Tag: boy scouts

A Tale Of Two Engineering Projects

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

At our Boy Scout Troop meeting last night, we had adult volunteers in two rooms, putting their “day job” skills to use. Two of our troop parents are dental professionals, so they were working with the Scouts, as a group, to complete the requirements for their Dentistry Merit Badge. In the other room, a couple of other parents and I were making last-minute equipment preparations for the Troop’s annual Lenten Fish Fry.

Anyway, one of our projects this year is to fix or replace the fryer tank. Nobody knows how old it is or where it came from…one of our Assistant Scoutmasters has been around for almost 20 years, and it was here when he came. Now, it’s just a big metal box that sits on the stove and holds the oil that we fry the fish in, but with three engineers looking it over and coming up with ideas, it’s got the potential to be the most complex big metal box in the county. The current problem is only a ¼” crack near the top of a corner, but also on our “wish list” are items like:

*Handles: this tank is about 4 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 18 inches deep. It’s not heavy at all, but handles sure would make it easier to move around, wash, dry, etc.
*Drain: Currently, we use a small battery operated pump to empty about 10 gallons of oil out of it every Friday night. A strategically placed petcock valve will cut our clean up time to a fraction of what it currently is.
*Temperature control: these ideas ranged from a port for a permanently mounted thermometer to a thermocouple that we could tie in to a regulator in the gas line. We’re all scared of tapping into the gas line, so the thermometer is looking better and better. It’s always fun to see yourself on the news, but not when it’s because you were involved with a fire that burned a church building down.
*Material of construction: Stainless Steel is awesome, but we’re probably on more of an aluminum budget.

Last week, we had the pleasure of conducting an Efficiency Lab Test of a customer’s drilled pipe compressed air blowing device. It was doing the job, but it used a lot of air, it was loud, and it had been in place for as long as anyone could remember. As it turns out, our 12″ Aluminum Super Air Knife looks to be a viable solution to the items on their “wish list”: reduced air consumption, and lower noise levels…it’s going to cut both to a fraction of what they are currently. This is a significant improvement, because not only are they going to save $500-$1,000 per year on compressed air for each of two units, but the operators no longer have to wear hearing protection, since the maximum sound levels are going from 108 to 67 decibels…well below OSHA’s published 8-hour limit of 90 dBA.

These are two examples of what can happen when you get a couple of engineers involved in a project. If you’d like to find out how much you can save your wallet…and ears…by switching to EXAIR’s Intelligent Compressed Air Products, give me a call. If you find yourself hungry and on the east side of Cincinnati on a Friday night in the coming weeks, I can also tell you where to get a great meal in support of a great organization.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
russbowman@EXAIR.com
Twitter: twitter.com/exair_rb
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exair

Summer…Here For A Limited Time…

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

All good things must come to an end, they say, and this summer is no exception.  My sons returned to school this week, both attending the same school, on the same schedule, until my eldest enters high school next year.  This coming Monday is Labor Day, the Official© End of Summer.  And that means that our Boy Scout Troop will start wearing their “Class A” uniforms, instead of the “Class B” t-shirts that are authorized for June-August meetings.

In most of the Midwest, this is also the weekend that most pool owners will “winterize” and put their covers on.  I have a good friend who purposely has a party on the 2nd or 3rd Saturday of September, to blatantly flaunt this convention, but he’s just delaying the inevitable.  I’m going anyway.

At EXAIR, we also know summer as “Cabinet Cooler Season.”  It’s no secret, or surprise, that inquiries – and sales – for Cabinet Cooler Systems will pick up when the ambient temperatures rise…that’s the “external heat load” part of the equation in action!  Of course, some places have elevated ambient temperatures even in the months that end with an “R”…places like boiler rooms, blast furnaces, bakeries, etc.  And I’ve had the pleasure to talk to callers who want to protect electrical panels in two out of three of those places, just today.

One other thing that’s coming to an end this week is our seasonal Cabinet Cooler Systems Promotion.  That’s right; you’ve got just a few more days to get a free AC Sensor with a qualifying Cabinet Cooler purchase.  So, if you’re considering a Cabinet Cooler System, now’s the time.  We can quickly and easily calculate your enclosure’s total heat load with just a few key pieces of data.  Use our online Cabinet Cooler Sizing Guide to get it to us, or email it in.  For immediate service, call us with the data…we’ll do it while you wait. These products are in STOCK and we can ship same day on orders we receive before 3:00 pm Eastern.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
(513)671-3322 local
(800)923-9247 toll free
(513)671-3363 fax
Web: www.exair.com
Blog: http://blog.exair.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/exair_rb
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exair

Free + Free = Free

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

I saw school buses on the road this morning…a stark reminder that the summer season is coming to an end. My sons have mixed emotions about it. My youngest is excited about playing in the band (I’m picking up his trumpet tomorrow) and my eldest is biting at the bit for the start of his second season of football. Neither, however, is looking forward to setting their alarm clocks to a time that will allow them to catch that 6:30am bus!

In the office this week, we’ve been recapping our summer vacations. Some went low-key, with long weekends at lakes and/or campgrounds; others spent time at some of the more serious Tourist Destinations. Our family was in the “low-key” group this year, but I blame the kids: one took a school trip to Space Camp, the other enjoyed a week and a half at the Boy Scouts’ National Jamboree, and they both spent a week each at Boy Scout Summer Camp and church camp. They had a ball, though, and I wouldn’t have changed those plans for all the beaches and theme parks and cruise ships in the world.  Of course, Space Camp and National Jamboree were one-time events, so we ARE looking towards beaches, theme parks, or maybe even cruise ships, next year.

I’m not real big on taking a lot of pictures on vacation – since photography isn’t a bona fide hobby, I find it to be a distraction from enjoying the activity. Plus, a lot of the Tourist Destinations have a camera staff who are more than happy to provide you photos (for an additional fee), so you don’t have to worry about it. In fact, one of my co-workers encountered a theme park that “doubled down” on that: they charged you to take the photo, AND they charged you for the actual photo (or the “discount package” – the more you buy, the more you save…) as well!

Now, I AM real big on those photo cut-out boards: the ones where you stick your head through and take pictures of each other hang gliding, space walking, bodybuilding, surfing, etc. I subject my family to every single one that we encounter, no matter where we are. They appeal to both my frugal nature, and cheesy personality, I guess.

If you’re still reading this because of the title, it’s time to make good: this week only, EXAIR is offering a double freebie: request a copy of our Blow Off Guide (which is always free), and get a FREE Super Air Nozzle (we actually sell those most of the time…it’s a business thing; you understand.) If you’re a current user of our products, consider it an expression of gratitude for your business. If you don’t yet know how efficient and quiet our engineered compressed air products are, now’s your time to find out. You’ve only got until Friday to take advantage, though…this offer, like our summer, is drawing to an end soon.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
(513)671-3322 local
(800)923-9247 toll free
(513)671-3363 fax
Web: http://www.exair.com
Blog: http://blog.exair.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/exair_rb
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exair

An American Success Story

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

I saw a story in the news recently about the Shale Gas Boom – it seems that developments in drilling & mining technology over the past few years have made access to shale gas a more economically feasible option. By that, I mean, it’s always been there, but until these newer technologies were developed, it’s always cost more to get usable gas out of the ground than it was worth.

I don’t know that a story gets more “American:” Ingenuity and know-how are leading to profitability, profitability will lead to industry growth, industry growth means not only more job opportunities, but also less dependence on imported energy sources, which is something our government leaders have been talking about my whole life. There are tons of political positions impacting this, but, even if that discussion was within the context of this blog, I still wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole.

Which brings me to my point: I’ve always considered myself to be patriotic. I served six years in the United States Navy. I never miss an opportunity to vote, especially when the only items on the ballot are school or municipal levies, county/state representative primaries, etc.  I pay my taxes and abide by the law, even the speed limit (usually.)

Those are the ways that I have, and continue, to live out my patriotism. But it all comes from an engrained belief – and attitude – that I want to succeed personally, within a successful organization, in an environment provided by a successful nation. I believe this applies to my actions and involvement in my home, my community, my sons’ Scout units (it’s been a while since I mentioned Boy Scouts in my blog…I’m feeling much better now…), and, of course, my job. So, naturally, I’m always striving for improvement; looking for that “next level of incompetence” that I wrote about a while back.

That’s one of the reasons why I like working at EXAIR so much. We’re always looking to develop new products that will use compressed air more efficiently, safely, and effectively. This leads to profitability for the owners of our products, and for us. It’s what has made us THE market leader in engineered compressed air products, and inspires us to maintain that reputation by continuing to envision, engineer, and introduce new products with those principles of efficiency, safety, and effectiveness in mind. If it’s good for our company and yours, then it’s good for you and me, and THAT, my friend, is success.  Good luck with your American Success Story – I’m having a blast living out mine!

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
(513)671-3322 local
(800)923-9247 toll free
(513)671-3363 fax
Web: http://www.exair.com
Blog: http://blog.exair.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/exair_rb
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exair