Cheap generic blowguns
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 6:26 am
On numerous pneumatic guns SpudFilers use the generic inline blowgun available for several dollars.
I recently bought another for my co-ax after cracking the last one by screwing it in too far, however I was disappointed to find that it leaked at pressures below 50 psi, making pumping with a shock pump difficult.
I decided to take it apart and remove the spring, then replace it (NOTE: this type has a different trigger with two small bits going back to prevent the trigger from moving around). On opening it up I found to my dismay....plastic! The valve housing was plastic, and the seals were rubbish. Hardly a piece of engineering.
Not an issue for those running at around 100 psi ranges, but for those using low volume pumps or high pressures be on the look out for the following symptoms:
-Extremely easy trigger pull in comparison to similar blowguns
-Trigger has two small prongs to prevent the lever from flopping around
-Random leakage at low pressure.
Obviously a plastic (it wasn't any kind of good plastic, just rubbish) valve housing wouldn't cut it at 400-500 psi. It could crumple, crack, split, completely fail etc.
The good news? If you bought the new blowgun to replace the old one (due to cracking etc) the metal internals and spring are a direct perfect replacement for the plastic ones, with no issues.
I recently bought another for my co-ax after cracking the last one by screwing it in too far, however I was disappointed to find that it leaked at pressures below 50 psi, making pumping with a shock pump difficult.
I decided to take it apart and remove the spring, then replace it (NOTE: this type has a different trigger with two small bits going back to prevent the trigger from moving around). On opening it up I found to my dismay....plastic! The valve housing was plastic, and the seals were rubbish. Hardly a piece of engineering.
Not an issue for those running at around 100 psi ranges, but for those using low volume pumps or high pressures be on the look out for the following symptoms:
-Extremely easy trigger pull in comparison to similar blowguns
-Trigger has two small prongs to prevent the lever from flopping around
-Random leakage at low pressure.
Obviously a plastic (it wasn't any kind of good plastic, just rubbish) valve housing wouldn't cut it at 400-500 psi. It could crumple, crack, split, completely fail etc.
The good news? If you bought the new blowgun to replace the old one (due to cracking etc) the metal internals and spring are a direct perfect replacement for the plastic ones, with no issues.
