AIRCAT 1200-K 1/2" Nitrocat Composite Twin Clutch Impact Wrench, 900 ft-lb

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 1/2015 It has been over two years now and this beast still works great. I must say I keep it in good shape. clean, oiled, and dont like to toss it. But the ones I bought for my cooworkers.......well..... they dont pay much attention to it. They toss it, wack it, drop it and like nothing. Compared to mine I can barely tell the difference in torque they virtually at the same power although mine feels a little tighter but not by much. I highly recommend this tool. Makes your job fun, easy & less noisy. I bought this because I read the reviews and I was like wow!. Well, I've had it for a few weeks now. I work in the plastic industry and have to change molds on a daily basis, they range from 800kg to 20,000kg. Some guys have their impacts rated at 450, 550, 650,and 800ft-lbs. So when I had my old mastercraft rated at 320ft-lbs I had a hard time loosening bolts........well that changed. When I go to do a change over those bolts come off like butter LITERALLY! the power its amazing. The weight of the gun its not as light as I thought but it balances off with the airline and the grip I get its really comfortable. Its not as quiet as I expected but since I don't have to lay on it to loose bolts the time per bolt its really really short. I oil it according to use but mostly everyday since I change at least 4 molds a day. The only thing that I was not very impressed with was the torque power when tighten the bolts. I don't really think it goes 900ft-lbs as specified. I have had some loosen out with a 450ft-lbs gun, I had to lay on the bolt for like 3 seconds but it came out without mayor hassle. I think the real torque must be around 550-600ft-lbs. One thing I noticed which I think is good but I thought it wasn't is that once you reached the maximum torque power the gun slows down by itself, It doesn't let you force it. With the other ones you lay for seconds and seconds "torqueing" but the gun its just making noise and you are actually damaging your sockets, wrench and bolts. At first I thought it was lack of power in the gun but later I realized it wasn't. Overall I'm happy with it, Time will decide how good is overtime. My old one lasted me about 7 months before I noticed lack of power but It was a cheap one. If this one lasts me at least 18 months I would be pleased. Good product. Updated September 2013 3 of my coworkers are ordering their own!! since they saw how good, light, powerfull and quiet mine is. THIS GUN ROCKS!!!! January 2015 update. So it has ben more than 18 months and my nitrocat its as good and powerful as day one. I have bought 8 in total for my coworkers. They love it and are glad they have it. Just ordered the las three two weeks ago. Definetly worth the money! Some of my coworkers have IR titanium and snap on blue point and this baby puts them to shame not just in power but in quietness too. Silent power!

This impact wrench was one of the strongest in the shop. There was only 1 or 2 bolts this thong wouldnt touch. Its literally a Mac tools impact wrench without the name. 11/10 would recommend this beast. Amazing quality and used in a professional setting daily for almost a decade. The grip is comfortable and the weight is easy to work with. If I oiled the gun Im sure it would've lasted another decade lol. One of the best impact wrenches ive used and at a fraction of the cost of one with a fancy name on it. I also purchased the 3/8" version. Only reason I didn't buy another is because I got a brand new Mac impact at the same price because the tool rep was retiring. If youre looking for a cheap, dependable, reliable, absolute powerhouse... this is it. Beginner prices for professional tool truck quality.

This has to be the single best air gun I've ever come across. I've used a lot of them, I've been around cars and working on them since I was 10. This is by far the quietest and most powerful in its form factor. It's also quite light due its kevlar composite body. I never realized how heavy my IR was until I picked up again after using the Aircat for a few weeks. I noticed the torque particularly on a Mercedes whose lug nuts needed to come off. I wanted to see just for fun how much more torque the aircat had. So I used my IR and it took off only 6 lug nuts. The remaining 14 came off with the aircat no problem, didn't even sound like it struggled. I didn't like the switching mechanism at the back. But it's grown on me. Unlike my IR whose 5 settings for torque can be flipped around completely and you never really can feel what setting it's in, the aircat is very clear about what setting your in, if a little unclear as to how much torque you're getting at those settings. I use it for everything. Removing hubs and bearings using the Hub Grappler kit, rotors and drums from the drum remover tool, frame work, brakes, and suspension work. It may be TOO much torque for some things...I definitely don't use it on overly rusted bolts and nuts until I soak them in penetrating oil and even then, if it doesn't come out easy, I reach for the torch. But it's made my life a lot easier and I recommend it over pretty much any other air gun.

Got this impact wrench for my dad for Father's Day. He had been using an old Campbell Hausfeld and we decided to upgrade him. This impact has lots of power off of the 20 gallon compressor we have with about 5.5cfm @ 90psi. I originally thought it'd be too powerful but I realize now that it is impossible to have too much. It has a single, full torque, reverse setting and 3 forward settings. The body is solid enough to take the beating we give our tools. The trigger makes it very easy to give any nut or bolt a few taps of the impact. There is also little noise compared to cheaper impact guns. The thing I like most about this gun compared to others I have used is the ergonomics. The grip has a rubber inlet for grip and finger grooves. The thing I like least about this model is the dial on the rear doesn't have a very positive click into position. It is difficult to quickly change direction and know what forward setting you have it on. Definitely worth the buy.

I finally retired my old MAC gun after 10 years of good use. I was looking to get one of the light weight IR guns because I have joint issues, and lugging around these 5-6 pound guns all day is tiring. I decided instead on the 1200K instead, because of how quiet is was supposed to be and the price is nice. The gun is super quiet compared to everyone elses impacts. Mine is the quietest in the shop. It's not super heavy or light really, 4.5 pounds. But it is very strong and very quiet. I never have issues breaking anything loose on any car ever. No issues either after a month of straight use, 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. Update: Been using this gun now for a year. No issues so far. Still just as quiet and powerful as day one. At first I oiled it regularly, but I got lazy about as we usually do, but have seen no performance issues. I try to oil it once a month or so.

I bought this tool to remove 10 year old rusted out bolts and castle nuts on my Subaru's front end joints on the axle housing. It worked great so far and I paired them with TEKTON 4885 1/2-Inch Drive Deep Impact Socket Set (Metric) which you can pick up here on Amazon too. My Tekton impact sockets didn't end up getting destroyed like one of the other reviewer's impact sockets. I used a 30 Gallon Sanborn air compressor I picked up at Menards along with a BluBird 3/8" 50 ft. hose (also available on Amazon) which is the recommended size hose to use for the NitroCat 1200-K. I used a Husky 4 piece quick connect set I got at Home Depot to connect the 1/4" NPT fitting to the NitroCat and it worked great without any leaks on the NitroCat end. Though I do have leaks at my compressor end because I used some cheap MasterForce branded China 1/4" NPT and coupler but it leaked a lot less than having the Husky 1/4" NPT female connected to the stock Sanborn coupler (which has no markings). The NitroCat needs 1 male 1/4" NPT fitting to connect under the handle and then that needs to be plugged into a female coupler attached to one end of the hose and the other end of the hose should have a female 1/4" NPT fitting plugged into your air compressor's coupler. Hope that help some of you who are just getting started setting up air powered tools for the first time. Took me a while to do enough research on how to get the right fittings to connect to everything and getting the right air compressor. Be careful of the 1/4" NPT fittings/couplers as a lot of the local stuff you can buy from Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, etc... are all industrial fittings and you may unintentionally have industrial fittings hooked up to auto fittings which will cause air leaks in the quick connect/disconnect couplers. It's best to buy matching sets/brand of coupler and NPT fittings to avoid air leaks on the NitroCat. There is a difference between industrial and auto fittings and to make matters worse there are even more like Lincoln and ARO to make it even more confusing. And then if you visit Milton Industries online they will have an entire list of types of fittings from M-Style, A-Style, AA-Style, AMT Style, D-Style, G-Style, H-Style, L-Style, P-Style, T-Style, V-Style, and I'll stop there. One last tip, when using the NitroCat to remove rusty nuts and bolts make sure you use your favorite brand of penetrating oil first (make sure to wait for 5-15 minutes so the oil can penetrate and do its job) so the stuck bolt or nut will come out easier. I used LPS KB88 as someone recommended elsewhere but you can use Kano Kroil, PB Blaster, Seafoam Deep Creep or whatever you want. Supposedly LPS KB88 is the best above Krano Kroil according to some people and LPS itself. Honestly, I don't know what is the best but the KB88 worked for me and I also tried Sea Foam Deep Creep which didn't work as well but worked better than WD-40. Sadly, I don't have the resources and time to test out Kano Kroil or PB Blaster to see which is the ultimate penetrating oil to use with the impact wrench. If I had more resources I would've purchased an Ingersoll Rand impact wrench but I would still say this is a great beginners impact wrench and you can't really go wrong with choosing it as your first wrench. No regrets, still a better buy than whatever you can get at your local big box hardware store. Of course, while searching for an impact wrench to buy I came across Harbor Freights Earthquake XT with similar pricing but with a 90-Day Risk Free Trial. Unfortunately, I do not live very close to one to try it out. Maybe consider that as an alternative if you don't want to spend more money on an Ingersoll Rand or Snap-On. I suspect people are losing effective torque power on this impact wrench due to leaking fittings, different hose sizes, and compressor specifications. The general rule of thumb someone told me was 5 CFM per a tool @ 90 PSI per one person. My compressor is rated at 5.5 CFM @ 90 PSI which runs the NitroCat fine.

I love this thing. I'm not a professional mechanic, but I do work on old tractors and farm equipment pretty much every day. I also don' t have a lot to compare it to because I barely ever used my old one , it was so loud, and, this may sound silly but with a metal body it was just cold (in the winter), slippery when hands are covered in grease. Minor issues of course, but I found that I just never felt like picking it up. My old one also wasn't always a sure thing for stuck bolts/nuts - so I just found it wasn't worth finding out it wouldn't work - it just stayed in its drawer. Insteadd I'd always reach for a breaker bar or even the torch first. From the moment I pulled this thing out of the box I knew I was going to like it. The body is comfortable to grip. it actually feels good in your hand. It's well balanced. Just the grip alone is worth a star or two. The reason I bought it was because of the other reviews referring to it's torque and ability to remove frozen bolts. I walked around an old tedder with some rusty nuts that haven't come off in decades. First one - pulled the trigger for half a second to see how it sounded - MUCH quieter than my old one (a major concern for me having already lost so much of my hearing) And SMOOTH. I went to give the trigger another squeeze and realize the nut was already off the bolt. I couldn't believe how fast, quiet, and powerful this thing was. So smooth that I spent the next 20 minutes just looking for stuff to take apart with it. I'd say "for this price" I don't see how you can go wrong, but honestly, I'd be happy with this if I paid twice as much for it. Paying so little is just icing on the cake. It's too new to talk about longevity, but if this thing stays together, I'll rank it up there with some of my favorite tool purchases. So in addition to the other claims here about this wrench's abilities, I'll add that It's an actual pleasure to use. I will reach for this thing WAY more often than my old one. I didn't come into this purchase thinking about comfort and noise, but now that I've got it I realize that really does matter.

I bought this tool because when ever I ran into a tough bolt my Snap On airgun would not remove. I ended up borrowing my partner's Nitrocat 1200 . For example, a Honda crank bolt which is notoriously tight. So tight in fact, they make a special holding tool to help remove them ! Well i don't need that tool . Because I purchased a Nitrocat 1200 and it takes them all off !! And let me tell you , this tool is so quiet you wont believe it, and it has a wonderful pistol grip. Also you can't believe how strong it is because when you are blasting off a tight bolt, It doesn't have that heavy torque feel at all ! Very easy on the wrist. It's like magic or an illusion .One drawback : I don't use this to install wheels because I'm afraid of over torquing them .I have a pedestrian, composite I.R. i use for that and most of the jobs requiring a 1/2 impact. My sweet Nitrocat just sits in my box gathering dust. It's like having that Desert Eagle just in case a bear comes out of the woods, when most of the time your .45 will make do.i have an older 3/4 I.R. and this gun outperforms that. Maybe because I don't have an airline big enough to take advantage of it , but who wants to lug that massive robogun around anyways and deal with the special air hose, when all I need is my Nitrocat !! Meooowrrrrr !!!

had way more power than my Snapon MG725 did out of the box. the Nitrocat is so quiet you hear the impact of the socket on the bolt or nut rather than you do of the actual gun itself. very impressed. I seen that MAC has gotten their own version of this impact at double the cost now. Overall the Nitrocar is hands down best gun on the market for the price.

I got this as a gift for my husband for Christmas. He is a mechanic and works on Super heavy-duty vacuum trucks all day. In his words it works “great”. I know when I was comparing this to more expensive models it appeared to be just as good if not better then the higher priced ones. He’s very happy with it.

Bought this to have a backup 3/8 impact as my old one was wearing out and could feeling it struggling. I found this as a recommendation on Amazon as i purchased a different Aircat product. I already own a Aircat 1/2 impact gun and LOVE the power. So i already knew what i was getting in terms of power and the noise level. I purchased it and arrived very quickly. I will however write the advantages and disadvantages: Advantages: - Power, this impact with definitely break a bolt or nut off without hesitation if you are not careful. The 1200 ft-lbs of reverse torque is insane, i personally have gotten carried away due to how much power it has. If the fastener is seized, do not attempt to use this as a solution because it will likely break and you will be regretting your mistake. Use a hand ratchet to remove it first then once its loose, then use this to buzz it loose. - Quiet, this impact is extremely quiet for the amount of power it contains. It is very quiet compared to other brands as some you can go deaf in seconds from how noisy they are. This is not that, this is extremely quiet as all Aircat products are. - Settings, as due most impact guns have. Reverse toque needs all the power so there is only one setting but when going forward you have 3 setting to choose. I am not 100% sure what each setting puts out for torque but you have a low, medium, and high setting. In my opinion, low is snug, medium is hand tight, and high full torque to as tight as you can go.... but don't take my word for that. Disadvantages: - Size, the size of gun (length) is long. This is not a gun you can get into a tight area if needed to. If you need this to get into a tight area, you will need extensions and swivels. For the amount of power though in a 3/8 impact is insane, so you do have to sacrifice something to get a little more. - Weight, the weight of the gun itself is about 4.5 lbs which is not extremely heavy but if your holding it for a while you will start to see how heavy it gets. 5-10 minutes of use will feel like 20 lbs. It's not over bearing where it render you inoperable but just to note that you may feel it over prolonged use. Overall, this gun has been treating me very well for the time i have used it. I have not encountered something that it hasn't been able to take off. The only thing i am disappointed is Aircat released a stubby version of these which can get into tighter areas but due come with less torque. I just wish i may of held back a few months on the purchase to wait for those to come out but overall i am very satisfied with this and would totally recommend this to a professional or a DIY because this has got some power and if your looking to break something this is the tool! *As for a FYI, i would recommend impact sockets for this because using a chrome socket isn't the smartest decision. (Ask me how i know)*

Have had it for a while. Really nice gun. Light and quiet. Also much cheaper. Good buy and good quality. Have yet to be disappointed. Have a new coworker who had one and lasted him 8 years and still better than any bigger brand one he has gotten since.

Have been using a NitroCat 1200k for two years now. I'm very impressed how the gun delivers its power with very little noise. This has also impressed coworkers time and again who use Snap-On or Ingersol-Rand 1/2" Impacts. It is worth noting that I did not treat my old NitroCat very well (constant bangs and drops from high places). It put up with me for two years of constant abusive use and was still running well until the handle cracked from a rather substantial drop to a concrete floor. Given the price and toughness, I had no problem ordering up another one. Perhaps I'll treat this new one better!