I took a 185 cfm compressor to the site, and it was worthless.

ForTheAction

I know I read on these sites that guys almost made cutting torches with 200 cfm compressors. One guy said there was a vague blue flame emitted from his homemade air knife. I don't know why my was so worthless. The only cut it had was a nice breeze enough to dust off my boots.

I'm taking the 400 cfm out there next time. It's a tank!

Eric Frei

Personally it sounds to me that the issue is the knife not the compressor.

200cfm should be heaps.

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Jeffrey Lovstrom

I agree, but he made the knife, nozzle himself.
Jeff

second-gen_monkey

um... iknow this is a stupid question, but what are you talking about?

oxy/acetaline torches or something?

Eric Frei

He reckons some people claim they see a blue flame at the tip of their of their air knife but hey .... some people see Jesus and Mary in trees and stumps too!

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ForTheAction

How big should I make the hole on the nozzle?

The place I rented the compressor from rents out what they call a blow pipe. It's just a 1 meter pipe with a shut off valve on it. When I rent to rent the gear, there was a nozzle on the end. It had a 2/8 inch opening. It looked like it should have been just right. The thing is that I know that this thing should have pealed the leather off my boots, but it couldn't even come close. It was very weak no matter the size of the hole.

second-gen_monkey

hello?

what are you refering to?

again, i know it's a stupid question but i don't know and keep forgetting to ask dad. i would search for it but the local school board blocks any searches with "knife" in them.

is this a purely compressed air knife utilizing high pressure, low area air to abraid material from the cutting area or is there a flame involved?

anyone who can answer this question will have me in their debt as i love aquiring this type of frivolus information.

Jeffrey Lovstrom

Hello sir, the problem is in the tube. The air cannot come stright from the compressor to your nozzle. There is a reduction in the tube that builds on the nozzle output.A $2000 investment pays for itself on the first job. Time is money.
Jeff

ForTheAction

It's a tube connected to a tow along compressor. The air blasts dirt around without cutting up the roots on trees. It the alternative to a shovel.

second-gen_monkey

ah, a root gun. gotcha.

thanks. i was thinking a knife in the sense of a torch. we call those air guns or root guns but i've never heard them as air knifes.

ForTheAction

Air spade is another term for them. Root gun however is more descriptive in the clientele's favor.