Air Force Blaster Car Dryer
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 880
Likes: 4
From: Ponte Vedra Beach FL/ Hampstead, London, England
'84 380 SL/ '02 XK8
Drying Paint Surface Techniques
If you’re using softened water I see nothing wrong with using an electrical leaf blower dry off your car (just be careful not to bump the hard plastic nozzle against the paint) but if you live in an area that has hard water, it seems that you’d only be accelerating the evaporation process and that those harmful and often damaging alkaline minerals that cause ‘water spot’ damage, would be precipitated out as the water evaporates and must therefore be collecting somewhere, in the seams or crevices perhaps?
My other concern is that these high speed electric (I would be wary of gas powered as it may spew oil) leaf blowers typically have an outlet velocity of 250+ mph. Now if grains of sand or other small dirt particle were to get ingested in the inlet, it would exit and strike the paint surface at a very high velocity, the same would be true for any internal fragments or components such as a screw that might come loose from vibration. Just my opinion but I’d prefer not to take this or any other shortcuts either when it comes to drying.
If you’re using softened water I see nothing wrong with using an electrical leaf blower dry off your car (just be careful not to bump the hard plastic nozzle against the paint) but if you live in an area that has hard water, it seems that you’d only be accelerating the evaporation process and that those harmful and often damaging alkaline minerals that cause ‘water spot’ damage, would be precipitated out as the water evaporates and must therefore be collecting somewhere, in the seams or crevices perhaps?
My other concern is that these high speed electric (I would be wary of gas powered as it may spew oil) leaf blowers typically have an outlet velocity of 250+ mph. Now if grains of sand or other small dirt particle were to get ingested in the inlet, it would exit and strike the paint surface at a very high velocity, the same would be true for any internal fragments or components such as a screw that might come loose from vibration. Just my opinion but I’d prefer not to take this or any other shortcuts either when it comes to drying.
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA
CLK430 e55
I love drying using air. Every time you wipe something across the surface you are putting some sort of scratch, unless you are a guru. Air is faster, gets out water trapped from rubber crevices, also leaves no water spots. Air movement also creates evaporation instantly for tiny droplets. If you have a compressor, just use an inline filter, this will catch any oil, water, contaminants in the line. I can dry at car in about 6 minute tops, this means I get rid of the annoying water runs near the mirrors, window cracks, trunk cracks, etc.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 189
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, MO
E55 AMG
I love drying using air. Every time you wipe something across the surface you are putting some sort of scratch, unless you are a guru. Air is faster, gets out water trapped from rubber crevices, also leaves no water spots. Air movement also creates evaporation instantly for tiny droplets. If you have a compressor, just use an inline filter, this will catch any oil, water, contaminants in the line. I can dry at car in about 6 minute tops, this means I get rid of the annoying water runs near the mirrors, window cracks, trunk cracks, etc.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,069
Likes: 3
From: South Carolina
2005 E55 ///AMG
I love drying using air. Every time you wipe something across the surface you are putting some sort of scratch, unless you are a guru. Air is faster, gets out water trapped from rubber crevices, also leaves no water spots. Air movement also creates evaporation instantly for tiny droplets. If you have a compressor, just use an inline filter, this will catch any oil, water, contaminants in the line. I can dry at car in about 6 minute tops, this means I get rid of the annoying water runs near the mirrors, window cracks, trunk cracks, etc.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 189
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, MO
E55 AMG
I just tried out the "blaster". I bought the Metro Air Force Motorcycle Dryer. It is incredible - drying off the car now takes about 1/10th of the time and drastically reduces micro scrathes.
