Another day, another entry. As always, the unfortunate reality of my situation has struck me, and this time, in the form of figuring out how to avoid getting in trouble for my rather informal business practices.
As I've decided that the cleaning process is a "performance" for legality's sake, and an artistic effort (thank you, Ontarian busking regulations), I am thus an *artiste* accepting donations rather than an unregistered tech repairman.
After playing around with the idea of using the smaller, portable airbrush compressor (my go-to for home electronics refurbishing), I realized that the 150 watts would have to be drawn from either a generator which I did not have, an inverter-generator (quieter), which I did not have, or a solar generator, which I did have, but could only provide me with 80W.
Unfortunately, "I need my entire minivan worth of gear, a large air compressor, an inverter generator (which, again, I did not, and do not, have) and enough equipment to take said minivan apart and reassemble it" doesn't seem to be classified as "gig gear" when it comes to "performing". So, portability is the next best thing.
Still, I was informed that modern electronic air dusters are quite a bit better than their air-pump-derived precursors, and I'm reckoning that is my best bet. Until then, a rubber-bulb duster (or, "the enema duster", as I prefer calling it) will have to be the next best thing.
However, this rather mundane train of thought reminded me of something absolutely fascinating - I forgot how fantastic the little rubber-bulb dusters are. Allow me to explain, to those who are unfamiliar with them - a small rubber ball, hollow, with a one-way valve, and, ideally, a metallic nozzle, is used to deliver a quick burst of air to the device in question.
They are completely silent, incredibly portable, and deliver a fantastic pneumatic impulse. This is absolutely stellar when it comes to expedient field repairs - without a need for a power supply, hoses, or anything beyond my own two hands and the bulb, I could clear gummy ports, dusty fans, and clogged heatsinks.
I just want to say - anyone - technically-literate or not - should get one of these. A toothpick to the crud inside your ports and a gust from a $3.00 rubber bulb will give you those crisp ports and connectors you miss having.
Until next time, friends.