Leaf Blowers

[Top Gear]

Re: Leaf Blowers

Thanks! It's a Whirlpool WHKF-DWH Housing, and I go into more details in this post.

[Pip Poppy]

Re: Leaf Blowers

Thanks Top Gear - nice correction on the Genesis!
What model Whirlpool filter did you buy?
I have been looking at caravan water filters which will simply plug in line with the garden hose and are reasonably priced.

[07gtcs]

Re: Leaf Blowers

Corded electric

[Top Gear]

Re: Leaf Blowers

Well, see my First Correction Thread for more details on my $40 (USD) solution. I experienced no loss of pressure, but then, I'm using a typical sprayer on the end, which obviously builds up pressure before you squeeze. Still, even hosing at length shows no loss of pressure. The thing to focus on is the dramatic reduction in the water spot problem and then the blower technique eliminating it. They will still form if I don't blow dry the cars because the filter can only do so much. When I've tested this by not blowing dry, the spots are not as "hard" as before, and since the paint is better protected since my correction and move to QD/QW, these far softer spots are far easier to remove from the waxy layers, instead of being very hard spots closer to the clear coat. Many of these spots only came off during my correction process. Maybe I should start another thread on this topic...especially as I'm about to do a second correction.

[Pip Poppy]

Re: Leaf Blowers

OK thanks Top Gear - I will try to not be in such a hurry next time

I did read somewhere about another forum member using a water filter on their hose - I made some enquiries at my local hardware store and they suggested that if I tried to fit a hard water filter that I would be reducing my water pressure (something that I already lack) too much, and the cost at what I was looking at was too prohibitive at around $70

I might do a bit more research and see if I can find a simple filter that I can just put on when needed for rinsing the car.

[Top Gear]

Re: Leaf Blowers

...[the Makita blower] seems to leave thousands of very small beads which is not a good look on black paint, so I have to 'touch' the car and wipe it down anyway...

Your blower would blow mine away, so to speak, but yes, spots can happen when you stop too soon. Just stay in place a bit longer during each movement and stay close to those beads with the nozzle. The tiny beads will move frustratingly slower and get smaller and harder to see, but if you hold on another second or so, the last molecules of water will be gone, leaving no dots. You might also need to use a water filter to reduce the source of the spots.

[CCC4me]

Re: Leaf Blowers

I second the air compressor recommendation. I already have it out in order to blow out the microfiber pads, and it works far better than a blower in cracks and crevices. Not quite as quick on larger panels, but the ease of carrying only the nozzle around and not having to get out one more item more than offsets that. Besides, when the sheeting method is used, there isn't much to blow off anyways.

[Pip Poppy]

Re: Leaf Blowers

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

I purchased a Makita cordless 18v leaf blower and used it today.
Whilst it blows the majority of the water away, it seems to leave thousands of very small beads which is not a good look on black paint, so I have to 'touch' the car and wipe it down anyway.

I found the blower to be very good at reducing the water in those annoying water holding spots that all cars have but still had to go for a drive around the block the get rid of the last of the water.

The blower won't cut down on my washing/drying time but it does give me a bit more fun.

[s word]

Re: Leaf Blowers

I constantly use both methods.
Waffle weave and x-press spray wax it pretty thorough and the spray wax aids in fast drying with no streaking.
Leaf blower helps with annoying areas ie lights, body gaps, doors, mirrors...I use corded.

But still the most fun and cost effective leaf blower is the poor mans version...drive the car around the block
As long as you have dried the car thoroughly the little bit of water that comes out will not catch enough dust to ruin your paint.

[Top Gear]

Re: Leaf Blowers

CE, I can't imagine why any paint could possibly still be wet after a supposedly thorough blowing...unless you were just impatient at the time or if your blower wasn't strong enough on "hi"?? I set mine on 150MPH "hi" and hold the end of the long nozzle mere inches from the paint moving slowly, not leaving a panel/area until it is dry. The roar of the air over something like a door mirror is as loud as the blower motor itself, if that tells you anything. If I'm impatient with an area and leave tiny beads too long, they can create very small water spots, say on the windows. Despite the noise, there is a Zen to drying this way.

My experience with the flood method was just the opposite as yours, too. I had to walk over and turn off the water, then take the sprayer off, then turn the water back on, which was now hosing water all over the place, so I might have to adjust it. Then, I had to carefully move around the car keeping the hose off of it trying to make a heavy-beading waxed surface sheet/flood, only to see splatter and tiny beads more than true flooding. Then I'd go turn the water off and put the sprayer back on. For my trouble the car was effectively no drier than when I'd started, yet all the tiny beads weren't big enough to roll off and were drying quickly while I wasn't looking. I then picked up the blower and properly dried the car with far less effort. So, maybe I did the flooding wrong, but regardless, the extra trouble monkeying around with a silly water hose and all the wasted water splashing around were signals it was the wrong direction for me. So, I chose a noisy Zen

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Leaf Blowers

Huh? Not true. I assure you, after I'm done blow-drying, the paint is totally dry. You must be making a few passes for the large beads and then stopping?

True. And I used the blower extensively, not just for large beads. Not everyone will have the same results given the vehicle being dried. While you undoubtedly have a technique that works for you, I've simply found it much easier to forgo the leaf blower and traditional car wash altogether for a no rinse method that produces little excess water that is easily blotted by water magnets. And Followed by a spray down with either Last Touch or M34, all water streaks are eliminated and I'm left with a finish that glows.

When I used a leaf blower I thought it was the best thing ever for drying a car. Then I discovered flood rinsing which made the leaf blower irrelevant, and flood rinsing was eventually replaced by no-rinse washing using Gary Dean's method (or at least my variant of it). But like Mike Phillips (formerly of Meguiars and now with Autogeek) says, find something you like and use it often. If leaf blowers work best for you I wouldn't change a thing. For me it's simply faster and more efficient to use the method I just described..

[Top Gear]

Re: Leaf Blowers

Top Gear you're making me want to get a blower now! Do you mind posting a pic or link to the one you've got?

Davey, here's the one I got: HomeLite Blower. Figured I'd get the cheapest and see how it went, but I've been very pleasantly surprised. Used it yesterday to actually blow leaves, of all things, and I've used it other than drying the car, like blowing out a dusty storage area, even blowing out the car's interior on the low setting to get dust out of the corners before vacuuming. It's not too loud, and has plenty of power for everything I've tried.

...even a blower won't remove all of the water from your paint. It's a great way to start your drying regimen, but I still had to use a towel at some point. Whether you use a leaf blower or some other method and you still have to involve towel drying...

Huh? Not true. I assure you, after I'm done blow-drying, the paint is totally dry. You must be making a few passes for the large beads and then stopping? You have to keep patiently working all the beads off from the top down (they will get smaller and smaller) and until the surface is dry from roof to rocker panels and in all the panel gaps in between, including the wheels and tires, etc.

Sometimes thin dabs of water can remain across the surface and create the dreaded spots in minutes (especially with black paint on a hot or windy afternoon) so I make sure those are dried by the blower. Still, that's only about 10 minutes of blowing effort. The only wiping I ever have to do after that is to use GC Quik Detailer to clean off remaining bug bodies or any fine dust residue that didn't rinse off (I only use suds-n-mitt if it's truly "dirty"), and I'll apply fresh GC Quik Wax every few rinses or so. But again, the car is totally dry when I'm done with the blower and needs no wiping to dry.

Oh, and with two cars, I'll rinse and blow one, then rinse and blow the other, because the water spots will form on the one very fast if not dried immediately. I also use the blower on the engine bay after rinsing it for all the same reasons.

[chiptouz]

Re: Leaf Blowers

My car is properly waxed and I use the flat hose method, but I still prefer to use a blower. All the water that accumulates in the trim, door wells, etc. just gets blow out. Plus I cut down on the number of waffle weave towels I need to use.

[SpoolMe]

Re: Leaf Blowers

Agree with you! Lots of folks here like using a blower (I used to be one of them) but even a blower won't remove all of the water from your paint. It's a great way to start your drying regimen, but I still had to use a towel at some point. Whether you use a leaf blower or some other method and you still have to involve towel drying, try not to drag the towel over your paint. Try blotting with water magnets instead. I have modified my own washing/drying techniques using idea's from Garry Dean and other innovative members on this forum to where I can now wash my car with only two gallons of water. I last polished my car over 8 months ago and the swirls are minimal. This is the longest stretch I have ever had since joining MOL where my car's paint has remained looking good for so long.

Good advice. I still have much studying to do

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Leaf Blowers

The hose-flood method still requires that i touch my car with a towel over and over, creating opportunity for scratches. I thought I'd be safe with all MF towels but scratches are making their way on anyhow so i think ill buy a blower. The less contact the better!

Agree with you! Lots of folks here like using a blower (I used to be one of them) but even a blower won't remove all of the water from your paint. It's a great way to start your drying regimen, but I still had to use a towel at some point. Whether you use a leaf blower or some other method and you still have to involve towel drying, try not to drag the towel over your paint. Try blotting with water magnets instead. I have modified my own washing/drying techniques using idea's from Garry Dean and other innovative members on this forum to where I can now wash my car with only two gallons of water. I last polished my car over 8 months ago and the swirls are minimal. This is the longest stretch I have ever had since joining MOL where my car's paint has remained looking good for so long.