possible power regulation for hair dryer bellows solution

[Puck]

I'm sorry if I put this in the wrong category. Please move this post if it has a better home.

I have been thinking about a way to control my airflow better (using a hair dryer at the moment). I was considering several choices, from adding a T valve to adding in a dimmer switch. They would all get the job done but I like to know that when I build or modify something, it will have more than one use. Anyways.. I was watching one of my favorite YouTube people (The King Of Random) and I came across this video https://youtu.be/P9UjxG8sN1c And thought that there were others here who would benefit from my find. I plan on building a scariac but your thoughts are always welcome. I hope this was helpful.

 

Happy hitting

Edited April 15, 2015 by Puck
typo

[Chinobi]

Simple is usually the best approach, an air gate (or blast gate) would be the easiest way to throttle the flow from a fixed source like a hair dryer.  Much easier than building en electrical device IMO.  Still interesting, just not the path of least resistance

[Frosty]

That's a fun video but you're really over thinking this. Just gate it. Blow driers use the air going to the outlet to cool the motor so you can't put a gate on the air intakes without getting the motor hot. Of course blow driers are above my range if they're $4.00 at a garage sale, you see them for $1.00 or in the freebe, save us a dump run pile often enough. The easiest way to control the air flow I know of is to simply move the drier's output so it's more or less aligned with the end of the air pipe going to the fire. It's much easier than making a butterfly valve but that's a whole LOT easier than a Scariac. I wouldn't worry about the dog licking the home made valve on the blower either.

Frosty The Lucky.

[billyO]

Not trying to hijack this thread, so feel free to tell me to bugger off if this is inappropriate, but I liked the video and am wondering if this would work for a poor man's version of VFD for a knife grinder....