How do you control the dust when sanding? It is getting everywhere! I don't have a workshop, so the rec room is it.

I looked at a few products at Home Depot, but they are a lot of $. Does anybody have a better solution? I thought a box with a fan and an automotive filter would do the trick, but I don't think the fan would provide enough pull. Any suggestions? Where can I get a better fan? Maybe a quiet blower?

Thanks!

When it's to cold to open the window and turn on the exhaust fan,I secure a vacum cleaner hose next to what I'm sanding and let the vacum cleaner earn its keep.

Elwood,
I saw a trick a few years back (maybe in MAN or some other publication) that said to take an ordinary box fan and tape a furnace filter to the "suck" side. As it circulates air around it should remove the dust.

Ty

I use the box fan only with the filter on the exhaust side,though
not the best setup it does a good job for a $20 investment

What if you set the box fan up to blow out a window, without the filter. That way you don't restrict any airflow, and the box fan can suck and discharge as regular??

During a remodeling of my kitchen, I needed to replace the overhead stove fan w/light….are you getting the idea? I replaced the metallic filter with a home made filter from my furnace supplies (doubled up based on my exhaust), and routed the exhaust from the fan down a dryer tube to a small trash can. Had to add a ‘sink neck trap’ to slow the dust down, means clearing every so often, but being flexible it doesn’t pose much of a problem….Thoughts?

I was throwing away a older above stove microwave. Took it apart and removed the fan. I purchased a roof vent and mounted it to the window well cover w/cut out for vent.
Mounted the fan to a 3/4 in plywood piece sized to the window. I remove the window and install the fan when working w/ca, paint,
micro-balloons, or simple sanding. It also works great for poker night.
Rich

I love this site!!!

I use the Lotec solution, myself. I carry it outside.

Get the maid to tell the butler to clean it up when your done.

Jetts

Kevlar, Borrow a pair of your girlfriends pantyhose and put over the end. Makes a pretty good dust filter

(and you don't have to empty them. When its full just give them back)

I have one made by a friend. He had one on each end and there was no dust. I use just one and it works pretty well. there is a big fan like on a furnace, but not as big, in a box made from plywood. there is a filter on both sides of it. The fan exits the top of the box. The motor has multiple speeds. If I am sanding a lot, I turn it on high. It sucks all the dust to the filter and none blows out the top. I have no windows in my shop and this works very well. Also stops the problem of eating dust when you are sanding. It works very well. If you are interested in making one, let me know and I will take pictures of it. Wouldn't cost a ton to build. Sure is nice though. I may build a couple for the room I am building the Long EZ full scale in. Boy can that fiberglass dust travel.

Dave,
Building a scale model that you can sit in and fly? My hat is off to you, my friend. I have done the same, but at the other end of the spectrum,(3/4 scale aircamper, stand-off 3/4 scale Bleriot, and now, a delta of my own design.) Hey, you save money on the radio that way! I also have Bert Howlands' prototype, H-1 Meteor. I bought it wrecked for a song, and am concidering re-building it, maybe the EAA would be interested in it, the Vintage ultralight and lightplane assoc. wasn't-they didn't even know who Bert Howland was!
Be VERY careful with the F/G dust, use a mask when sanding anything with the dreaded F/G in it.

Good Luck,

Jetts

Sounds interesting. Please post some pics FLYBOY

In this picture of my shop (pregnant wife helps out) you can see the 20" box fan with a cheap furnace filter taped to it. It works great. I clean the sawdust off of it with a shop vac. It's not as loud or violent as a furnace drum fan (that can be some serious air moving about.

Jason

Those filtered air suckers are good for larger dust particles but the finer particles still get thru. Anyone thought of using a strong air ionizer ? It kinda "traps" smaller particles in the air and they become heavier and precipitate down rather than floating around the room. They also give the room a mountain fresh air smell........

The larger particles are all I'm worried about. No need here for a hepa filter, the idea is to be able to work on my models without hocing up a lung. I have a ionizing filter and I doubt it would do a good job for very long because it is not designed to handle that much particulate matter. I have had the same furnace filter on my fan for over a year and it still works great, just vacuum it off every now and then.

Jason

Jason,
Better nip that "WIFE IN THE SHOP" thing right away. It will get so bad when tools start disappearing.
Rich