Category: Safety Air Gun

Compressed Air In The Wild

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

Over the past weekend, I had the honor of visiting a local MakerSpace. These types of places are what my dreams are made of. The one we toured had a full metal and woodworking shop as well as a separate area for 3D printing, sewing, standard printing, electronics, and even laser engraving/cutting. Every workstation has an electrical drop and a compressed air drop coming from the ceiling as the area can be used for any number of projects.

Handheld air guns are something that you can find in nearly any and all manufacturing facilities that have compressed air within them. Suppose they are not at every operator station because the machines don’t require compressed air. In that case, they are generally found at the very least within the maintenance department, where they continually keep the facility functioning and may be the only ones in the facility with compressed air.

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Don’t let this happen to your air gun…use an EXAIR Precision Safety Air Gun with a quiet, efficient Super Air Nozzle instead.

Handheld blowguns like the one shown above are easily overlooked when it comes to operator safety and energy savings. Often, the cheapest gun possible is also the most costly regarding ownership and operation. These are just a few of the reasons EXAIR designed the VariBlast Precision Safety Air Gun.

The ergonomic design fits well in any sized hand and the long trigger makes for easy pull and variation in the amount of air being used. The integrated loop allows the tool to easily hang on a tether or hook near an operator station, while the optional Chip Shield adds additional protection for the operator and can be adjusted to any location along the extension. Effective chip guarding is a portion of the OSHA standard for dead-end pressure. Lastly, the extension pipe is offered in three different lengths: 6″, 12″, or 20″ overall length. Each one of these components is also field replaceable in the event one becomes damaged. That means it’s not disposable like the other guns on the market.

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Three different Super Air Nozzle models are available at the end of the extension in two separate materials. You can purchase the Atto, Pico, or Nano Super Air Nozzle in either stainless steel or PEEK thermoplastic for more sensitive applications. These nozzles coupled with our engineered valve design permit the user to vary the amount of air coming out of the gun by pulling the trigger to a higher flow or pulling it slightly and letting less volume of air through.

If you want to discuss whether your current air gun meets or exceeds OSHA standards and how much air it may use versus what an EXAIR VariBlast Precision can do for you, please contact an Application Engineer today.

Brian Farno, MBA – CCASS Application Engineer

BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

VariBlast Safety Air Guns

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

For most of my life, when I brushed my teeth, I’d squeeze out enough toothpaste from the tube to cover the bristles of my toothbrush from one end to the other. That’s what the picture on the side of the toothpaste tube showed. Then, there I was at the dentist’s office one day, in the fifth decade of my life, when I was old enough to know I didn’t have EVERYTHING figured out, but I certainly had brushing my teeth down pat, and the hygienist casually mentioned something about a pea-sized drop of toothpaste being the correct amount to use. THAT couldn’t be right, I thought, but she was confident…and an industry professional…so I took her advice and started using about 1/4 of the amount of toothpaste I’d been using MY WHOLE LIFE.

Recently, I switched (at the suggestion of that same hygienist) the TYPE of toothpaste I was using (apparently protecting tooth enamel is a thing when you make it to my age), and the end of the tube itself is different from the type of tube I’d been using for decades. So different, in fact, that the same squeeze I’d been applying to get a pea-sized drop of toothpaste out now filled the bristles of my toothbrush…again! So I had to re-develop some new muscle memory before the money and time I was spending on toothpaste got all out of hand.

Developing muscle memory for repetitive tasks like that doesn’t take that long at all – turns out, it’s something most of us are really, really good at. Which brings me to the subject of this blog:

Back in 2017, EXAIR developed a new and innovative style of handheld blowoff device: the VariBlast Compact Safety Air Gun. As the name suggests, the “blast” can be “varied” by the operator’s pull of the trigger. They’re available, from stock, with a variety of our engineered Air Nozzles installed:

Rigid Extensions (in lengths up to 72″) and Chip Shields are available with all of these as well.

The VariBlast Compact Safety Air Guns worked out so well, in 2021, we introduced this feature into our VariBlast Precision Safety Air Guns.

VariBlast® Precision Safety Air Guns 2022 Professional Tool & Equipment News PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNER

These feature our three smallest Super Air Nozzles, and they’re made for applications that need a tight, focused air flow. The Atto, Pico, and Nano Super Air Nozzles come in hard and durable 316SS or non-marring PEEK thermoplastic. Both offer superior resistance to chemical or corrosive attack. For added reach, we can put 12″ or 20″ extensions between the handle and the Air Nozzle. Like the VariBlast Compact Safety Air Guns, Chip Shields are available on all models.

If you have blowoff applications where precise control by the operator is desirable, a VariBlast Precision or Compact Safety Air Gun is just what you’re looking for. If you’d like to discuss it, give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
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Accessories to Get the Most Out of Your Safety Air Gun.

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

EXAIR Has a useful selection of Safety Air Guns. Including the VariBlast Precision,  Compact, Soft Grip, Heavy Duty and Super Blast Safety Air Guns, along with the newest addition, the TurboBlast. These blow guns are available with a variety of air nozzles, chip shields and pipe extensions. (Click on the product link above to see a blog about any of the eight types of Safety Air Guns) They are durable, comfortable and ergonomic to use. These Safety Air Guns are designed with durability and comfort in mind while also being ergonomically safe to use. Safe operation is assured along with low air consumption and noise levels. EXAIR Engineered air nozzles are available in Type 316 stainless steel for superior corrosion resistance and mechanical wear, Type 303 stainless steel for corrosion resistance, PEEK thermoplastic for non-marring and chemical resistance or zinc/aluminum alloy for general purpose applications.

Flying Debris? – Chip Shields are durable polycarbonate shields that protect the operator from the risk of flying debris often seen when blowing off chips from machined parts. They are also useful to prevent coolant from splashing back, creating a mess during drying processes.

The Chip Shields are available for EXAIR’s VariBlast, Soft Grip and Heavy Duty Safety Air Guns. The Chip Shield can be used on Safety Air Guns with or without an aluminum extension. They may be purchased as part of a new air gun system, or retrofitted as a Chip Shield Kit.  Consult an Application Engineer for selection assistance.

If you have a blow-off process where the air is to be directed at a distance away from the operator, or into a hard-to-reach location, an extension is the solution. Available in lengths from 6″ (152mm) to 72″ (1829mm), with sizes to meet most requirements can be found. To add an extension to an air gun, simply add -xx to the current part number. EXAIR’s Stay Set Hoses are available from 6”-36” in lengths with ¼ NPT male threads on each end, or a ¼ NPT male on one end and 1/8 NPT female on the other.

Model 1310-12 Heavy Duty Safety Air Gun, With 12″ Extension & 1100 Super Air Nozzle

The Stay Set Hoses are rigid and allow you to maintain precise positioning of the blow off nozzle. The hoses have “memory” and will not creep or bend.

Options from 6″ to 36″

 If you need a 12′ coiled air hose, to use with your Safety Air Gun, we have them available and in stock. Available with 1/8 NPT, 1/4 NPT or 3/8 NPT male end swivel connections. Avoid tangled and messy air lines and keep things neat!

If you have an application and need help deciding which EXAIR Safety Air Gun and/Nozzle you need. Please contact us and ask for an Application Engineer. We are always happy and eager to help.

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

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The EXAIR Heavy Duty Safety Air Gun

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

A compressed air operated air gun is a commonly used tool in many industries. There are many options available through the many catalogs and industrial supply companies. Most inexpensive options will have triggers or other parts that will frequently wear out or break. They will also have performance similar to an open pipe, where they have an open hole that simply blows a lot of compressed air. This leads to high air consumption costs, as well as high noise levels; they can also be dangerous if the opening is dead-ended at high pressures.

EXAIR has several quiet and efficient Safety Air Guns, and with a large array of nozzles to choose from, we likely have the perfect solution for whatever your needs are. If you require more force for use in a rugged industrial environment, then our Heavy Duty Safety Air Gun may be the right option for you.

EXAIR Heavy Duty Safety Air Gun Benefits

Our Heavy Duty Safety Air Gun has a 3/8 NPT air inlet, which is larger than most other Safety Air Guns. This allows for higher force and flow values. It also comes with a durable cast aluminum body and ergonomic composite rubber grip. The wide curved trigger allows for continuous use for hours without operators experiencing fatigue.

As with all of EXAIR’s Safety Air Guns, the Heavy Duty Safety Air Gun takes advantage of our engineered Air Nozzles, ensuring that you remain OSHA compliant on both dead-end pressure and noise levels, while still delivering on force. We have several different length extensions, as well as chip shields, to customize the Heavy Duty Air Gun.

For any customers in the US or Canada, an order placed before September 30th, 2024 will receive a free Model 1126 1″ Flat Super Air Nozzle. If you would like to discuss how EXAIR’s Heavy Duty Air Gun, or any of our other Safety Air Guns can help in your application, feel free to give us a call.

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

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