Dust Suppression Tip

If you know a good tip or technique to help get through a construction "stumbling block", please post it here. If you have questions concerning building problems, please post them on the "Builders' Forum".
Post Reply
User avatar
mtpocket
Posts: 562
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2004 2:48 pm
Location: Indiana

Dust Suppression Tip

Post by mtpocket »

I build a lot of furniture and have to sand in tight enclosed places quite often. I use a Porter Cable 5" R/O sander. After having the dust collector bump into everything and blowing off and completely covering me with dust, I found a new way to control the dust. I bought a piece of Tygon tubing about 10' long and a sweeper bag for an Electrolux sweeper. I attach the hose to the sander with a wire tie and insert the other end in the bag, which makes a pretty good seal. This gives me many more hours of sanding without having to empty the collector and it solves the problem I was having with sanding in tight places and knocking the collector off. The length of hose isn't critical as long as it's long enough for the user to maintain mobillity. The hose is very flexible so I don't have any problems with it getting in my way. It is also transparent, so you can see if there is stoppage. It will not leave marks on your new finish like a black rubber hose. I also have a 25' length of this tube long enough to extend under my garage door to be used without the bag. I intend on using this method while sanding my canoe, especially the inside. Maybe others will benefit from this idea.
Peter Kotowych
Posts: 145
Joined: Sun May 09, 2004 8:10 pm
Location: Midland, Ontario

Dust Suppression

Post by Peter Kotowych »

Thanks mt

Sounds like a practical solution to the dust problem
I have knocked the dust collector off many times myself.
Now all I have to do is find out where I can get some
Tygon tubing. I am new at this, but I'll find it somewhere.

Penetang Pete
Guest

Post by Guest »

I have the same sander, which I love, but had similar problems knocking off the dust collector. I found that using two small screws through the sides of the collector at the end that go into the part of the sander that fits inside the collector helps keep this on. I notched the collector and inside piece with a triangular file in one spot so I can line these up correctly when putting the collector back onto the sander.
Matthew Bryant

Post by Matthew Bryant »

With the help of a duct tape bushing, the tip of the hose on my shop vac plugs right into my Ryobi. It's a little noisy with both the sander and the shop vac going (doesn't matter much since I wear earplugs anyway), but it sucks up almost all the dust. I find that I can push the vac under the strongback, and I hardly notice it while I'm sanding.

Matthew
User avatar
Glen Smith
Posts: 3719
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Post by Glen Smith »

I bought an adapter so I can hook up my Bosch ROS directly to my shop vac. However, the shop vac was "air starved" and the motor was constantly overheating. I drilled 4 holes 1/4" diameter near where the hose connects to the sander. Now it gathers all of the sanding dust and the motor doesn't overheat.
Dave G
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:17 pm

Post by Dave G »

Tip

I'm relatively sure that most of us building boats and small watercraft have florescent lighting in our shops, regardless of size. I know the little halogen lights are great for close up work, but general lighting is probably florescent type.

One tip for varnish or paint work, this type of lighting creates a static electricity field around the light when you turn it on. This static charge dissipates when the light is turned off.

If you are having trouble with dust in your finishes, try leaving the lights ON until the paint or varnish is dry to the touch. If you turn them off when you are done with your coating job, who knows how much stuff will be dropped after you've called it a day !!

Dave G
Post Reply