Mother of all boot dryers

[skategoat]

Felt inspired after seeing some of the snowboard rack and boot dryer projects. Feeding this puppy is a 6hp compressor. I hope it actually works.

[Gecko]

Originally posted by skategoat
Felt inspired after seeing some of the snowboard rack and boot dryer projects. Feeding this puppy is a 6hp compressor. I hope it actually works.

and doesn't blow the boots across the room if the pressure climbs to high:D :D :D

[Pat Donnelly]

Someday while riding in hero conditions, say around lunch time. Go inside and remove your liners and see if you are packing snow on the top side of your foot. There is a hairline gap at the tongue interface which allows snow to enter, more so on your front foot (first in line). I could not believe my feet were generating all the moisture I found at the end of a day, and this was even after using an anitperspirant on my feet.

I will try Boot Gloves to eliminate this condition.

[lonerider]

Does anyone have a less "BIG!!!" version of a homemade boot dryer? My feet don't sweat very much and if I just stick my boots (I don't even take out the liners) near a source of warm moving air they tend to dry out decently, but not always completely.

So I was wondering if anyone has a thought for simple "air circulation" version of a boot dryer. All the version posted here involve big, lot, power fans/pumps that I think are overkill for me personally. Like a hair dryer with the heating element is still wicked noisy to be running over night. I'm just looking for something *quiet* that can pump a small, but steady trickle of room temperature air into my boots.... something like those battery-powered hand fans would be sufficient I think - except smaller and enclosed and AC-powered/ I know nothing about fans/pumps/compressors but I feel like there should be something along this range... like a CPU fan... heck - can I attach something to my old laptop to pump it's exhaust into my boots via rube tubes?

Like what about the air pumps found on this page (scroll to the bottom)?

http://botanical.com/hydro/accessories/pumps/pumps.html

Would I just need to connect a splitter to the plastic/rubber connection tubes and be ready to go?

[C5 Golfer]

Originally posted by lonerider
Does anyone have a less "BIG!!!" version of a homemade boot dryer? My feet don't sweat very much and if I just stick my boots (I don't even take out the liners) near a source of warm moving air they tend to dry out decently, but not always completely.




If you have forced air heat in your home lay the boots on their side near the heat vent on the floor and by morning they are completly dry and ready to go. It has worked for me for many years and it's free.

[skategoat]

Home heat works well and you can even buy these metal racks that allow you to place your boot liners upside down on top of a vent.

I made my dryer for the kid's winter boots mostly. They were constantly soaked last winter.

[fishrising]

Newspaper works well for me...just crinkle it up and stuff it in your boots...couple of hours later all dry (thanks to GeoffV for the tip!)

[lonerider]

Originally posted by C5 Golfer
If you have forced air heat in your home lay the boots on their side near the heat vent on the floor and by morning they are completly dry and ready to go. It has worked for me for many years and it's free.

That's what I used to do at our old ski lease (hence why I mentioned it), but the newer place uses radiant heat sources, which just don't "blow" enough to get into the boot.

My plan is to get the tiny air pump and put it near the radiator, the little pump would grab the warm air nearby and slowly pump it into the boots. This would be a more portable/robust solution to the problem instead of depend on the characteristics of the lodging in question.

So... anyone have actually air pump suggstions?

[lonerider]

Originally posted by fishrising
Newspaper works well for me...just crinkle it up and stuff it in your boots...couple of hours later all dry (thanks to GeoffV for the tip!)

Hmm... that's a thought. I had heard of those "dessicant" balls that pull moisture out of the air. Of course, I don't have *any* newspapers to use (we discovered this when trying to start a fire in the fireplace) and it seems like a waste to grab random newpapers just to crinkle them into my boots. Although I guess I could crinkle them at like 4PM, and then start a fire with them at like 8PM and get double use out of them.... hmm... I might use that option should my mini-pump idea fail to pan out.

[C5 Golfer]

Originally posted by fishrising
Newspaper works well for me...just crinkle it up and stuff it in your boots...couple of hours later all dry (thanks to GeoffV for the tip!)

Ever try Kotex?:D

[skategoat]

I just thought of a great idea for an air source. In fact, it's 4 feet away from me as I type - the aquarium air pump. They are cheap and are meant to run continuously. Attach a plastic hose and run it right down into the toe of your boot. Should work like a charm.

[Steve Dold]

Originally posted by Bob Jenney
You really don’t need heat and in general, it's not good to for your liners. Particularly to cycle them over and over.

Bob, I think you're right, I don't think the air needs to be hot, or even warm, just moving.

I have an idea that I haven't built yet, but it's basically a small wooden or aluminum box about the size of a shoebox, with a 110v box fan mounted on the side blowing air into the box. Coming out the top are 4 pipes, made of 1" or 2" PVC about a foot long, with holes drilled in the sides that you hang your boots and gloves over. I bet it would work really well and not be dangerous to leave on all night (no heat).

Skategoat: Interesting idea, I bet it would work and be a lot smaller than my contraption :) A local university uses them to pressurize waveguide runs for microwave dish antennas to keep water from leaking in, they usually work at least a year running continuously before they fail.

[lonerider]

Originally posted by Bob Jenney
You really don’t need heat and in general, it's not good to for your liners. Particularly to cycle them over and over.

Look at my post here http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2943&perpage=30&highlight=dryer&pagenumber=2

I use a cheap hair dryer. Dismantle the heat element and then use the PVC tubes to hold the liners.

Consolidating all my replies into a single posting:

Hey Bob, yea, if you read my original post in this thread I specifically referred to your design as a great idea. However, it doesn't match my needs because I can't think of a single hair dryer that is "quiet" as I mentioned. For most people I think it will be great.

Skategoat, hey yea... that link I posted included aquarium pumps, but I ignorantly assumed their pump water... but after you mentioned it... I realise those pumps blow the little bubbles to aerate the tank (I've never owned a fish tank so I'm slow on the uptake). Problem with the ones I found were that they are most expensive than a real boot dryer! ($35) probably because they must be waterproof. Are there cheap models cuz the regular air pumps I found were like $11.

Steve, where do you get these "box fans," how much do they cost/weight and are they quiet? PVC piping is great if you want to "mount" the boots/gloves... my ideal mdoel would have slightly different design specifications... focusing on portability (i.e. small size) and convenience (quiet operation) over pure "drying ability" as for my unique needs it would be overkill.

[NoSlide]

Skate... you're a hero bro. Woof-Woof... damn. I almost cryed, its a beut. If you're gonna build it do it right.

[jp1]

After seeing a commercial dryer (and how crappy it was made) and the CFM of its fan, I decided to build my own. I took a 5"X5"X3" high block of Blue Polycast (nylon type material). Bored 4 thru holes and milled directional lead ins at each for maximum flow. Counterbored the top side to fit the flexible tubing I got at Sears for their portable vacuum cleaners. Then I mounted a box fan from an electrical panel, to the bottom. Even has a little cage over the fan (OSHA requirement / ha,ha ). Took a small extension cord and wired in a switch. The fan is double the CFM as the commercial job and the tubing is double the area. Made up a sheetmetal box with legs to mount everything in. Bought a little cooler bag 6"X6"X6" to carry it in, pack the flexible tubig in my boot bag and I'm all set. Works Excellent. Cut two tubes long enough to go into the boots, cut 2 short pieces for gloves, and place my helmet over the gloves. Everything is easily dry by morning

[skategoat]

Lonerider, Wal-mart has cheap aquarium pumps but you can pick them up a garage sales for next to nothing. Generally, the bigger and more expensive the pump, the quieter. That's because they pack sound insulation material into the body. The quietest are Rena brand from France. If it has a single outlet, not to worry, you just use a T in your airline. I'm going to try this out this winter with an extra pump I have around. Nice thing about this idea is the portability. BTW, they are not waterproof. They are meant to be placed outside the tank.

Noslide - thanks man. I gotta do something with all those tools I own.

jp1 - photos, we gotta see photos.

[Hans]

I just simply use these things with crystalls in it. They last a life time and will cost no energy at all. Very handy in apartments, hotels, or to dry your sportingshoes or other things that has to dry.

http://www.7zg.com/dzactive/shop.php?range_id=1#

http://www.ispo-brandnew.com/winners/dampire/index.html

Greets, Hans.

[lonerider]

Originally posted by Bob Jenney
Lonerider, My concept is meant to be portable.

As for noise, yeah it is, but it only takes an hour or so for full dry. After a day on the hill, I flick the thing on and head into the shower then to dinner and they're done when I get back.

Bob - again I never said it wasn't portable. I said it wasn't quiet and that being quiet was the #1 design requirement. Even one hour of noise is unacceptable. Again, there is nothing wrong with your design in general - it's just not what I'm looking for as it doesn't work for my particular situation.

Skategoat - cool... I'll look into the Walmat aquarium pump, I hope they let me plug it in to try it. However...

Hans - the dryzone air dessicants look great... and I actually managed to find a seller in the US that carries them (campmor). The versions I've seen were little balls, but these would probably be plenty effective for my needs. Thanks

[D-Sub]

hey..an idea...why not utilize computer case cooling fans? the 80mm kind can be had for like $5 or so for quiet ones...?

[lonerider]

Originally posted by D-Sub
hey..an idea...why not utilize computer case cooling fans? the 80mm kind can be had for like $5 or so for quiet ones...?

I mentioned the CPU fan in my first post... but like the computer case cooling fans... their main problem is getting the air from the fan... INTO the boots... jury-rigging a connection is a little more difficult than say with a fish-tank air pump, which already has the connections setup - or even a hair dryer.

I think for now I'm going to go with the non-electric dry pack method as I found a pair for sale on REI. Ontop of being quiet they can also be used anywhere, even without a electrical socket (they do need to be "dried" out first). And they are not reserved to boots/gloves... like on the drive home I can toss them into my bag to help keep my gear from getting to nasty sitting in my bag in the car. If they turn out to be insufficient for my needs, I can return them (love REI) and then perhaps go with the fish tank air pump idea.

[skategoat]

Jack. Taken care of, my man. Filters and water traps in the system. No oil except for an inline oiler which moves to wherever I need it.

My only concern is whether I have enough air in the system to dry the boots without running the compressor all night. Only time will tell. The thing only cost me $40 or so in PVC. I thought I'd give it a try. If it doesn't work, at least I have a place to hang my boots.

[Velveeta]

I own an older version of this thing:

http://www.geardirect.com/Products/Skiing/Accessories/ChinookSports/Port-A-DryerBootDryer/3286.cfm?cart_id=065551100111103494957160572004141 1&store_id=1

It was called "The Evaporator: The Ultimate Boot Dryer" back then and I thought it only cost about $50. Anyway, it's quiet enought that I can sleep next to it - but, anyone who slept at the Bomber Condo at ECES '04 can tell you that I can drown out anything less than a 2-stroke generator :) Seriously, it is quiet, and efficient enough that if I put a pair of boots and gloves on when I get home from a day of riding, I can turn the thing off before going to sleep and that's still enough time to dry things out for the next day. It packs into a nylon bag about the diameter of a round tin of Danish Butter Cookies and half again as tall. I use it in the summertime for cycling shoes, inline skates, etc.

[Mike T]

No heat, completely silent, and works like a charm. Dries boots in a couple hours, soaked sneakers overnight, and won't hurt Thermoflex liners.

http://www.peetshoedryer.com/peet_shoe_dryer_products.php

For $50, I can understand why everyone wants to build their own... but I got mine for $25 a few years ago, and feel like it's worth every penny.

[D-Sub]

hey lonerider there are quite a few of those on ebay right now

[Steve Dold]

Originally posted by lonerider

Steve, where do you get these "box fans," how much do they cost/weight and are they quiet?
Fry's has them, they are about $5 I think, I'd just get the one that's about the size of a computer power-supply fan or maybe a little bigger. They're about as quiet as a computer power supply if you get that size. If you want to make a big one that holds two or three sets of boots and gloves, the bigger box fan (that's still probably $5-$10) would be better but noisier. About like a desk fan you'd put in an office.

[lonerider]

Originally posted by D-Sub
hey lonerider there are quite a few of those on ebay right now

ooh... I ok, I will do a search. Sweet... $30 + $5 shipping or $35 with free shipping... wow... there are a lot! I'm going to try out the drypacks first to since I already ordered them, but if I don't like them, I will switch to the the boot dryers (there are so many I don't think they are going to sell out anytime soon).

[Smitty]

easier yet get you a squirrel cage fan, runs from an electric motor, & many of them can be found at auctions for $15 or less. Many have round outlets on them you can goto Home Depot & buy furnace duct 'plumbing' pcs & make a "U_" with a "T" & an elbow pc about 1.5" diameter. Plug it in & it blows massive amts of air & stuff dries in only a hr. or two. Add more outlets for more boots or gloves, etc. Total investment of maybe $35. No heat to harm fabrics, just lotsa room temp air. Way more power than a hairdryer. If it has too much air, just install a dimmer switch into the cord & turn down the power a bit. Voila'!

[D-Sub]

nice one smitty!