Metro Vacuum Master Blaster Dryers
 

I know a number of you here have some of these Air Blasters.
I am thinking of getting one and naturally due to it's small size I would prefer the small Side Kick model. Before I do I want to make sure the volume of air output would be adequate on a car before I lay out the $$$ only to find out it isn't and I've wasted the money.
I know they make at least two larger models and both would probably be plenty powerful enough, but I don't want to be dragging them out to where I wash my car everytime, hence the Side Kick.
Anyone here have experience with a Side Kick to be able to comment on whether it is up to the job or not?
I've seen videos of the Side Kicks on You Tube and I don't really think they're powerful enough but I'd like to see if anyone here has had first hand experience with one and can comment on one.
I didn't post a link up to a website since those of you with one one of these rigs know what I'm referring to.

Thanks in advance.

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Electric leaf blower?

:iagree:

Usually somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 can get you a brand new generic brand leaf blower at almost any Lowe's or Home Depot. I've been doing this for over a year now. I have over $100 in drying towels that have been re-purposed as clay and polish towels :tup:

If you're not buying the Air Force Master Blaster, put your money back in your wallet and buy an electric leaf blower. Remember, they never made blockbuster movies about Robin, only Batman.

Thanks
 

Thanks Junkman
I saw your You Tube video on your comparison between one of the more expensive MBs vs. an inexpensive leaf blower. Nice....kinda caught the two of us watching it by surprise.

What I didn't mention previously is I have a mitt full of points from a Harley credit card for use at a HD dealer. I was originally going to flog them to someone at work cheap since I no longer have any Harleys. HD carries the MB Side Kick and I won't have to add any $$$ to my coupons to get one. I want ONLY this MB model since I don't want to have to drag anything larger around (including a leaf blower)
I'm really looking to find out if this MB is powerful enough to do the job.
I did see on You Tube that there were any number of people, Detailing guys included, that use the Side Kick, so I figure that counts for something.
I wouldn't be using it full time like a pro would so as long as the air volume is adequate to do the job I figure I'm good to go.

Thanks

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The Side Kick should work great for areas like side view mirrors, taillights, door handles, edges around windows, and gaps in the panels. I'd probably get frustrated trying to dry the entire car, but if you're getting it for free, I don't see how you can go wrong. You can always sell it online for a few bucks if you don't like it :twocents:

Here's the deal. On a BIKE, that thing is fine. That's why they sell them at your Harley dealer. On a car, that thing is overpriced and not worth the money. If you have a choice between losing your money or buying that thing then go ahead and get it but I wouldn't waste my time with it. I've used one so I speak from an opinion of EXPERIENCE and not just my opinion. As it is, it takes the Master Blaster and a leaf blower a minute to get ALL the water out of your car's cracks and crevices. You'll be blowing for a while with that thing. Forget about drying the entire car with it, you may as well use a towel.

Thanks
 

Thanks Junkman.
The couple of videos of it on You Tube had me questioning whether it was powerful enough. On the one where the guy was actually using it on a wet bike looked like it was borderline. I think if I were to get one and all it did was the crevices, and not very well at that I'd be annoyed. Maybe I'd better just get a half a***d leaf blower from my Home Depot, or maybe one from below the line. I get down there once a week anyway.

Thanks JARblue, but as I said above; if it's only just borderline I'd probably not bother to ever drag it out to the car. Wasted $$$, or in my case, cash coupons.

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I watched the Junkmans video on the leaf blower vs Master Blaster, and got the big daddy 8hp master blaster. It seems to me that it is safer to use around the car. It's a spendy item for the initial buy in but worth every penny. You can compleetely dry a small car like the Z in less than ten minutes, then a quick spray wax and you're finished. I wash my cars alot since they sit outside(one car garage, three motorcycles and a large toolbox live in there), and they have remained swirl free since buying the Master Blaster. I would suggest watching all the Junkmans vids, the man is a wealth of information.

And that's a point I try to make in the video. Yes, the thing cost a fortune but we are talking about American made, bone breaking quality here. The thing will probably outlast anyone who buys one but if it is going to put a cramp in your wallet, then spend $30 dollars on an electric leaf blower, NOT a gas powered one.

And you're right, it is MUCH safer around the car than a leaf blower because of the way it is designed. http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...eys/yesnod.gif

$300 is not a fortune ;)

This thing is going on my wish list after watching that video lol

I've got the Metro Vac 'N' Blo which is a 4 peak HP machine...can't imagine double. I only use the Blo part...never as a vacuum.

Not to me, but then you're talking about a guy who has two RC helicopters that have about $1000 worth of bling on them... :eek:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...f/IMG_9378.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...f/IMG_9363.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...IMG_9479_2.jpg

Their big vacuum reminds me of a 1950's Kirby vacuum cleaner with how sturdy it is built. I couldn't do without mine.

They are pretty heavy...encourages efficient blowing.

:wtf2:

EXACTLY! Especially compared to the price of the vehicle you're taking care of. Truth be told mine was bought for me as a Fathers/Birthday present, and I used the Junkmans video as a sales tool to convince the wife I needed one to care for our cars finishes. LOL

Hey! That's not fair! :rofl2:

Toro
 

I'm looking at a Toro Ultra Blower Model 51609 now.
Seems it might be a bit overkill, but at least not inadequate.
Same price in Canada as I found in the U.S. And that's in $CDN vs. $USD. So that makes it even less $$$. Now that's a first.
$70 CDN.

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She's enough of a 'car guy' that it made sense to her. You gotta use what works man!:tup:

Mr. Clean Autodry Carwash System works well.
You don't need to dry your car, you just need to get the water with minerals off of it.

Too bad they don't manufacture the filters any more. They now cost $10+ apiece on eBay. I have about 5 left from my stockpile I accumulated a five years ago when they were on clearance and dirt cheap in stores.

BTW... I never use the dry feature on it. I use a leaf blower, and it takes half the amount of time and less spot drying is needed after :twocents:

Amen. ;)

Air Force Master Blaster
 

I just picked one of these up from Amazon last week and tried it out for the first time. It really blows! (pun) :rofl2: I was worried it would trip my circuit breaker because it rated at 19 amps, but my outside eve outlet seemed to work fine without tripping the breaker. When you put it on full blast, it's amazing how much air it puts out. You have to really hold onto the hose or it will start going all over the place, which in itself, would make for a funny film on how your car air drying machine decided to attack you!

As far as drying the 370z, without a good coax of was on my paint, even with this thing, the water wants to stick to the paint and not let go. As soon as I get some wax on there, it should be a lot easier. Doing the wheels is nice with this machine as that area is hard to get into. I'm not sure just driving the car to dry it is a good idea because of water spots and dirt.

As far as leaf blowers go, it's certainly a lot less expensive alternative, but you don't have the flexible hose and it's a bit clunky maneuvering those around the car.

There is a method of drying your car, that if you use micro-fiber towels that are already damp, and spray a couple squirts of a dryer paint lubricant on it first, it will cut down the chances of introducing swirls into your paint. That might be the best solution for those not wanting to spend any extra money on something or have much "stuff" in the garage to store away.

I completely agree with this. I have the MasterBlaster. That is the real deal. It works great on my cars, my motorcycles, and my dogs - nice, warmed air. Having said that, an electric leaf blower works very well too, if slightly more cumbersome to use.

There, fixed it for ya'. ;)

Leaf blower
 

After messing around forever I finally bought this Toro rig.
I wanted it as short as I could get, didn't need massive overkill power and the lighter the weight the better.
Most of the more serious ones are blower vacuums that mulch. They draw double digit amps, weigh twice what this one does and have significantly larger dimensions all around, This one is blower only. I had no need for a blower/vac.
Once I take it for a spin I'll post up my impressions.
BTW, Home Depot USA has these for $33.

TORO | Power Sweep Blower | Home Depot Canada

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I have that one. It works ok. Not great, but ok for a little car like the Z. I have their blower-vac too and have used it for drying cars. It work better. Dries the car faster than the MasterBlaster, but a lot harder to use. The little Toro is now relegated too sweeping the storage garage and the bigger one is on lawn-maintenance duty.

Exactly which bigger model do you have? I'd like to look up the specs on it. Do you have a picture of it?

The Toro Ultra blower vac 51609. $65 at Fleet Farm last spring. Metal impeller, makes short work of all the leaves and wood chips in the hostas, blows leaves off the deck in short order, just used it last night to blows snow off the BBQ grill tables. Big volumes at high speed. Makes it more efficient than the MasterBlaster, but it is unfiltered and it is a bit unwieldy. Think squirrel hunting with 12 gauge shotgun.

http://media.toro.com/PublishingImag..._o_all_pcs.jpg

Yea, it's awkward enough to use a cheap leaf blower on your car. That thing would be more headache than problem solving.

The 370Z is small enough and sits low enough that a leaf blower that big actually isn't too bad to maneuver. It's not substantially different from the cheap Toro that I originally purchased for the task, and now is solely dedicated to keeping the floor in the storage garage clean. The larger the vehicle, however, the more cumbersome it would be.

All that stuff does double duty for me. Even my MasterBlaster gets used as much on the dogs as on the cars.

Well besides drying your car, the Master Blaster can do a lot of things...

Toro 51609
 

That Toro was the one I was originally looking at. I ruled it out because of it's size and weight and the reviews stated the 'variable speed rheostat' was failure prone. I knew it was up to the job, but it's monstrous. I had settlled on another Toro model but when I saw the three of them side by side the Toro I picked up was so much lighter and smaller. (Less than 1/2 the weight, less than 2/3 the length) I had also looked at a Makita 1101 but I thought it was barely capable of the job and it cost 3 X more than the more expensive one of the others. The specs of the Makita compared to the Toro I got told me the Toro ought to be powerful enough. (I was able to fire up the Makita to get an idea of the airflow, and compared the spec output of the two). Whether the Toro I got is up to the job remains to be seen. If it isn't, I'll replace it. It cost virtually nothing. Here's hoping.

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Toro
 

You are correct MacCool. I used the Toro I got (that you have and say it's not great) for the first time today. It's not up to the job. It's fine on the big surfaces (my Z has Xpel and C Quartz so it beads real well) but just isn't powerful enough to get the water out of the nooks and crannies. I'm not sure what I'll do now. After using it I sure don't want anthing bigger and/or heavier than this one so I just might suck it up and live with it.

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I'm telling you guys, take it from experience. Either go super cheap with a $30 leaf blower that you can use for OTHER things (like blowing leaves), or go with the Master Blaster. There's nothing like it and you money will be well spent.

Well, I would have thought the $39 I spent would fit your 'super cheap' blower criteria. I guess I should have spent less and got a real cheap one.

Somehow I have a problem dropping the kind of money they want for MBs. It would be different if it were my business or I didn't have to drag the darn thing around everytime I go to use it.

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Hey, I completely understand. That's why I made this video:

Words of wisdom from my old dad.
"Nobody is ever glad they bought cheap ****, by the same token no one is ever sorry they bought the best."
It's kind of funny though, I use my Master Blaster as a leaf blower too!

You dad is very wise. :tup:

I've done the same and it works wonders at blowing out the garage too. ;)

Good wisdom, however I'm always (OK, not this time) the guy that buys the Best stuff. My thinking is "when you buy the best, your only regret might be that you might have paid more than you needed to."
Here my decision was based on what I was willing to drag around. I wash my car down the road from where I live so I have to take everything I need to do the job down there and back again when I'm done. I don't like to take two trips. You think I can TOW an MB behind me? Maybe it's doable.

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