Tag: blow off gun

Exploring the Versatility of EXAIR’s Vac-u-Gun

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

In industrial settings, maintaining a clean, efficient, and safe workspace is a constant challenge. Whether it’s removing debris, transferring materials, or blowing off surfaces, the tools used need to be reliable, cost-effective, and adaptable. Enter EXAIR’s Vac-u-Gun—a compressed air-powered, multi-functional device designed to tackle a variety of industrial housekeeping tasks. In this blog, we’ll dive into the technical details of the Vac-u-Gun, how it operates, and the applications where it shines.

Constructed from durable die-cast aluminum, the Vac-u-Gun has no moving parts, ensuring minimal maintenance and a long operational life. Switching between vacuum and blow-off modes is simple—just unscrew the threaded cap, reverse the orientation of the internal generator, and reassemble. This versatility, combined with its ergonomic trigger operation, makes it an indispensable tool for industrial environments.

How Does It Work?

The Vac-u-Gun’s functionality hinges on its reversible generator:

  • Vacuum Mode: When configured for vacuuming, compressed air (typically 80-100 PSIG) flows into an annular plenum chamber and exits through directed nozzles, creating a low-pressure zone that draws in surrounding air and debris. The material is then directed into a reusable bag or hose for collection.
  • Blow-Off Mode: In blow-off mode, the generator is flipped, and the compressed air is expelled through a large 1-1/4″ (32 mm) diameter outlet, providing a powerful stream for cleaning or drying surfaces.
  • Transfer Mode: By attaching a smooth-bore vacuum hose, the Vac-u-Gun can move lightweight materials over short distances, making it ideal for material handling tasks.

Applications Best Suited for the Vac-u-Gun

The Vac-u-Gun’s adaptability makes it a go-to solution for a wide range of industrial tasks. Here are some of its standout applications:

  1. Small-Scale Debris Cleanup – The Vac-u-Gun excels at vacuuming up sawdust, shavings, chips, or spills in workshops and manufacturing facilities. For example, a woodworking shop can use the Collection System to quickly clean up sawdust from workbenches, capturing it in the reusable bag without spreading it around the floor.
  2. Surface Cleaning and Blow-Off – In blow-off mode, the Vac-u-Gun is perfect for drying or clearing dust and dirty surfaces like electrical panels or machinery parts. Its large-diameter output ensures rapid coverage, making it a time-saver in fast-paced production lines.
  3. Material Transfer – When paired with a vacuum hose (as in the Transfer System), the Vac-u-Gun can move lightweight materials like polystyrene pellets or plastic granules over short distances. A bean bag chair manufacturer, for instance, could use it to transfer filling material from a bag to the product, eliminating the mess and tedium of manual scooping.
  4. Specialized Cleaning with the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun Variant – For applications requiring the removal of chips from drilled holes or grooves—like in automotive part machining—the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun variant offers a targeted solution. A small blow tube dislodges debris while the suction tube vacuums it away, all while containing flying particles for operator safety.

EXAIR’s Vac-u-Gun is more than just a tool—it’s a problem-solver. Whether you’re cleaning up a mess, transferring materials, or clearing surfaces, its technical design delivers efficiency and reliability in a compact package. For industries looking to boost productivity while keeping costs and maintenance low, the Vac-u-Gun is a worthy investment.

If you’re curious about how the Vac-u-Gun can fit into your operations, reach out to an EXAIR Application Engineer. With same-day shipping on stock items (orders by 2:00 PM ET), you could have it in hand by tomorrow—ready to tackle your toughest housekeeping challenges.

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

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Vac-u-Gun: Overview!

Published on by John BallLeave a comment

The Vac-U-Gun is capable of both vacuuming materials, as well as operating as a blow gun.  It has a unique design that has a reversible generator to allow modes to change simply and easily.  In this blog, I will go over the Vac-u-Gun and the packages that we offer. 

EXAIR’s Vac-U-Gun is a low-cost solution to a wide variety of smaller industrial housekeeping problems. The Vac-U-Gun is made from a durable die-cast construction and has no moving parts to replace or wear out. In addition to being easy to use, the Vac-U-Gun is also more efficient than the commonly found blowguns. By injecting a small amount of compressed air, a vacuum is then produced by a Venturi on one end and a high output flow on the other.  Switching from vacuum mode to blow-off mode can be achieved in just a matter of seconds. To change the direction of flow, simply remove the threaded cap at the end and change the orientation of the generator inside.

The Vac-U-Gun is available by itself, or as a system in one of three different kits. The model 6192 Collection System has the Vac-u-Gun, a reusable bag, a crevice tool, a brush tool, a skimmer tool, and two extension wands.  The model 6292 Transfer System has the items in model 6192 plus a 10-Foot (3 meter) vacuum hose.  Model 6392 All Purpose System has all the items in both systems. 

The extension wands are 19” (48 cm) long and can be used to help to reach the floor or into tough areas.  The tools and extensions are made from plastic to help clean electrical panels safely.  The vacuum hose can reach refuse containers to collect recyclable debris.  As a blow-off tool, the Vac-u-Gun uses very little compressed air and has an amplified output of 12 times that of the compressed air usage.  So, a large volume of air can help clean quickly. 

If you’re looking for a versatile gun that can help boost productivity in a number of applications within your facility, look no further than the Vac-U-Gun.  EXAIR offers a 30-day unconditional guarantee on our cataloged items to try.  You can see for yourself how effective the Vac-u-Gun systems are.  If you have any questions, an Application Engineer will be able to assist you. 

John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

Industrial Vacuums For Most Any Cleanup Need

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

Vacuum cleaners…most of us think of the electric-powered devices that we clean our carpets at home with. The idea of utilizing vacuum in cleaning applications, however, predates the widespread introduction of electric power by a couple of decades. The original idea was to marry a manual vacuum generating device to a carpet sweeper. These had been around for some time, and they’re still seen today: the beater brush turns as the sweeper is pushed across the floor; it picks up dirt in the brush bristles, and deposits it in an internal receptacle. You’ve probably seen them used in restaurants to tidy up small messes on the floor, in lieu of dragging out the noisy vacuum cleaner while folks are eating.

Anyway, these first vacuum cleaners relied on a bellows, piston cylinder, or other such device that was operated by hand, foot – or, according to one source, a rocking chair – to generate a vacuum. Since it took one person to operate the vacuum generating part, and another to push the sweeper, they weren’t very popular at a time when folks were generally looking for labor SAVING products.

The proliferation of electric power around the turn of the 19th/20th century brought about electric vacuum cleaners.  Most homes have one…including the ‘shop vac’ in my garage, my home actually has three.  These are great for home use; many have long cords that allow you to clean the floors in adjacent rooms without unplugging & re-plugging, and most come with a convenient set of tools for baseboards, furniture, HVAC vents, etc.  For carpet & upholstery, they can’t be beat.

In industrial settings, though, the electric-powered models can find themselves at a disadvantage.  The impellers can clog or break, and the electric motors will, in time, burn out.  If used in wet environments, great care must be used (as with any electric products) or there can be a very real shock hazard.

EXAIR Industrial Housekeeping Products offer a solution to all of these issues.  With no moving parts or electric motors, they are extremely reliable.  If you supply them with clean air, they can run darn near indefinitely, maintenance free.  And no electric power means no shock hazard.

We have a variety of products to meet most any need.  Our Chip Vacs and Heavy Duty Dry Vacs are made for dry material cleanup.  They install (in minutes) on an open top drum, and are available with a variety of accessories…tools, drum dollies, tool holders…even the drum itself if you need one.  The Chip Vac is specified for most ‘general purpose’ jobs; the Heavy Duty Dry Vac is more powerful, and abrasion resistant, for more aggressive needs.  Both exhaust the vacuum air flow through a Filter Bag to contain the particulate in the drum.

The Heavy Duty HEPA Vac features the same high power and rugged construction as the Heavy Duty Dry Vac, but replaces the Filter Bag with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) Filter for maximum dust containment.  These are used where critical dust removal, mold & allergen containment, or trapping airborne irritants are called for.

(Left to right) Chip Vac, Heavy Duty Dry Vac, Heavy Duty HEPA Vac

Reversible Drum Vac Family

The Reversible Drum Vac is a two-way liquid pumping system, also made for mounting on standard steel drums…closed top drums, in this case.  They can fill or empty a 55 gallon drum in 90 seconds.  Options include 5, 30, and 110 gallon drum sizes, and a High Lift model – increased suction head for deep wells, underground tanks, or higher viscosity liquids, up to 1,400 cP.

Chip Trapper Systems come complete, ready to go, right out of the box.

The Reversible Drum Vac is also at the heart of our popular and award-winning coolant filtration system: the EXAIR Chip Trapper.  A Filter Bag in the “fill” line traps chips, swarf, and shavings.  The liquid passes through, and is able to be immediately pumped back out.  Not only is coolant life extended, regular cleaning of the coolant sump prevents loss of coolant flow due to clogging of the supply lines.  The Chip Trapper is available in 30, 55, and 110 gallon sizes, and also in the High Lift version.

Speaking of two-way operation, the EXAIR Vac-u-Gun is both a vacuum AND blow gun…simply reverse the orientation of the nozzle insert to reverse the operation:

EXAIR’s Vac-u-Gun transforms in seconds from powerful vacuum to efficient blow gun.

The Vac-u-Gun is an efficient, quiet, and versatile tool with numerous applications, from vacuuming sawdust or shavings, to conveying small parts or pellets, to blowing off chips, water, coolant, or scrap.  And, just in time for Spring Cleaning season, we’re letting you find out just how handy it is, for free – by including one with any qualifying Industrial Vacuum purchase, now through April 30, 2019.

If you’d like to discuss a cleanup application, and how an EXAIR Industrial Housekeeping Product can suit your needs, give me a call.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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Adapting To The Situation At Hand

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

Earlier this week I received a call from a customer who had an issue in his facility with the hand held blow guns the operators were using.   The units he had were simply too loud and he was trying to get below the 85 dBA threshold for hearing protection.  Not to mention they were using a large volume of compressed air.

I discussed the application with the customer only to discover they are blowing dry aluminum chips off a table and need a three foot extension so the operators can easily reach all extents.   The nozzles they had on their existing blow guns were essentially a cross drilled “safety nozzle”.  The customer was using the same model air gun throughout his facility at a total of 33 machining centers.   Each unit had a gun with a 3′ extension and a cross drilled nozzle like tip.

After discussing the amount of chips and what they were using I recommended he utilize a newer style adapter we have that would appear to work on his existing gun with the existing extension.  This means, rather than having to replace the entire air gun, extension pipe, and nozzle, he was able to purchase a simple adapter along with our model 1100 Super Air Nozzle and retrofit his entire facility.  This cut the budget needed by more than half of other solutions he was looking into from other companies.   Picture of the nozzle and adapter are below.

IMG_3934

 

This was just another adapter for EXAIR but it was the right adapter for the customers existing product.  So if you have an existing blow off and you don’t want to replace the entire blow off device but you want to try and upgrade your system, contact us.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF