Blower for drying
- Thread starter 01svtL
- Start date
I have a three speed electric that I tempt the fates with every weekend! The house we just bought has some driveway issues and the water puddles up pretty significantly. So once I am done washing I have to drag my extension cord through the puddles to dry the car. It's gonne get me one of these days.:LOLOL
gav'spurplez
New member
not sure on the specs i can check HP when i get home,
but i use a toro ( electric ) it cost be about 40-45 bucks 5 years ago !
but i use a toro ( electric ) it cost be about 40-45 bucks 5 years ago !
gav'spurplez
New member
i use the leaf blower and then the MFWW....never had probelms, if you dry the car and then close the door, and water streaks down....using the leaf blower will make a mess and you will have to towel off the car again......dont create double the work.
never had a problem with dust / debris, but you do have to watch the positioning of the leaf blower....its is easy to point it at the ground by mistake
never had a problem with dust / debris, but you do have to watch the positioning of the leaf blower....its is easy to point it at the ground by mistake
Kean
New member
....I use deionized water during the final rinse so there is really nothing left for me to wipe up (or reason to). Any isolated spotting I do get (typically non-DI water leaking out of some crevices) is quickly dispatched with a QD and towel during a walk-around. I do all of my washing and drying in my garage (which is kept relatively clean) so I don't really worry about stirring debris. ....but then again, I'm not using the blower in a manner where it would be an issue anyway.wxtornado said:
Accumulator
Well-known member
wxtornado said:
I use the leafblower/AirWand to get most of the water off, then WWMF the rest, then follow up with the air compressor for the nooks and crannies.
Yeah, I even do that after a deionized rinse.
Eh, I only work in a sufficiently clean environment that *that* isn't an issue, but if you can't do that then yeah, better be careful.
Oh, and Welcome to Autopia!
fergnation
New member
I have lost hearing do to the leaf blower but couldn't imagine washing a car without one. I jsut use ear plugs now.
Water gets trappped in crevices and doesn't dispense untill the car is driven. That is why the leaf blower is essential in my arsenal. I use the MF as a last step with a bottle of ONR solution in it to take care of any water spots that might be left over.
The de ionized water is a great idea and works wonderful. But until you drive or blow the water out of emblems or cracks the water will collect until there is a force (wind, air movement, blower) to move the water out of it holding place.
The de ionized water keeps this from being a problem because it will not leave spots or tracers. But if regular water is used this problem will show its ugly head the next time you get out of the car.
Water gets trappped in crevices and doesn't dispense untill the car is driven. That is why the leaf blower is essential in my arsenal. I use the MF as a last step with a bottle of ONR solution in it to take care of any water spots that might be left over.
The de ionized water is a great idea and works wonderful. But until you drive or blow the water out of emblems or cracks the water will collect until there is a force (wind, air movement, blower) to move the water out of it holding place.
The de ionized water keeps this from being a problem because it will not leave spots or tracers. But if regular water is used this problem will show its ugly head the next time you get out of the car.
PistolWhip
New member
I've been using a gas powered back pack blower to dry my cars for 15 years and have never had a single problem. I don't understand why some say it's so bad to use gas blowers?? There's no gas coming out of the outlet, it's not even possible unless you have a seriously malfunctioning blower with a really bad gas leak. The engine is not outputting the air, its simply turning a turbine which creates the air velocity and blows it out of the outlet. What's the difference between that and the function of an electric blower??? I'll answer that for you, nothing.
I can think of a million other things I can spend my money on than a second air blower just to dry my car. As specially one that's gonna make my life hell trying to untangle, unhook, unwedge and unnot an extension cord.
I dry it with the blower first, then hit the windows with an Absorber. Follow that up with a large MF drying towel.
I can think of a million other things I can spend my money on than a second air blower just to dry my car. As specially one that's gonna make my life hell trying to untangle, unhook, unwedge and unnot an extension cord.
I dry it with the blower first, then hit the windows with an Absorber. Follow that up with a large MF drying towel.
Accumulator
Well-known member
PistolWhip said:
Noting that I have two backpacks, one gas-powered handheld, and the electric...
I don't like running the gas ones in the shop. I'm not really worried about breathing the exhaust, but running a 2-cycle engine in there just isn't tidy enough for me as I shoot for "operating room clean" as best I can. I consider 2-Cycle exhaust messy stuff, as in, oily-film messy. (Admittedly not an issue if you're using it outdoors.)
Also, the electric one is garage-dedicated; its turbine housing is spotlessly clean whereas the gas-powered ones, which are used for outdoor chores, are definitely *NOT* clean in that regard. (Admittedly not an issue if you only use the blower for detailing.)
The presumed hassles of using an electric just aren't a big factor if you set the shop up right, but yeah, having a cord is less convenient than *not* having one!
I sure do agree that hand-held blowers are awkward. I have a shoulder strap on my electric one and between that and the AirWand gizmo it's pretty similar to a backpack.
Not intended as an :argue and I'm glad the (2-cycle) backpack works for you, just pointing out that there *are* some (IMO) valid reasons why the electric ones can have their place.
Kean
New member
PistolWhip said:
....it really depends on the individual user. In my case, electric is nice because I'm doing all of my washing, drying and detailing inside of my garage. I found electric more convenient, clean and better suited for this task. As for problems with knots or tangles, it’s a moot issue since I properly stow my extension cords/elec. power tools when I'm done. All of my equipment/products that I use for regular maintenance are stored where they are easily accessible. I also have multiple outlets so I can easily “unplug” and then “plug in” when working on either side of the car. The power cord on my blower is long enough where it allows me to dry the top, back, driver side & hood before I need to move to another outlet to finish the front, and pass. side. I only go around the car once with the blower so I’m not sure why others may think you have to “run around in circles”.PistolWhip said:
IMO, I wouldn’t label gas or electric as “bad”. ….individual situations vary as do preferences and solutions.
PistolWhip
New member
I should have been more clear. I wasn't referring to those that do their detailing inside of a building, I can understand why you'd want to use electric in that circumstance. I also didn't mean to sound as if there is anything wrong with using and electric blower, I was referring to the people that say things like "I would never use a gas blower on my car." It makes perfect sense to use electric indoors, but it makes no sense to say that using a gas blower to dry a car (assuming outside) is going to cause some kind of damage or is any less safe than using an electric blower. That's all I meant. Just to assure those that may get missled by certain statements that people make, that a gas blower is just as safe to use as an electric blower (outdoors of course).:chuckle:
rwisejr
New member
This is what I you use. I also Have the rigid 6hp vac with detachable blower as well and this is fairly quite and effective with soft rubber tip so you can't accidently scratch the car
Accumulator
Well-known member
PistolWhip- Yeah, I kinda figured we were closer to being on the same page than it sounded there...
Same here, I get the bulk of the water off and then switch to other approaches.
Yikes, you must a) be using a different blower than I have and b) have longer arms than I do :think:
But then I'm so paranoid about the AirWand coming apart that I often make blowing a two-handed proposition.
I *do* use the air compressor nozzle in one hand and a MF in the other though.
Yeah, I only use the DI water for the final rinse, and the regular water will still leave spots unless I spend *forever* with the compressor. It sometimes takes me longer to do the last-stage drying than the whole rest of the wash!
Kean said:
Same here, I get the bulk of the water off and then switch to other approaches.
jb1 said:
Yikes, you must a) be using a different blower than I have and b) have longer arms than I do :think:
But then I'm so paranoid about the AirWand coming apart that I often make blowing a two-handed proposition.
I *do* use the air compressor nozzle in one hand and a MF in the other though.
Yeah, I only use the DI water for the final rinse, and the regular water will still leave spots unless I spend *forever* with the compressor. It sometimes takes me longer to do the last-stage drying than the whole rest of the wash!
Yikes, you must a) be using a different blower than I have and b) have longer arms than I do :think:
But then I'm so paranoid about the AirWand coming apart that I often make blowing a two-handed proposition.
I *do* use the air compressor nozzle in one hand and a MF in the other though.
What can I say, at 6'4" I have arms like a monkey.
Here's a pic of my latest blower. I never could get comfortable with the AirWand so I put it in the box and just used the blower without the middle tube.
The one I used before this one did pretty decent but I couldn't get it as short as I would have liked. I "rigged" this one too by using self tapping screws to secure the nozzle to the base. This one was really awkward to use since you can't get a comfortable grip in one hand.
And here's the original. Gotta love duct tape. LOL. That worked for a while but eventually worked loose so I secured the stub nozzle with a 2 part epoxy but I don't have a picture. I now use this one for blowing off the dash and interior.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Accumulator said:
jb1 said:
Ah, I see you have the same blower that came with *my* AirWand too. Never got comfortable with it huh? Eh...to each their own and I can understand why it might not be for everyone.
Those little metal loops that the shoulder strap attaches too are soooo flimsy; I keep having to bend mine back into shape.
Heh heh, those long arms of yours must come in handy! I sometimes feel like a T-Rex
Good thinking :xyxthumbs
Heh heh, yeah, duct tape is holding my one vacuum hose in place.
To help keep my AirWand parts connected/attached, I used the tape that melts to itself. So far, so good (famous last words
).Atlantic Euro
New member
Accumulator said:
Where do you get the air wand attachment? Didn't see one when I searched Amazon...