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Hints, Tips and Solutions (Do NOT post requests for help here) If you have any useful general hints and tips for vintage technology repair and restoration, please share them here. PLEASE DO NOT POST REQUESTS FOR HELP HERE!

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Old 28th Mar 2019, 4:33 pm   #41
Maarten
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Default Re: Using Canned Air For Removing Dust

Be aware that canned air isn't. Well, it is certainly canned but not air.

There are 3 common varieties.

- HFC 134a/143a/152a which are potent or very potent greenhouse gases and are toxic/corrosive when burnt (but not too easily fammable).
- Lighter gas (propane/butane) which is obviously flammable but otherwise not too problematic.
- 1234yf tetrafuorpropene still toxic/corrosive when burnt but not easily flammable and not a strong greenhouse gas.

So real compressed air is probably better.
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Old 29th Mar 2019, 4:34 pm   #42
ColinTheAmpMan1
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Default Re: Using Canned Air For Removing Dust

Talk about happenstance! I had an email today from this company (as I have bought from them before) concerning an offer on a compressor:

https://www.tooled-up.com/air-compre...rer=Newsletter

So, is 2HP and 24L tank at £100 with a free £35 accessory kit a useful bargain?
Manufacturer not mentioned as far as I can see, though....

Colin.
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Old 29th Mar 2019, 6:37 pm   #43
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Default Re: Using Canned Air For Removing Dust

Beware of cheap compressors as they're not nearly as useful as the adverts would have you believe. The fundamental difficulty is that they are not capable of shifting air fast enough to maintain sufficient pressure in the tank. Even inflating a tyre can become a painfully slow activity. Also you need good quality separators for paint spraying and any other situation requiring clean dry air. Really useful compressors don't come in at much less than £400 to £500.

Alan
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Old 30th Mar 2019, 11:01 am   #44
Radio Wrangler
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Default Re: Using Canned Air For Removing Dust

I agree with ajgriff.

A small compressor like that will do for very light duty but you'll soon find its limitations , um, limiting.

3HP is about the most you can run from a 13A plug. Direct drive compressors run too fast for efficient filling of the cylinders so air throughput is low for the horsepower of the motor. Better compressors run a larger displacement pump at lower revs with a belt drive from the higher revving motor. This improves lifetime as well.

Air tools can use air at a prodigious rate. I have a 3HP belt-drive machine on a 50 litre tank. It can keep up with a high quality spray gun without trouble, but air grinder, drill, bead blast gun all flatten the tank faster than the pump can keep up. So the size of the tank sets how long you can grind for at a burst. The power of the pump sets what overall duty factor (the ratio of working to resting) you can do.

That small compressor will be fine for occasional use blowing dust off radio chassis. The set of tools isn't too bad at all. The tyre inflator works, but is surprisingly limited in flow. The oil gun and blow guns are OK. The spray gun works, but isn't a professional finish job, and as said, you need a good regulator and oil/water separator to fed a spray gun clean air. Anything in the air spoils the finish. The curly pipe is a complete laugh, you won't be long before you replace that with rubber hose. You'll also really really want some PCL quick-change couplings.

Top air tool for me... An R-Tech plasma cutter!

I've found R-Tech to be very good to deal over many with and they stock some decent compressors and bits and pieces. They actually manufacture welders and cutters here in Britain, so I'd rather support them than mere importers.

Air drills and grinders need oily air, so you can use oil injectors in their air feed to keep them happy, but never use that hose for your spray gun!

David
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Old 10th Jul 2019, 6:54 pm   #45
avocollector
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Default Re: Using Canned Air For Removing Dust

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard_FM View Post
Thanks for the advice, I've heard of using air compressors to clear dust, I have an electric tyre pump so I might see how I get on with it, though I'll have to work out how to power it as it has an in car power connector.
I have the same and use a 12v battery charger to drive mine when reinflating wheelbarrow tyres - the central pin of the car plug on the tyre inflator in gets the +ve (red) wire from the battery charger and the side wire on the plug gets the negative (black) wire from the charger. Works a treat.
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