What do you use compressed air blower in your workshop for?

[Prizen]

Don't get me wrong, I love using the blower gun, however I don't find many uses for it, if any at all in fact.

Main reason is that it essentially lightly blankets my entire shed in dust.

What do you use it for?

 

[Steve Maskery]

The blower bit is something of a problem. I use it to clean out the gears of my TS tilt and rise & fall mechanisms, but I have been told that that is no longer approved by the HSE (I did always use a full-face respirator when doing so, but that doesn't justify breaking the law, I know).

Today I have used my compressor to clean out holes in the bricks of a half-built garden wall as well as inflate the tyres of my wheelbarrow and car.

 

[TFrench]

Pumping tyres up and the nail gun. Used the blower to clear swarf from a tapped hole but thats about it!

 

[Trevanion]

It's not something you specifically find a particular use for, you just use it when it makes a job easier for you.

Example, today I had some cap head screws that were jam-packed full of metal swarf (Pretty much the exact same situation that TFrench mentioned above) that would be difficult and time-consuming to remove with a pick or anything else like that. Put hand over the cap head screw, point air gun into the head of the screw, pull the trigger, blasts out swarf so you can properly get an Allen key into the screw head.

Another example, sanding down primed joinery. The amount of dust created doing this is quite something and you can't really pick it up effectively with any other means (In a reasonable time-frame), you could use a tak rag but it would clog up very quickly with the amount of dust. Just take the object outside or near an exit, blow it down, most of the dust is removed in no time at all.

I do blow down machines with it occasionally to help keep the 'heavy' dust and shavings off, only when the HSE isn't knocking at the door however 8-[

 

[MikeG.]

In the workshop? Nothing.

Outside the workshop.......for building buildings and pumping up tyres.

 

[Trevanion]

for building buildings

Unless you're building bouncy castles I don't see how you can build a building with a blow gun.

:wink:

 

[MikeG.]

:lol: :lol: Oops!

It's late. I'm tired. I missed "blower" when I skim-read the OP.

 

[Inspector]

I use it when I’m sanding outside to blow off the dust from the project, tools and me. Note that I do have a low pressure nozzle rated/allowed for blowing dust off people. The blow guns are also used to dry parts cleaned with solvent or soap and water. Naturally they get used for keeping the vehicle tires inflated. I also along with a leaf blower, full face respirator and a 30” fan, blow the shop out in the spring and fall. The air also gets used by my air drills, brad nailers and staplers, the random orbit sander and to pressurize the pressure pot for resin casting. I wouldn’t be without shop air.

Pete

 

[lexi]

Wouldn't be without it. Bostitch 18g brad air gun for jigs and even use that gun in house with a long hose. Spray painting anything, blowing tyres cleaning carbs, under sealing the cars etc etc.

 

[RichardG]

I take use it to clean filters from both my vacuum and air cleaner. I always do this outside and make sure I’m up wind but still wear a mask. I find this very effective.

 

[Prizen]

Some very interesting replies there, much of which I hadn't thought of. Happy New Year

 

[Racers]

I occasionally open the doors at both ends of the workshop suit up and chance all the dust out.

I inflate tyres, blow dry my motorcycle after washing it etc.

Pete

 

[Trainee neophyte]

I used to use compressed air to clean everything, including me. However it was pointed out by some of the members here just how silly this is, so I don't any more. I promise.

I actually bought my compressor to make a lift pump to clear out a borehole - compressed air underwater brings silt, sand and clay to the surface rather dramatically. Quite good fun.

 

[transatlantic]

So not a compressor blower, but I use one of these to blow off the shavings/dust off my body. I replaced the lead with a very long one and stand in the front garden blowing myself off.

Lord knows what the neighrbours think!

 

[siggy_7]

Drying things, blowing dust off projects prior to finishing and from inside machines, cleaning down swarf from the lathe, blowing out filters (outside), with a suitable sized rubber bung inflating childs bouncy balls/paddling pools etc... I have no idea how many of these things are/aren't permitted by HSE, but as I'm a home-bodger it doesn't concern me.

I grew up in a workshop with compressed air plumbed in. Not having it for a time in my own workshop felt a bit like not having electricity - I find it incredibly useful and would never want to be without it.

 

[RogerS]

... but I have been told that that is no longer approved by the HSE (I did always use a full-face respirator when doing so, but that doesn't justify breaking the law, I know).......

I didn't think that HSE legislation applied to the likes of me and Thee ? We can take it as guidance, naturally.

I used to use mine to pump up wheelbarrow tyres but got fed up repeatedly doing it in the end that I bought solid tyres.

 

[Steliz]

I used mine to demolish a wall which was a painfully slow way to do it but I didn't have an electric hammer drill. I set it up under my work bench to use as a dust blower but I still haven't used it for that and now there is so much dust lying around it would be counter productive. :roll:

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I don't have a compressed air blower but had thought of getting one on the basis that is could be useful in my small workshop (garage sized) for cleaning accumulated hard to reach crud in machinery, blowing dust out/off projects prior to finishing, air-brushing or decorative wood spraying, and any other household or car type tasks.

My question is how big a compressor do I need as they seem to range from "blow up a car tyre in 5 minutes" to "run a complete workshop full of airtools or paint spraying" at the other extreme.

 

[RogerS]

....
My question is how big a compressor do I need as they seem to range from "blow up a car tyre in 5 minutes" to "run a complete workshop full of airtools or paint spraying" at the other extreme.

If that's all you need it for then something like this will do fine

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123368117694

Before that I had a small Bandit 1.25 Hp from MachineMart that did me proud for 15 years !

 

[W666]

Just blowing all the crud out of the door, while holding my breath