high powered fan?

[Shawn Nelson]

I need a fan or two for high power blowing of fabric, hair, etc. I know about the EFX and Mole ones, but those are over $1,000 apiece. I'll probably rent one from my local g&e for bigger stuff, but I would like something to just play around with.

I bought one of these http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 and it actually works well for small things.

Surely there's something in between the $79.99 that fan and the $1,000+ Mole/EFX. There are a bunch of fans much bigger at Home Depot that look like they'd work, but they arent high velocity.

Has anyone figured this out?

 

[Paul Hudson]

I have looked for years and never found a thing. You would think something would be out there. Where is the cheap Chinese junk when you want it?

 

[Aaron McAdam]

Hey Shawn, I was in Sam's Club about a month ago and there was one of those large fans that has wheels and a handle to roll.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=200085&navAction=

I was trying to convince my wife we needed one for that "Hair Blowing" shot that we don't have yet. ("The if you build it, they will come" attitude)

 

[Robert Frank]

I know it isn't great but I've used a cheap Vornado brand fan that I got from Home Depot on a personal project. It's priced similarly to the one you linked to and can be found here Vornado 733B

The way the fan housing is made seems to create a fairly directional output. Moves some decent air at 582CFM for the Vornado vs 375CFM for the Lasko fan.

I used it with a PA holding it and moving it around as instructed. It wasn't ideal, was awkward to handle and obviously works better as you get closer, but because it's fairly directional it can help to see the effect of the air moving across the subject.

But further than about 10-15 feet away and it loses any real punch.

 

[Peter Strietmann]

Try McMaster-Carr, http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-fans/=c1s9l0 Looks like a good selection.

Best, Peter

 

[Robert Frank]

Try McMaster-Carr, http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-fans/=c1s9l0 Looks like a good selection.

Best, Peter

Great resource. Thanks Peter

 

[Paul Hudson]

This one looks good: http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-fans/=c1soer. However, it is nearly the price of the EVX. I guess it costs a lot of money to move that much air.

 

[Nick Gardner]

When I need to blow stuff, flags, leaves, more wind than a fan, but I don't want to rent a mole or FX fan, I use electric leaf blowers. If you don't own one, you probably know someone who does and you can borrow one.

Nick