Air blaster for cleaning

I recently suffered an annoying Alibi with my Pardini SP22 (first time in a match as far as I can recall) which seems to have been due to some loose dirt inside the frame interfering with the trigger mechanism. I consulted Alex at Pardini and he told me that his practise is to blow out any debris and residual solvent/oil from inside the frame with an air gun hooked to a small compressor. Then, after occasionally applying a tiny amount of grease using a toothpick (see the Pardini video), don't spray oil or whatever inside the gun because it just attracts dirt. He smears no more than a drop of oil on the bolt with a finger before re-assembling the gun after cleaning.

So, when at home I have a compressor and blow gun in my shop, no problem. But for every match I am "on the road" and typically clean my guns the night before in my hotel room. I thought about a small "air-brush" type compressor, but that is a pain to drag about and also quite noisy. I have seen "canned air" typically used for blowing out keyboards, etc., but they are quite expensive.

Anyone have any suggestions on a small (spray can size) rechargeable bottle with a nozzle that I can recharge with my compressor at home and then keep in my travel box?

Greetings,

Go to CostCo and buy a six pack of canned air.

Price is about $20.00 for six cans.

I do not think a rechargeable container exists. The OSHA and other groups would make it rather expensive. Also, the pressure would drop quickly.

The CostCo Air are filled with liquid and provides a constant blast pressure as long as liquid remains.

Cheers,

Dave

You could spring over to Harbor Freight and pick up a 5 gal portable air tank and put a trigger nozzle on it. Or maybe pick up one of these: https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/81002/10002/-1?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI79SozPeE6wIVD_DACh1F_g4cEAQYBCABEgJ7J_D_BwE

3 gal. and kind of cute. More portable than a 5 or 10 gal. tank.  Not spray can size, but it is what it is.

Maybe mod up something like this guy: 
https://www.amazon.com/Airshot-1-15L-Tubeless-Inflator-Color/dp/B01BJ4MXQY/ref=asc_df_B01BJ4MXQY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312144750238&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9265880163543597643&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033265&hvtargid=pla-458092484145&psc=1

Saread. Yes, that Airshot was kind of what I had in mind, but now I realise that fc60 is on the money with his comment about OSHA!

I think I will buy a can of air and try it, see how long it lasts. I typically clean 3 guns at one session.

Just now when I searched on Amazon I saw a rechargeable can sized electric air blower, might try one of those too.

Meanwhile another Forum member has suggested a different approach. Food for thought.

Thanks all.

I wonder....if there’d be a way to use an air pistol compressed air cylinder.  maybe with a series of air puffs?

CO2 air gun cartridges are used to inflate bike tires with an adapter/holder. Perhaps one could be modified for your needs?

Probably wouldn't want to take that sort of thing to the airport.

Ashley,

Yes, I was also considering that - I have a high pressure compressor for the air pistol. But the problem then is finding a suitable regulator and nozzle. I will investigate that at some point - but I also don't want to be carrying a 2,000psi "bomb" around with me

Then again, I guess that it is no different to carrying pre-charged cylinders to an air pistol match.

SBTZC - now there's another clever thought. I've got a lot of those hanging around from before I got a PCP pistol. And I've got one of those little holders for inflating bike tyres (over 40 years old from when I used to try to survive Enduro motorcycle races in UK!), but not here with me in USA. Another thing to try out in future.

I've now got several options to test. I'll report back in due course.

Canned air is available at every Home Depot, computer store, Wal-mart, etc.  They are cheap.  I've got one beside the Dillon press and I knock out primer dust, etc. all the time.  I've been using that same can 2-3x weekly for several months.  

The CO2 bike cartridges tend to de-pressurize fairly quickly after plugging them into the tool.  The odds of having that air still there after a week isn't very good.  Also, they are made to take a bike tire very quickly to 100psi.  They don't really have a good way to slow them down.  It's like a fire hose when you need a little squirt gun.

Bryan. Yes, makes sense. 

And the other poster's comment about air travel is a pertinent point, if I ever do decide to do another Ohio Swing or similar in the future. Buy canned air and solvents, etc., at a local store at the destination once I get away from the air port, then trash the remainder prior to return.

Seemingly simple problem, but lots of issues that I had not considered carefully.

Make sure you buy the stuff that’s not laced with Irritant or watery eyes are in your future

sbtzc wrote:CO2 air gun cartridges are used to inflate bike tires with an adapter/holder. Perhaps one could be modified for your needs?

Probably wouldn't want to take that sort of thing to the airport.

I guarantee you that. I made the mistake of unknowingly taking a CO2 tire inflator into a Federal Court House. I had to be there as a Plaintiff (not a defendant LOL) and took my motorcycle. I keep a bag of tools strapped to the rear fender of the bike. Not thinking, I grabbed the tool bag and took it in with me to not get stolen on the street. They checked the tool bag. Ops. I had a lot of explaining to do in a small windowless room in the basement of the court house. No fun at all.

Service rifles (AR-15s) get a lot of primer and powder dust into the trigger group. In my part of the world, service rifles also get a lot of "dust" dust into everything.

As recommended by others previously, I bring a can of compressed air for computer parts with me to rifle matches. (Pistol matches are much more dignified. )

Dust in the trigger ... um, sure ...
We know the truth, city folk, cow country...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz0xULQIaSU

Another option is to go to a store that sells photographic equipment, including photo printing supplies.  That's where I used to buy small cans of compressed air to blow dust off negatives.  They worked very well, and liquid never came out of them.  They are now called "Dust-Off Falcon Professional Electronics Compressed Air Duster"

https://www.amazon.com/Dust-Off-Falcon-Professional-Electronics-Compressed/dp/B009XCK6PK

Be aware of the conditions in which you use "canned" or even a higher pressure compressor supplied air.

PV=nRT

As the air reduces in pressure, the temperature drops and therefore the process can cool the metal somewhat.  The rub is how much moisture is in the atmosphere when you do this.  With the "canned" air, which sometimes has other propellants, etc., or higher pressure air flows the cooling effect can be enough that you get condensation where you don't really want it.

"Dust-Off, a popular brand name of canned air, is a gaseous refrigerant-based propellant cleaner used to remove dust and dirt from computers and electronics. The main ingredient in Dust-Off is difluoroethane."

So, use judiciously, monitor the process and see if there is any condensation forming.  A little blast at a time is generally ok. Trying to use it like a garden hose, maybe not so much? 

As a note, I use a small air compressor on a lower pressure setting.  I generally clean most guns with gun / brake cleaner (which is even worse for condensation in my high humidity state!), but I allow the guns to warm up first and after and follow up with a Kroil oil spray and then use the air compressor to blow out all the Kroil I can.  This leaves a very thin Kroil oil film, not really enough to attract a lot of grit, but still I'll take a little dirt collection over moisture any day in my environment.

CR

I've been using canned computer air for decades until recently. SWMBO's never allowed me to have an air compressor and I just got tired of buying canned air. I bought this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BI4UQK0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

a few years ago and love it. It puts out warmish, dry air too, so you don't have the issue of condensation that you get with canned air and air compressors.

FWIW do not use canned air on any lenses on your optics. Believe it or not it is mildly abrasive. I splice fiber optic cable. There are all kinds of warnings to not to spray in the splice chambers for damaging mirrors and camera lenses.

Bill

I actually ended up buying one of these:-

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081XGWM72/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is really excellent. But, as one of the other posters mentioned, my favourite use for it now is to blow away debris during loading sessions. It is really good for that.

After getting a long detailed tutorial by telecon from Vlad Chickkov of Pardini USA I now know that I was using solvent for the wrong things and in the wrong places and that is most likely what led to the isolated problem with my SP22. I now know better, but if I do inadvertently get any gunk inside the Pardini's I can use this super little blower to get it all out. Not cheap, but a really good buy.