Got a new 1300 psi power washer and I'm out washing my truck. Power washers are highly recommended if you ever get your truck really dirty - car washes are expensive - my pw was $90 at Home Depot and the first time I used it, I know I saved at least $25 in quarters.

Anyway, the tires are very soft, offroad type tires. There was a stone stuck in the edge of the tread where it meets the sidewall and I decided to blow it out with the power washer. The lower pressure nozzle setting didn't get it out, so I set it on high pressure - a thin stream. I blasted the thing - didn't come out - tried changing angles - didn't come out. I finally got real close and blasted it good - still didn't come out. When I let off the trigger, a small wisp of smoke wafted off the tire! The jet of water had melted and deformed the tire. About a dime sized patch was curled and bubbled up. I couldn't believe it!

I'm glad I didn't get a more powerful model that I was considering for purchase. Probably would have sent the poor truck straight to the junkyard or killed myself....

Be careful with your power washers.

Yeah, ditto on the warning.  Even the auto car washes can be to strong sometimes.  Buddy of mine had his pin stripping ripped off, and not just spots, but CLEAN OFF.  It's actually quite amazing.  They are a blast though, no pun intended!

Yeah, I used a 4k psi unit to clean a concrete deck once.  It did such a good job I decided to use it on the fence and the side of the house, that thing would rip chunks of wood out of the fence if I got it very close (never got to the house).

I have two..  one 2200 and one 1200 psi PW

I don't know why ya'll use these on your cars.  The only way I get them clean is with a brush and some elbow grease...

 High pressure water (with a slurry) is used to cut metal, cleaner than a laser.

yup. saw that on Discovery once. cut through metal like a knife through buttah.

I once watched one of our stucco idiots use a pressure washer to clean his van (great way to spend a day at work huh, cleaning your vehicle).  He was taking the paint clean off and couldn't see it from his angle.
Use a regular hose and nozzle and some elbow grease to wash your vehicles.

PLace I used to work at used water jets to cut frozen pies at a rate of 1/sec for 8 slices.  (No goopy knives.)  Used 50,000 psi.  The tubes carrying the water looked like gun barrels (1/4" ID 3/4" OD).  The sound was similar to a small jet engine.  Very cool...  Watch your fingers!!

I have etched designs into sandstone with my power washer.

Thanks for the tips, guys, but there's a good reason I bought it for my truck.

4x4 + Texas clay mud = you better have a power washer or a sock full of quarters for the car wash.

You'd destroy the exterior paint trying to get it off by hand - lots of little scratches where you rubbed it off - and it would take forever.

To clean the underside and wheel wells would take "forever forever".

I think I saw that.  Wasn't the thing hopped up to around 10,000 psi and jetted down to like 1/60 inch stream?  Amazing to watch water cut metal.

As only another 4 wheeler would know.

I believe the water that cuts metal has diamonds in it.  Otherwise I'm not sure the water itself would cut the metal that quickly.

[shock]  Tell me you're drunk, or it's a typo??

No shit??

jeez! tell me you guys have never heard of "water-jet" metal cutting? it has been in use for many years.

factoid: i used to manage a car wash many years ago. we ran "cat" and "giant" triplex pumps that could easily crank out 800psi...and used very hot water. with those wands, you cound strip chrome plating right off of a bumper. take a car body down to bare steel. peel body side molding right off.

and...

blow water right thru your skin and into the meat!

Hee hee, Campy said "meat".

Power washers are fun, rig yourself up a pinhole nozzle and then wait till the neighborhood children are having a water fight.

At the highest pressure setting you can knock a kid unconscious at 75 yards.

Don't forget to stay away from the radiator and any seals and gaskets too!!! They are a great tool when used properly though!!!

Water cutting vs. laser cutting

[url]http://www.teskolaser.com/waterjet_cutting.html[/url]