An air/gas-driven tool with an integrated air/gas dryness indicator. The
tool includes a housing that defines a cavity. An air/gas dryness
detector is disposed in the cavity. An air/gas flow passage is situated
to provide a stream of compressed air/gas to the dryness detector. A
visual indicator is adapted to provide an indication of compressed
air/gas dryness detected by the dryness detector. The tool can be
constructed so that the air/gas dryness indicator is provided by way of a
removable indicator cartridge containing a dryness-indicating material
such as a color changing desiccant or moisture sensitive paper. The
indicator cartridge can be sized and configured to be received in a
cavity formed in a housing of the air/gas-driven tool, so as to be
viewable through a view port formed in the tool. Alternatively, the
indicator cartridge can be configured with its own view port and mounted
on a surface of the tool while being partially received in the cavity.
The air/gas dryness indicator can also be provided with an
electromechanical dryness detector and a numeric display that displays
relative humidity, dew point temperature, or both.