Two Questions

[ScionWes]

Hey gang...



I was at Meijer`s two days ago and was checking out the auto aisle when I came upon RainX car wash. It has little balls of carnauba wax inside the wash itself. Anyone use this stuff? Does it work? Another question (possibly dumb...) is will it work with my foam gun or will those balls clog it up?





The other thing I noticed was a newer and improved Mr. Clean Auto Wash. What caught my eye other than the fact that the gun shoots higher pressure is that they now guarantee that your car will dry on its own spot free...



Does this work? I bought the Mr. Clean thing two years ago and had *fair* results. I still noticed a few spots here and there but was overall satisfied. What is it in their product that helps the water evaporate like it does? Can I find something like that and add it to my foam gun for a "spotless" dry?



This two question post has turned into a novel...bonus points if you`ve read this far :hifive:



One more thing I`ll ask and then you can go about your business: Is an airgun/air tank kit worth the investment? I saw two different sized tank kits at meijer`s selling for around $200. The smaller one, was capable of 100psi. I`m not good with numbers, but would this be sufficient for blowing off a car?



I think it would be a lot easier with drying off a car with an air gun...especially after a rain storm, no?





Thanks for your help/reading my post/making the world a better place. :2thumbs: :2thumbs:

[Guy]

With a compressor sometimes you get condensation which comes out the airgun. You can get line dryers to keep it from doing this. I personally take the nozzle off and let the water with no pressure sheet off the car, lots less water to dry off.

The other questions I can`t say as I`ve never used those.

[BigJimZ28]

I think a leaf blower for $50 will do a much better job than an air compressor,



as for as the other products I think your money is better spent on something else.

[emaxxman]

One more thing I`ll ask and then you can go about your business: Is an airgun/air tank kit worth the investment? I saw two different sized tank kits at meijer`s selling for around $200. The smaller one, was capable of 100psi. I`m not good with numbers, but would this be sufficient for blowing off a car?



I think it would be a lot easier with drying off a car with an air gun...especially after a rain storm, no?





The problem with a compressor at that price level is that it`s meant to provide quick bursts of air...the short quick burst used to power things like nail guns. Even then, we`re talking small nail gus...it would probably struggle with framing guns. I know, I`ve been there.



For drying a car (or powering a spray gun), you need alot of air that is sustained for relatively long periods of time. My gas powered Craftsman leaf blower supplies 400+ cfm`s at ~200mph`s. Without even knowing what brand the compressor is, I can almost guarantee that it`s pumping out less than 10 cfm`s at that price range.



In short...it`s simply not up to the task.

[ScionWes]

Anyone else have an opinion?

[a.k.a. Patrick]

I dont really see a need for the leaf blowers if you sheet the water. What I like to do is use the sheeting method, pop the hood and rear deck while drying the roof and sides. When you come back, you`ll have MINIMAL water standing, without stirring up dust.

What I find more valuable with compressors (And try to consider one thats at least 5gl) is that they are very valuable for blowing water out of door handles, trim, weatherstripping, wheels, tires, moldings, mats, and for interiors? INVALUABLE.

Also, ever notice a clients tire is low? Ask them if they would like you to add a few lbs. (Helps with tips) Also great for getting leaves out of those real hard to reach areas like the intakes on Porsches.........Did I mention they`re great for dusting the entire painted surface prior to sealing? Sheeeeeeesh, I find a new use for copmressed air everytime i fire it up......

(I think this has just inspired a pole....)

[Accumulator]

I`d shy away from soaps that contain lots of "stuff" when it comes to foamgun applications but then I shy away from them anyhow.



Since building the new shop, I can no longer sheet the final rinse due to my boosted water pressure and the design of my shop`s spigots. So I`ve looked into various ways of making the drying easier.



My compressor is a fairly big one, but as Patrick noted, what it`s really best for is blowing the last little bits of water out of nooks and crannies. I couldn`t get a vehicle *really* dry without it. But doing the initial drying with it is a royal pain.



What I`m using these days is an AIRWAND (http://www.airwand.com/) . I bought it as sorta a test, expecting it to be a gimmick, but after using it for a while I *really* like it. It does work best on vehicles with a good LSP, and it takes a fair bit of using to learn the optimal way to dry with it. But on a well-waxed vehicle, once you get the technique down, it works pretty well.



I posted something about it a long time ago, might be worth a search before you consider spending any money.



But Patrick brings up a good point about stirring up dust...gotta consider the work environment.