How convenient were pneumatic tools? Put it this way: basically anything electric tools could do, pneumatic tools could do as well.
Electric tools included electric drills, electric screwdrivers, and electric hammers. Pneumatic tools had air impact wrenches, air screwdrivers, and pneumatic picks. Electric tools had electric saws and angle grinders, while pneumatic tools likewise had pneumatic saws and pneumatic angle grinders. There were also pneumatic riveters and air hammers.
Aside from heat-based functions, such as soldering irons, which pneumatic tools could not provide, pneumatic tools could make corresponding devices for anything involving rotation or impact.
Of course, they could not compare with electric tools in portability. An electric tool could be used by simply connecting it to a power line, whereas pneumatic tools had to be equipped with an Air Compressor for power. Moreover, the Han Tribe had no electricity, so they could only use a Steam Engine to drive the Air Compressor. In other words, if the Han Tribe wanted to use pneumatic tools, they had to bring along a boiler, a Steam Engine, and an Air Compressor—an air pump—as well as large reserves of coal and water.
Obviously, it was impossible to run around everywhere carrying so much equipment, so the range of pneumatic tools was limited. Even so, even if they could only be used in fixed factory workshops, they were still an enormous convenience. For the Han Tribe at present, they were the best choice.
"This... You can even make tools powered by high-pressure gas?!" Mu Xing was utterly astounded by Luo Chong's wildly imaginative idea. He said in amazement once more, "Could it be that you're planning to make an ultra-small cylinder-and-piston mechanism, compress it all into a small tool, and then make it rotate under the force of steam?"
He muttered to himself, then