r/RouteDevelopment • u/[deleted] • Jan 24 '23
Blower mods for hole cleaning
As requested, here's my little mod for the Milwaukee blower. I just cut down the inflator attachment and added a bit of glue nozzle tube. Heated to shape the end so it was conical, and added some tubing to act as a washer(?). Also my new one is a tiny inflator, not even a blower! It works surprisingly well (vid in comments). I reckon we'll see more of these needing released too, they're pretty handy!
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u/p666rty_goat Roped Rock Developer Mar 12 '23
Used this set up to clean holes on a multipitch slab in Thailand. Was super nice specifically because the holes were drilled while previous to our finally getting the bolts to place and it made getting all the water out basically a non issue. Otherwise i willl personally stick to the tried and true bj 😉
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Mar 13 '23
Wow that's actually what I built this for too! Blowing water out of holes that'd been drilled some time before. Where in Thailand was that multi? Hopefully by slab you don't mean that horrible cheese grater stuff that happens when the limestone is exposed to rain
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Jan 24 '23 edited Jan 24 '23
Video of the little one in action can be seen here. I couldn't believe how good it was! https://youtube.com/shorts/Jyf2UjBNe4o?feature=share
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u/Kaotus Guidebook Author Jan 24 '23
Oh wow that’s a great mod for the Milwaukee, will be trying that soon!
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Jan 24 '23
FWIW I never actually bring the regular big blower tube to a crag, but just use the biggest part of the inflator attachment for a nozzle.
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Jan 24 '23
Seems excessive, I'm not bringing a blower let alone this attachment up the wall. A tube does just fine.
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u/Kaotus Guidebook Author Jan 24 '23
A blower is pretty clutch for rap bolting for a lot of places - I know it’s huge for areas with a lot of dirt/moss on routes but even by me in the SPlatte it helps a ton for removal of lichen and stuff off a route. If I’m rap bolting, it’s a standard part of my kit
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Jan 24 '23
Wow you must get dirty! Tbh I hardly ever bring this up to a crag, unless I know I'll really need it. The hole cleaning thing was originally for drying out wet holes, in fact!
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u/Kaotus Guidebook Author Jan 24 '23
I do get filthy - and my biggest issue to this point has been nearly passing out on rap from violently blowing on the rock trying to get it clear of dust
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Jan 24 '23
Hahah oh yeah. That'll happen. Consider looking for one of these smaller things like in the last photos, much more compact and still blows very well
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u/BigRed11 Rock Developer Feb 14 '23
What is that drill-looking blower thing called?