Why not use a Shop-Vac to dry your auto?

H

howareb

New member
This issue has brought many a debate here on Autopia and this thread is here to put everyone's mind at rest when it comes to using the blow feature on your shop vac to dry your car.



Well before you roll your eyes with the "OH Geezzzeee" just hear me out.



Today while taking a stroll through Lowes I came across this Shop-Vac (Click on "View Video Demo").



What a great idea, now that the motor separates from the area where the dirt collects, you no longer have to worry about blowing dirt from the collector, onto your car when blow drying.



This little baby is $99.00 at Lowes and it is a 16 gallon capacity with a 6.5 horsepower motor. I am going to put this one on the Christmas list.
 
do you mean blowing the water off? cause people already do that(think leaf blower)

if you talk of sucking the water off that is dangerous cause you have to get close enough to get the water off but not touch the paint.



also homedepot has a 12 gal 5 hp shop vac for 30 bucks on friday
 
then it should work i was gonna try it next time i cleaned my interior.

the autogeek vids on youtube show them using the 4 hp vac blower to get the air out of the cracks so it could work for large areas.



a 230 mph blower has a 380 cfm rate while a 6 hp blower has a 190 cfm rate

it could work but it would be kinda slow i would believe.
 
Thats the exact shop vac i use to do that. The unfortunate parts is that the wheels broke off so I have to tote the sob around to dry the car. it works great. Just make sure when you first turn it on blow away from the car to be sure no debris in the tube hits the car.
 
fstb88 said:
Thats the exact shop vac i use to do that. The unfortunate parts is that the wheels broke off so I have to tote the sob around to dry the car. it works great. Just make sure when you first turn it on blow away from the car to be sure no debris in the tube hits the car.
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Great advice. However I plan on having purchasing an extra tube just for the blow drying. So everything stays clean.
 
My space is very limited and am actually considering throwing away the three rakes taking up 6cubic feet of space i can use in my garage. So the combo package of vac and blower is great. You have to you the wedge in my opinion to get good results from the vac, not to mention better accuracy. make sure to keep the filter on sometimes hair or anything that might stir inside the canister will shoot out.
 
BigAl3 said:
maybe it's just me, but i would rather use a seperate leaf blower rather than the one attached to the shop vac (wouldn't want to keep having to take it out and put it back in). you can this little gem at walmart, and is more than adequate... :up Weed Eater WEB150 Electric Blower - Wal-Mart
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Thanks BigOne. I will look at it. I just thought that it was a great concept.



Come On though :faint:

(wouldn't want to keep having to take it out and put it back in) :faint:



How hard can it be? :laugh:
 
howareb said:
Thanks BigOne. I will look at it. I just thought that it was a great concept.



Come On though :faint:

(wouldn't want to keep having to take it out and put it back in) :faint:



How hard can it be? :laugh:
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i know i'm lazy :lol , i would just leave it alone and use it for the vacuuming aspect, and not have to keep bringing it out the shopvac when i can just grab the leaf blower...
 
this is why they make air compressor with air gun attachements... I can't imagine having to detail with all the half A$$ things you guys always seem to have to come up with to get around the very basics of tools needed to efficently detail a vechile. Air compressors come in all shapes and sizes and all different price ranges. And they will all work quite well for water removal. A shop vac is used for one thing... Vacumming... Not sure why anyone would even want to try to use it for something else. I don't use a shovel to rake my yard. While yes after a bunch of wasted time and extra effort I could get all the leaves out of my yard with a shovel it's just easier and more efficent to use the right tool for the right job.
 
Jakerooni said:
this is why they make air compressor with air gun attachements... I can't imagine having to detail with all the half A$$ things you guys always seem to have to come up with to get around the very basics of tools needed to efficently detail a vechile. Air compressors come in all shapes and sizes and all different price ranges. And they will all work quite well for water removal. A shop vac is used for one thing... Vacumming... Not sure why anyone would even want to try to use it for something else. I don't use a shovel to rake my yard. While yes after a bunch of wasted time and extra effort I could get all the leaves out of my yard with a shovel it's just easier and more efficent to use the right tool for the right job.
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Did you see the Shop-Vac at the beginning of this thread? Apperently today's Shop-Vacs do more than vacuum.



Air Compressors work with the right attachment :bigups Leaf Blowers work, Heck a window fan will work, eventually. Life is all about having choices.
 
Go out and get a bottle of compressed nitrogen.



Pop on a regulator and you have the best form of pressurized gas available. Takes up the floor space of a small pie pan, perfectly dry, non-flamable/toxic, can be used to inflate tires with better results than air, and lasts the average Joe years.



THE way to go.
 
KnuckleBuckett said:
Go out and get a bottle of compressed nitrogen.



Pop on a regulator and you have the best form of pressurized gas available. Takes up the floor space of a small pie pan, perfectly dry, non-flamable/toxic, can be used to inflate tires with better results than air, and lasts the average Joe years.



THE way to go.
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Where do you get your compressed nitrogen? I've been looking for a good source.
 
Look up a welding supply company. They are very common. They will have everything you need including good advice. I would suggest the larger bottle it is usually at 2500PSI. Get a regulator. A typical regulator will let you set the 2500PSI down from 0 to approx 200 PSI whatever you want at the time. FYI. They are heavy as lead. Getting them in a vehicle is best done by the supply house. Getting it out is best done on a thick pile of rags or carpet for the drop from the bed of the vehicle to the garage or driveway. Then you just roll it wherever you need it on its bottom. When you return it it will be alot lighter.



The regulator and bottle is a little pricey but those are one time costs (and you can rent the bottle) the gas itself is cheap. $19 per refill here.
 
lowes has a shop vac and leafblower combo for under 50 tomorrow. i think its 30 imight get one.

like the leafblower pops out of the can and blows, then u pop it back into the vac and it sucks.

it is like a 230 mph blower
 
ggk said:
lowes has a shop vac and leafblower combo for under 50 tomorrow. i think its 30 imight get one.

like the leafblower pops out of the can and blows, then u pop it back into the vac and it sucks.

it is like a 230 mph blower
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That is exactly what this thread was about. But thanks for the price update. I might go an get one also.



Price check 39.98 for the 5.5 Horsepower 12 Gallon Capacity(Not bad). Thanks for the heads Up. A little less powerful, but who can beat that price. I am going to try an online pick up order. Tomorrow at 6am.
 
Jakerooni said:
A shop vac is used for one thing... Vacumming... Not sure why anyone would even want to try to use it for something else. .
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AMEN. Try using a vac or a leaf blower on an interior detail? There's really no comparison between a vac/leaf blower and compressed air for detailing/maintainence. I don't see how a vac/leaf blower can do the same job of blowing/drying door belt moldings and tiny cracks/crevises. Precise air is way to go for me. If you spent $150 on a entry level compressor, you'd probably never look back.
 
David Fermani said:
AMEN. Try using a vac or a leaf blower on an interior detail? There's really no comparison between a vac/leaf blower and compressed air for detailing/maintainence. I don't see how a vac/leaf blower can do the same job of blowing/drying door belt moldings and tiny cracks/crevises. Precise air is way to go for me. If you spent $150 on a entry level compressor, you'd probably never look back.
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You got a point there. With the air compressor though how would you do the exterior. I am trying to have an open mind about this, because I do not really want to buy another shop vac just for this feature. I was thinking about going down the route that Big Al suggested with the leaf blower. But I have an open mind about the air compressor also. I am sold on the interior,(right now I use a can of air), but what about the exterior. What attachments are out there and can the compressor keep up with me drying a car. I am all ears.
 
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