Here is a way to power your Airgraver with compressed air and still have it as portable as with the Co2 tanks.
Using a Paintball compressed air carbon fiber tank is the trick, these tanks have a discharge rate of between 800 and 900 psi, thanks to a built in regulator that reduces the 4,500 psi down to 800 to 900 psi at the discharge fitting.
This means that you don't need to run a scuba tank regulator to reduce the pressure to Steves regulator to run the tool. Just get one of these tanks and the fill station fitting for $40 and fill the Carbon fiber tank when you need to from the scuba tank.
The regulator that Steve sells to use with the Co2 tanks, can also work with these compressed air tanks as long as they have the built in reducing regulator that comes with these tanks from the factory.
Tippman has a sale on one of these tanks for under $200, here is their web address.
http://www.tippmannpros.com. There are several sizes and makes, so shop around for the right one for you. THIS IS NOT THE TANK THAT IS ON SALE.
The carbon fiber tanks are made for paintball guns/markers and can be used for 5 years before re-certification is required, just like a scuba tank.
Also if you want to refill your own tanks, you can get a “Fill station” also from Tippman for under $40, this will refill your carbon fiber tank several times from a scuba tank depending on the sizes of the tanks that you have.
For on the road, you could get a scuba tank, and keep it in a hotel room or car and anytime you need a refill, just bring the Carbon fiber tank out and hook it up and in a couple of minutes you have a full tank at 4,500 psi to run your tools.
With this kind of volume and pressure, a foot pedal control system will run for many hours before needing a refill. A PC handle should get double the length of time from a full tank.
I have yet to test the length of time that you can get from a full tank, but it should be real good, I guess it would be something like 20 hours or so.
Here are pictures of the tank and the set-up for a PC tool, I will post a travel package that I am working on for shows when it is complete. I want to include a connection for both style of controllers, PC handle and Foot pedal controller that will run off these tanks.
A cover for the tank is recommended since it can chip if dropped.
You can always connect a Co2 tank as a backup power supply in case you run out of compressed air.
Any questions?
Tim C