Your Boot Dryer Take Too Long? Build the turbo model!
Sometimes the boys just gotta have fun. We arrived home soaked to the bone yesterday after a long day of backcountry skiing in a snowstorm. Our clothing took a while to dry, but at least one pair of boots were dry in a half hour.
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| DIY backcountry skiing boot dryer does the job in a tenth the time as commercial models. |
“Hey dad,” my son said a few days ago, “I want to build a boot dryer that works, you got any computer fans in that pile of junk?”
“Sure,” I said, “check out my hardware hacking stash, I’ve even got computer fan grills, reducers and whatnot.”
“What would work best for tubes?” Louie said, “I don’t want to buy anything for this project.”
Answer: “Check out the famous WildSnow workshop son, you never know what you might find in there!”
Sure enough, the boy finds Rancho shock absorber boots that fit perfectly in the ends of the fan reducers. End result, the WildSnow Turbo Boot Dryer! Be careful, it might blow your boots right out the door!
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| The fans run on 12 volts, Louie rigged the WildSnow Turbo Boot Dryer so it will work in the car with a cigarette lighter plug, and also rigged a 12 volt wall-wart power supply for use indoors. |
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| Another view. Note the fan size reducers. Mounting plate was constructed from a hunk of plastic cut out of a plastic box we had in the junk pile. We bought nothing specifically for this project, does that indicate packrat syndrome or just a well stocked shop? |
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4 Responses to “Your Boot Dryer Take Too Long? Build the turbo model!”
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Dear Son,
I saw you eyeing my vacuum cleaner yesterday and I wondered what was up since housekeeping is usually not on your radar. Thanks for leaving it intact. But the hose may be better because it has almost no ridges so there would be less air resistance and the diameter is smaller so it would fit further down into the boots. Off limits? Hmmmm, vacuum or boot warmer? I guess you can use it if you make one for my car.
Love,
Mom
That’s great! Why do folks pay $60-something for boot dryers again? What a great project! I wish some of my students could be as motivated as Louie!
Good job.
ps – it looks ever so slightly, um, naughty.
Best use for shock boots that I’ve ever seen (if that’s what they are)