers shown
Recommended  FoR the Following tools:
AIR-680
AIR-658
AIR-300
Original          Chipped           Broken
F/R Manifold
5.Hammering of  the tool into 
the stone.
AIR-008Oiling Made Easy
With the new Alpha® AIR-680,  oiling  the  tool 
is easier than ever with the “Oil Port”. This  convenient port, with a 
phillips screw, allows oil to be added without having to disconnect the air line.
FL2200.V2-07/2015 VER.2
Figure 5
PART 
NO DEscRIPTIONADAPTER
  BlOck cFM
PORT Plugs 
INcluDED
1030-0021 3/8” Filter/Reg. manifold 3/8” nPt533 couplers (3) 1/4” Female nPt
1030-0022 3/8” Filter/Reg. manifold 1/2” nPt533 couplers (3) 1/4” Female nPt
1030-0023 1/2” Filter/Reg. manifold 1/2” nPt1064 couplers (3) 1/4” Female nPt  
+ (1) 3/8” Female nPt
1030-0024 1/2” Filter/Reg. manifold 3/4” nPt1064 couplers (3) 1/4” Female nPt  
+ (1) 3/8” Female nPt
 
During the process of polishing and/or core drilling, 
you should slowly apply the polisher to the stone.  
Hammering or quickly impacting the polisher into 
the stone will cause the spindle to go from 4,000 
RPM to 2,000 RPM or lower.  This sudden impact 
will cause the gears to wear out and/or chip.  This 
impacting is also evident by the play and indentation 
found on the woodruff key for the spindle gear.  
Please note: while core drilling, the gears can start to 
wear out or chip and the tool can continue to run for a 
week or two before locking up.
Figure 4
Oil Port
Figure 3