Tag: high pressure nozzle

Better Working Conditions Thanks To Back Blow Safety Air Guns

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

Employee appreciation covers a wide range of things that employers do for their employees. From catered lunches to SWAG (stuff we all get) to recognition for milestone anniversaries with the company, I’m sure most of us are familiar with these, and other methods to thank workers for their efforts, time, talent, and loyalty.

I had the pleasure of speaking with the production manager of a company that specialized in parts for commercial vehicles. The assembly workers in a particular department had to periodically clean grease from inside a small opening. The only practical way to do it by hand was to reach their fingers in and wipe it out, a little at a time, until it was clean. They wore gloves to reduce skin exposure to the grease, but they’d tear, meaning they either had to stop and get a new glove, or continue to wipe the grease out with their bare fingers. The latter was less time-consuming, but the environmental, safety, and health manager wasn’t keen on that. They needed a ‘hands off‘ method of removing the grease.

This particular company had a number of EXAIR Safety Air Guns that had proven their worth in reducing compressed air consumption and noise levels, so the production manager called us for a solution. The initial thought, at the plant, was to use one of our Industrial Housekeeping Products, but it sure sounded to me like a textbook application for a Back Blow Safety Air Gun.

EXAIR Back Blow Air Nozzles come in three sizes, for bores from 1/4″ to 16″ in diameter!

And it was. After a brief discussion, the production manager ordered a Model 1306SS-12-CS Heavy Duty Back Blow Safety Air Gun before we got off the phone. It comes with the Model 1006SS Back Blow Air Nozzle installed, which is specified for inside diameters from 7/8″ to 4″. They had it the next day, and reported back that not only did the operators not have to reach their fingers inside the opening anymore, the Back Blow Safety Air Gun did the job in just a couple of seconds. This made everyone happy: the production manager because of the process improvement, the environmental, safety, and health manager because of the elimination of the hazard associated with continuous grease exposure to people’s hands, and the operators because the ‘ick’ factor from one of the less favorite tasks was reduced to an occasional wipe-down of the Back Blow Safety Air Gun’s Chip Shield.

Heavy Duty Back Blow Safety Air Guns come with Chip Shields, and Rigid Extensions from 6″ to 72″ in length.

Employee appreciation can take a number of forms. Not that there’s anything wrong with pizza, anniversary & holiday parties, achievement recognition, etc., but tangible improvements to everyday operations have to be close to the top of that list. I tell people, all the time, that I’m here to help them get the most out of our products, and their compressed air systems. I felt really good about doing just that with this customer. If you’ve got a situation like this that needs improvement, give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
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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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