A better drying solution?

Both these units seem like an expensive solution. I use a blower to finish my vehicle. I am using a removable blower from a 6.5 hp Craftsman shop vac. It blows air at 265 MPH and is really light, about 6 pounds. It was $89 on sale from Sears. I had been using an unused leafblower (electric) which was rated at about 175 MPH but the Craftsman convertible is LOTS more powerful (air movement) and it simply "unhooks" off of the body of the huge shop vac (16 gallons) and has a handle for walking around the vehicle. Basically, just the motor, hose and electric cord comprise the blower. When done blowing the vehicle dry, it simply "snaps" back on top of the shop vac canister. Really a good design for not a lot of money. The only thing that I have to get used to is the high pitched sound of the air when it hits certain areas of my vehicle (door handles, creases, etc.)
 
While I have a leaf blower, (only a 200mph unit:(), an air compressor and the Metro, I have never felt the need for blow drying.
On the Montana, the only water storage places are the mirrors and I use a MF on a plastic spatula and am able to get enough of the water out that it doesn't drip. Keeps the mirror housing fairly clean, too.
On the Grand Prix, I do the mirror thing and open the trunk to let the water run out from under the spoiler while I dry the other areas and that seems to work pretty good.

Charles
 
I too found it difficult to dry with a leaf blower and a vacuum so I went this route:
20fc9c0798d4263b3b562ec4ab4317c4.jpg

Just hook it up to a compressor and you can adjust the PSI and weighs less than a feather :).
 
budman3 said:
I too found it difficult to dry with a leaf blower and a vacuum so I went this route:
20fc9c0798d4263b3b562ec4ab4317c4.jpg

Just hook it up to a compressor and you can adjust the PSI and weighs less than a feather :).
Click to expand...

Not a good idea using an air compressor for drying unless you have the same grade of dryers inline used for paint finishing. You'll always get some oil in the air from the compressor. And, even so called oil-less ones, you still have water vapor which occurs when you compress air into a closed vessle.

I still use a leaf blower with Armorflex foam on a PVC adapters for drying larg or small areas. It also has a simple fiberglass filter

Deanski
 
My compressor is an oil-less Craftsman and I feel this is much safer and easier than a leaf blower (without any attachments). Yes my compressor does omit some water vapor from time to time but it's nothing a WW can't handle. Or getting an inline filter would probably be the best bet like what air brush users have. I like how I can get into tight spots. I usually use around 20-25 PSI which is more than enough to blow out water out of crevices. I guess I should have said above that I only use this in the nooks and crannies (I hate water drips). The rest of the surface gets dried with WWs.
 
That's a great idea but I have too many ww drying towels to go that route.
 
I tried the air compressor before buying my garden blower.
The air hose has a lot of pressure but very little volume. The blower is much faster but I dry the engine and entire car not just blow water out of the mirror's. If you use a compressor to dry the whole car this will kill your compressor unless you have one of those Mega-Buck commercial compressors.
My vehicles are BLACK so I try to avoid putting a towel on the surface as much as possible. :rockon
 
Hey, I just took my vehicle for a ride around the block - at 60 mph the 3 mile trip (I live in the country) got most of my water off, gave me time to warm up -since it was 40 degrees and after returning I wiped the rest of the water of with a MF towel. Yeah, I know you can't do that sh@t when it gets warm and the bugs come back, that's when I fire up my Redmax backpack blower!
 
Here is what I do know for drying. I use a pressure washer when washing so I really don't leave too mcuh water on the vehicle, but i get most of it off w/ a cali blade. I then dry all the windows first, and then I spray the entire vehicle w/ a ONR mixed as QD, and wipe in w/ a winner's circle WW. I'm very happy w/ the results and so thankful that I don't have to wring out anymore absorbers. Just my .02 cents.
 
One important thing about using the Metro Vac N Blo and the Air Force Blaster is that the have filters to filter the air.

Leaf blowers can "enhale" dirt and dust particles through the air intake and then shoot the dirt on your vehicle. The filtered air blowers help to prevent this.
 
I really like the idea of using leaf type blower to dry my truck of. (The ole lady thinks I'm nuts!) Anyways anyone have any experience with these?
One person mentioned this one:
eBay: Industrial Portable Auto Power Vacuum Cleaner & Blower (item 330084772215 end time Feb-10-07 16:59:20 PST)

eBay: ELECTRIC PORTABLE BLOWER - GARDEN - DRIVEWAY (item 190080224498 end time Feb-08-07 20:38:48 PST)

eBay: PORTABLE 13,000 RPM LEAF / DUST BLOWER & VACUUM NR (item 160081854615 end time Feb-08-07 20:53:52 PST)

Any suggestions please let me know, thanks.
 
Rob@Autogeek said:
One important thing about using the Metro Vac N Blo and the Air Force Blaster is that the have filters to filter the air.

Leaf blowers can "enhale" dirt and dust particles through the air intake and then shoot the dirt on your vehicle. The filtered air blowers help to prevent this.
Click to expand...

That's why my Toro has a fiberglass filter just wrapped around the intake. Along with that, I have used Armorflex foam on adapters in case if it ever touched the finish. The entire area within a 6 foot area is fully wet.

Mostly, when doing this outside, I have the EZ-UP to cover the vehicle and add the side panels as well.

The adapter are nothing more than a thin PVC tubing with the Armorflex around all ends.

I also have use of a paint booth/drying booth for full cure of sealants and to warm the finish prior to wax for those wanting wax.

After poo-pooing leaf blowers, I tried it and I'm hooked. Maybe looking into commercial dryers on the stand that move so I can roll it past the vehicle on the stand on wheels.

Yes, it looks odd to those that never have used them for this purpose, but once you show them how fast and dry it is w/o dirt, they will go home and try it. As long as they don't ever get it close to the ground, they're fine.

Any other leftover water is picked up by WW towels as well.

Regards,
Deanski
 
No way that one of these blowers will suck dirt from the floor. First off the floor is wet so no dust but even if the floor was dry the intake on that little blower is NOT going to suck dirt.
The little garden blower that I use has a soft rubber tube on it. I have never hit the car with it but if I did it would not do damage
For those who don't want to use a blower for whatever reason that is fine but statements like it will suck dirt off the ground are totally wrong it is not a jet engine.
 
My Redmax has filters too, but being a commercial unit, it's heavy - 20 lbs, but the volume of air it pushes is amazing. I use to be in the lawn care biz, before every Bubba and Pedro decided to make a quick buck. I still have a pole saw and my much praised Shindawai weed wacker. Detailing is hard work too, and just like lawn care - there's a lot of people that only care about price.
 
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