BLOWER

[Scrappile]

Sometimes I am just not as smart as I think I am.... I know, I know you all find that hard to believe, but I have to be honest.  Many months ago, I bought a little Senco air compressor.  I actually purchased it with the recommendation from a guy that did some work finishing half our basement for for me.  He had the same one and used it for his nail gun.   Said he had it for almost 10 years and never had a problem with it.  So I ordered one.  Good little compressor.  It came with a little 18 gauge nailer.. which I love, never had one before.  The problem is it is great for the short bursts that a nail gun needs but doesn't hold enough air to do any blowing to speak of.  Actually that is what I needed one most for.  I got what I got... I have been putting up with it, but I would love to have one that is good for blowing... The other day in Steve Good's daily email he discussed a blower he had and used.  It sounded pretty neat.  Cheaper than a compressor.  Anyway I started searching them, I found one a little cheaper than his, and actually have better reviews.  I thinks  the next SS check, I will get one.  Great for blowing the sawdust out of my wood work.  I hope.  I don't like using the canned air for that.  This is the one I am looking at.  Any input?

https://www.amazon.com/XPOWER-Airrow-Multi-Use-Electric-Computer/dp/B01BI4UQK0/ref=nav_ya_signin?pd_rd_w=Hugvq&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=R1Y1FYDS2WKJ8NF7QKB5&pd_rd_r=22fd7b30-c42e-4ecc-9d25-90df0e62df6d&pd_rd_wg=CFnRx&pd_rd_i=B01BI4UQK0&psc=1&refRID=R1Y1FYDS2WKJ8NF7QKB5&#customerReviews

[LarryEA]

Good to get away from canned air, it works but still a waste. 

Good reviews, now you have air when you want it.

 

Edited July 22, 2019 by LarryEA

[Jim McDonald]

Just ordered one.  Had been thinking about the one Steve Good mentioned, but just grabbed this one with free shipping.  Not 2 day, but still free shipping.

This will be easier and quicker than pulling out my compressor to blow dust away--and I'm getting ready to create a bunch of dust now that the heat inversion has broken here in the Midwest.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Jim McDonald

[teachnlearn]

Trick with the air compressors and using them as a blower is keeping the air pressure down to the point that it blows the saw dust, but that's it. Compressor is going to struggle to keep up at 100 psi. Get a portable air tank and small regulator. The tank will keep more reserve and the regulator will drop the pressure to a point it clears the table but doesn't make the compressor run constantly. RJF

 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=air+tank&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=air+regulator&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

To really kick it up a notch. Add an electric air valve between the regulator and air blower tip and set it up that the air only blows when the scroll saw runs. RJF

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=electric+air+valve+normally+closed&crid=3TRC1R64HXVCW&sprefix=electric+air+val%2Caps%2C530&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_8_16

Between these the regulator brings down the air pressure, the tank gives more air reserve and the electric valve only runs the air when the saw is running giving the compressor recharge time. RJF

[Scrappile]

Looks to me if you do all that you have spent a lot more $$ than if you just purchased one of these electric blower and faster to get air, just plug in and click on.  No waiting for a tank to fill, no noisy compressor to listen to.  Just blowing dust off of wood here.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Scrappile

[teachnlearn]

The setup does also kick up the reserve of the air compressor. A branch valve off of the reserve tank and you have and upgraded air compressor for shop use. This trick is used for kicking up cheaper air compressors that can't keep up on CFM which is a limit on a lot of air tools. Its a two for between the scroll saw and the shop. I have very little budget for anything, so I like to design and buy good equipment that I buy once and lasts a life time.

Cheap blower will work great, but constant use, it will burn out. One of life's choices.

I could have gotten a cheap air compressor, but saved several years for a higher cost compressor that is more industrial/ druable and supplies high CFM. Don't need the CFM now, but if I want to spray paint or sand blast, I just buy those items and don't have to look into rebuying a compressor. RJF

[teachnlearn]

15 minutes ago, Scrappile said:

Looks to me if you do all that you have spent a lot more $$ than if you just purchased one of these electric blower and faster to get air, just plug in and click on.  No waiting for a tank to fill, no noisy compressor to listen to.  Just blowing dust off of wood here.

With the electric valve on and reserve tank, the compressor will recharge less. Always your money, your shop, your choice. I'm designing a shop with the compressor I have outside the shop area with shop air lines. No noise, same thing on the vac. Got an enclosed trailer I setup as a portable shop so I don't throw tools in the back of the truck. I pull up and start the generator, then use the full shop. Break down is either rolling in the electric cord, shutting off the generator, or unplugging the extension air hose and locking the trailer door. Different direction of design.

If you would like the steal the trailer, it has a self contained alarm, cell call notification with GPS tracking and auto lock of the tandem wheels. Doors and walls are reinforced and have to be cut open with a cutting torch or plasma cutter. Walls and ceiling also has vibration sensors and heat sensors hooked to the alarm. Then there's the added design to up the security.  That my direction of designing. RJF

Edited July 22, 2019 by teachnlearn

[meflick]

Paul, make sure you go and read the reviews that only gave it 1 or two stars before deciding. I just looked at the reviews on that one, noticed the one that said it was way better then the data vac one, it is from 2015. He thinks it’s better because it’s plastic and the data vac one is  metal and this heats up more. I would worry about it being plastic, but would really depend on the plastic. Is it a thin plastic, or a heavy plastic for example. Several of the one and two stars said theirs burned up rather quickly. So, hard to know from the reviews what to believe. I did buy the one Steve Good recommended, he recommended it last year too and I got it then. I have been very happy with mine and have had no issues. It can get hot if ran for an extended period, but I usual not running it very long - just blowing dust off saws, work projects. It is very strong on the wind it blows.  I guess you can wait for Jim to get his and see what he thinks if you are not in a hurry then you will have a better idea on this one from somebody you “know”. 

[Scrappile]

I give consideration to the number of reviews also.  The Datavac had 4.5 stars with only 31 reviews, the  XPower around 4.5 with 1419 reviews.  The plastic does concern me because I seem to drop thing more than when I was younger and the ones that said no return policy.   The no return would be a show stopper for me.  I don't buy thing I can't return if they are defective.  I'm headed to the Oregon Coast for 10 days,, go time to ponder it.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Scrappile

[Jim McDonald]

I don't plan on using this more than 3 or 4 minutes at a time, blowing sawdust off projects and off the table.

[Scrappile]

That would be it's primary function for me also.

Edited July 23, 2019 by Scrappile

[rjweb]

Sounds good Paul I will be waiting to get your review, thx RJ 

[Jim McDonald]

A quick, limited review:

Used the blower for the first time today and at first, I was not making much dust (1/16" plywood with FD puzzle blade) and a quick 5 second blast at low power cleaned the table. 

Next I moved to 3/4" butternut with FD UR#1. Generated much more dust. More coarse and more quantity,  but again 5 to 10 seconds at low power with the mid size nozzle cleaned everything--table as well and underneath. Even did a good job blowing dust out of the stack of fretwork, allowing pieces to release cleanly.

The way I have stuff set up, I had to make a hanger for the blower to keep it close at hand. Otherwise, I would have to get off the stool to get the blower or have the long power cable running through the work area.

From my limited usage, I can say this thing is going to work just fine for my setup and will free up my compressor for other things.

It is worth the money. Thanks @Scrappile for providing the link.

[Scrappile]

@Jim McDonald I missed this review until today when I fired up my little compressor to blow off a fret work piece.  Then I thought about this blower again.   Thanks for the review.  I'm thinking I will order one.  Use my little compressor for what it was meant for and this blower for blowing dust off things.

[jerry1939]

My 2 cents worth.  I use the shop vac.  I want to suck up the dust, not blow it around.  Leave the suction hose on & the exhaust cap off.  Use it to blow off the magnifying headband I wear and suck dust off of the wood, saw & clothes.  Took the end (solid) push on piece and bored 3/8" holes back from the end to keep it from "sticking" to what I am vacuuming.

jerry

 

[Jim McDonald]

@jerry1939 all my cutting (99.5%) is done outdoors, so blowing dust is the most efficient way for me to "clear the deck". 

[teachnlearn]

I lost a lung from the military. I wouldn't want to blow air and get more wood dust in the air is my 2 cents. RJF

[Scrappile]

I picked up my blower today.  I ended up ordering through Home Depot, got it a little cheaper than Amazon.  First impression is I am going to use it a lot and I like it.  The low speed is plenty, the high speed may do some damage.  It will work much better for blowing than my small compressor, which isn't really meant to be used to blow thing out, it is meant to do short bursts for an nailer.  It is also much quieter than the compressor.  No more air cans that only last a minute an then run out of air.  Anyway I'm happy with it performance, do not know how long it will last,,, I shall see.

[Gonzo]

Scrappile, did you get the same one  you posted in your original post? I ask because it's easier to deal with HD than Amazon if there is an issue. 

[Jim McDonald]

Used mine quite a bit yesterday and the only thing I noticed was some bits of sawdust sticking to the body due to the slight static charge generated by the blowing air. 

Did not diminish the performance and the dust wiped off at the end of the day. 

For those who worry about blowing the dust. I was on my back patio and blew the dust WITH the breeze.

[Scrappile]

2 hours ago, Gonzo said:

Scrappile, did you get the same one  you posted in your original post? I ask because it's easier to deal with HD than Amazon if there is an issue. 

Yes only in blue.  They had two choices, blue or green, for some reason the blue was $49 and the green $54.  Some how I got a $5 discount.  I checked yesterday and they both were listed at $54.  It was free shipping to home or store.  I had it shipped to the store, it arrived 3 day quicker that the time they said it would when I ordered.

[Gonzo]

Thanks