Perfecting my drying technique...leaf blower and ONR ?s

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98LowRanger

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My first year of detailing as a side job is almost over and I decided that I want to give my drying technique some attention. I realize during the drying process is where a LOT of scratches come from. So I want a safe method, but also quick as I tend to have problems with water spots (I try to wash in the shade as much as possible).

The Metro Master Blaster looks like an amazing piece of equipment, but I'm not doing this full time and simply can not justify spending the $270+ for one. I hear ELECTRIC leaf blowers also work great for drying though. I was wondering how many of you guys use one to dry vehicles. They range from $20 to as much as $200 so I need some help picking one out. What brand(s) do you guys suggest? What CFM is sufficient for drying vehicles?

I also hear a lot of you guys using Optimum No Rinse during the drying phase. Do you just mist the entire vehicle as soon as your done washing while it is wet? Then wipe/blot off? Is the ONR diluted or full strength when used out of a spray bottle as a drying aid? I already have a few waffle weave towels and got rid of my old absorber. Any help is appreciated!
 
if you use the sheet/flood method after washing and have a good coat of wax/sealant, there won't be much to dry off. use the leaf blower (electric) after to blow of as much water remaining from the seams/cracks and you'll have some water droplets remaining which a microfiber towel and QD and/or spray wax can take care of. you don't need an expensive leaf blower (150+mph) and can find one at walmart for around $30...
 
Personally I use a $30 leaf blower and pat dry any drips I've missed. Works great especially on a vehicle that is sealed or coated.
 
Metro Sidekick is small and portable.
I've used ONR QD strength, Optimum Instant Detailer, UWW+, and Meg's instant detailer as drying aids. Remember just spritz the panels, you're not doing a waterless wash. I spritz half the vehicle, then wipe dry. Then repeat other side.

I follow instructions on bottle. So ONR QD is around 1:16 ratio. UWW+ as QD, I use same as its recommended waterless ratio.
 
i have and used the sidekick but it's too small and takes too long to dry the whole car...
 
The Metro Sidekick would be great! Under $100. I have a leaf blower. It is very loud and cumbersome. Additionally, the type of drying towels re very important in drying too.
 
Home Depot has the Makita cordless blower on sale. It's hand sized. I have the Sidekick and love it though, so I haven't bought the Makita.
 
conman1395 said:
Home Depot has the Makita cordless blower on sale. It's hand sized. I have the Sidekick and love it though, so I haven't bought the Makita.
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I have one and it's good for wheels, nook and crannies, but to weak to dry the entire car.
 
VISITOR said:
if you use the sheet/flood method after washing and have a good coat of wax/sealant, there won't be much to dry off. use the leaf blower (electric) after to blow of as much water remaining from the seams/cracks and you'll have some water droplets remaining which a microfiber towel and QD and/or spray wax can take care of. you don't need an expensive leaf blower (150+mph) and can find one at walmart for around $30...
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Ditto on the above. That is EXACTLY what I do. My car is usually 90% dry after this. I then take my

Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Blower, leaf blower, car dryer, rechargeable blower

And blow the large water spots off and all the crevices and wheels. That isnt powerful enough to dry a car completely like a metrovac, but its more than powerful to do what I need. And its small and relatively lightweight.

I then use a waffle weave microfiber to dry the car. Sometimes I also use a quick detailer as I am drying. It helps add lubricity to the towel, remove water spots if there are any and add a little shine and protection in the process.

The above blower doesnt come with the battery, it would need to be purchased separately and a charger as well. I get a good 15 minutes of full blowing on a charge. The battery recharges fully in less than 30 minutes. I have also started adding some other Makita tools to my collection so the battery powers all of them (cordless impact wrench!!! LOVE IT)
 
The problem is that this purchase is mainly for customers cars which are often not maintained. So there usually isn't any wax/sealant left to help with the drying process. Your right Conman, Home Depot has a great deal on that Makita. I love how light and small it is, but it does worry me that it is one of the lowest powered blowers made at 90 CFM.

Spending $300+ on the Metro just isn't an option. I already spent far too much with Autogeek during their black Friday sale...haha. I guess I am a little surprised that more of you guys aren't drying cars with electric leaf blowers. I would think it would be ideal since your not having to TOUCH the car at all. Air has to be a much safer method even when your using the best drying towels.
 
98LowRanger said:
The problem is that this purchase is mainly for customers cars which are often not maintained. So there usually isn't any wax/sealant left to help with the drying process. Your right Conman, Home Depot has a great deal on that Makita. I love how light and small it is, but it does worry me that it is one of the lowest powered blowers made at 90 CFM.

Spending $300+ on the Metro just isn't an option. I already spent far too much with Autogeek during their black Friday sale...haha. I guess I am a little surprised that more of you guys aren't drying cars with electric leaf blowers. I would think it would be ideal since your not having to TOUCH the car at all. Air has to be a much safer method even when your using the best drying towels.
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The metro vac Sidekick is under $100 I think (can't check right now) and is what I currently use and love. Although I will admit I still believe for a car with no sealant/wax on it tk assist drying, it is better/faster to use towels. I have not used a big electric leaf blower. I've only used the Sidekick to blow dry, but I still believe a good set of drying towels will be better in this scenario.
I think you should buy both, though, because the Sidekick will dry wheels very well, get water out from emblem and lights, and as you have repeat customers which will have a lasting LSP to assist you, the Sidekick can really cut down your towel laundry.

Additionally:
I really like to keep my things clean. After ever wash I do, I always clean my brushes and buckets. I love using the Sidekick to blow my stuff dry.
 
conman1395 said:
Yup, under $100. Metro Blaster SideKick
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I appreciate all your helpful info. It definitely seems like a great tool and I would purchase it over the cheaper Makita electric leaf blower if my main concern was something small and light (if even moves more air then the Makita). Currently when I detail engine bays I use my small and LOUD air compressor to blow it dry. I can see that the Metro Sidekick would probably be much handier to use and user friendly (quieter and not run low on air like my old compressor).

Like you already acknowledge, the Sidekick is NOT ideal for blowing dry a whole vehicle though. That is what I was originally looking at a leaf blower to do. Still undecided if I want to get a blower for drying or not. At this point if I decided not to invest in a powerful blower for drying, I will opt to at least invest in a sidekick for blowing dry the engine, wheels, trim, etc.
 
Yes,the Metro Blaster Sidekick will do... ;) This is perfect for me for drying trims,wheels,side mirrors etc....imho..
But for the whole car,i think this is NOT recommendable as you said sir...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have been using a Water Sprite chamois to dry cars for 30 years and never had a problem. Just rinse it out after use and store it wet in the container.
 
So if I was to get an electric leaf blower to dry vehicles these are the 3 I have narrowed it down to:

1) Kobalt
Shop Kobalt 40-Volt Max 250-CFM 140-MPH Light-Duty Cordless Electric Leaf Blower at Lowes.com
Has pretty good power for a battery powered unit (I don't want to deal with cords or gas powered) at 250 CFM and 140 mph top wind speed. Has variable speed, good reviews, weighs 7 pounds (fairly light for such a high powered unit), 40 volt battery and charger included, and has a 5 year warranty for $149

2) Ryobi
Ryobi 155 mph 300 CFM 40-Volt Lithium-ion Cordless Jet Fan Blower-RY40411 - The Home Depot
Pretty powerful 300 CFM and 155 mph wind speed, 3 year warranty, variable speed, 40 volt battery and 90 minute charger included for $149. Downside is that it is getting heavier at nearly 9 pounds and is 31" long.

3) EGO
EGO 480 CFM 3-Speed Turbo 56-Volt Lithium-ion Cordless Electric Blower-LB4801 - The Home Depot
Priciest at $199 and a little more then I wanted to spend, but they claim it is the most powerful battery operated leaf blower on the market. Includes a 56 volt battery and charger (40 minute charge time) which produces up to 480 CFM and a max air speed of 92 mph. Also has a brushless motor, variable speeds, and a 5 year "limited" warranty (not sure what "limited" means). Besides the price, it's downside is that it is the heaviest of the 3 at nearly 11 pounds.
 
What I do, when I have the time:

1. Sheet water across the entire vehicle, as everyone has mentioned, with any decent LSP, this does +80% of the drying
2. Move vehicle into the shade, if it isn't already
3. Use blowers to hit large collection areas and horizontal panels (vertical ones should be mostly dry). Don't try to get every drop, you'll be at it a while if you do. I trace all seams as well, working top to bottom of course.
4. Open and close all doors 2x, shaking loose water that will pop out later.
5. Use a drying aid and a desginated drying MF or a quality damp MF. QD or a spray wax, I use QD, quicker drying and less buffing than a spray wax. And the QD I use doesn't streak glass.


Buy a quality drying towel. I love my MF Madness Dry Me Crazy


I just bought the Makita little blower and am curious how well it will work.


As far as eletric blowers go, I'd get a corded one. Cheaper in the long run and will last longer.
 
After sheeting I use a leaf blower that I've modified to make it a bit easeier to use--my old leaf blower had a round outlet so it made it simpler for me to put together the adapter.

tn_AssortedDIY007.jpg


Plan to add the Air Wand nozzle to make it more effective. You can also purchase the Air Wand with a leaf blower.

Air Wand - Purchase
 
ski2 said:
After sheeting I use a leaf blower that I've modified to make it a bit easeier to use--my old leaf blower had a round outlet so it made it simpler for me to put together the adapter.

tn_AssortedDIY007.jpg


Plan to add the Air Wand nozzle to make it more effective. You can also purchase the Air Wand with a leaf blower.

Air Wand - Purchase
Click to expand...

I have the Air Wand & it works great. The only thing is that the blower is so powerful that it takes some getting used to holding it without the hose touching the automotive paint especially when drying larger vehicles or the roof of any vehicle. (You may need a ladder)
 
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