Making a Compact Blower

SECURE THE COUPLING:
About now your silicone is probably dry. Mix up bondo, fiberglass resin.


Mix to consistency of runny peanut butter, and add hardeners.


Chuck in the bondo with a spoon and float out the resin-bondo up on the coupling. Float out the bondo until it touches the walls. You are form- freezing the coupling so it will not move in the future.


As this is setting up. Turn your attention to connecting the electrical cord and hook the wires back up. The wires all connect the same way they did when you pulled it apart, so label them if you are inexperienced with how a switch works.

Test the motor after you reconnect all the wires.
Note: Hold the motor with your foot before turning it on to keep it from jumping or moving.

 

INSERTING MOTOR
Remember the sizing difference in diameter I explained earlier?

You will make up this difference by wrapping electrical tape around the motor where my finger is. I used exactly one roll.

This is what it looks like after the wrap.


Now, you have a choice. Either wrap it with the cord or cut it after you wrap, insert the cord, and wrap a few times to secure the cord. We chose to cut after but recommend wrapping it along the way.
Used the dremel cut-off tool again. The electrical tape will pull apart quick.


Lay the cord in the cut. Wrap a few more times with electrical tape to se-cure the cord.


The fit is very snug. Tap into can lightly with rub-ber mallet. NOTE: Do not bend the fin-plate. If it is too tight, take some of the tape off.

 

Press further into can with your fingers. You want to leave a minimum of 1/4” for the filter to fit nicely.


Cut and place a screen over the opening. No need for a finger to get caught in the fan blower anytime down the road.


Apply more silicone to seal in the motor, screen guard, and cord.


Smooth the silicone with your finger and allow to dry overnight before turning the blower on.

 

FINAL TOUCH
We made our own filter. We took a piece of scotch-brite pad and cut it to size.


The final product is a very powerful compact blower that will fit nicely for storage and dry whatever you need in a fraction of the time it takes with other methods. Best of all it can be built 90% from scrap waste!


I have used this to dry bird plummage, hunting boots, kids shoes, the motorcycle, whatever comes to mind you will go grab this thing to use.

 

If you would like a copy of this manual which includes the "professional" model build, PM or email us at:
inquiries@trophetracker.com

We will send you the build manual which is not on the website at the moment.

Thanks, and have fun with your project.

 

I'd say the key differences between this and a shop vac are:

1.portability
2.When you use a shopvac if it has dust inside the compartment that will end up blowing out on what you are drying (no filter going out, only sucking in).
3. I think this is more powerful than a shopvac, and a shopvac cost $100 verse maybe the $5 you have in this.