[drakenot]

You should see some videos of Amish woodworking shops. They have every tool that a modern woodworking shop would have: table saw, bandsaw, drill press, rotary sanders, etc.

Except they are all air powered. They have all been rigged to run off pressurized air lines. The air is produced by a gas generator.

[tenminuteslater]

This would seem to be a classic example of a distinction without a difference.

[dsfyu404ed]

Air tools are far more field serviceable than electrical ones. Furthermore, if your gas engine dies you can fairly quickly rig up something with a horse and a treadmill to spin the compressor.

[ticviking]

It has to do with wanting something they can in principal maintain forever without outside help.

[lostboys67]

Up to a point central compressed air solutions do have H&S issues I recall one of my thermo fluid lecturers saying well if the main pressure vessel failed it would have demolished the building.

[evgen]

They make many pressure rated air hoses in those communities? Didn't think so. As previous poster noted, it is all effectively arbitrary window dressing.

[lostboys67]

If it where the case they should be using belt drive driven by wind/horse power - until fairly recently mech eng techs in the uk where taught how to design belt drive systems

[evgen]

Belt drives are far more limited and attached tools are not mobile in any way whatsoever. Not even close when it comes to substitution technology.

[lostboys67]

well machine tools are not that mobile and neither are air powered tools as you normally use those in abuilding that has compressed air on tap.

[jccalhoun]

From my experience with the Amish it is all about justifications that don't make any sense. But if it works for them I'm not going to judge them too harshly.