Best Dust Control Tips

Featured Article, Household DIY Tips
on August 20, 2013
drill dust
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Dust from woodworking can cause serious damage to electronics, as well as clutter your workspace.  Reduce dust with these easy measures.

How to Extend Calculator Life

Club member Mark Popenhagen of Willoughby, Ohio, offered this suggestion through the member bulletin board at www.HandymanClub.com. Knowing that electronic equipment such as calculators can suffer (and die an early death) from dust allergies and shop grime, Mark sealed his shop calculator in a zipper-type food-storage bag. He can do the math right through the soft plastic covering, adding years to the life of his calculator.

How to Protect a Phone from Dust

Club member Robert Bohannon of Richmond, Virginia, was tired of the sawdust in his shop shortening the life of his telephone. To keep dust away from sensitive electronics, Robert modified an unused router-storage case to serve as a telephone box. He cut away the back of the case so that it fit over the telephone wall plate, drilled holes in the front and then covered the inside with speaker fabric so he’d be able to hear the ringer. He can keep the case closed to protect the telephone without ever missing a call.

No-Mess Drilling

Next time you need to drill a hole in drywall, try this tip from Club member Josh Allen of St. Anthony, Minnesota. Tape an old envelope (gently folded open) to the wall just below the drilling point. The envelope’s mouth will catch the dust as you drill, making cleanup as simple as tossing the envelope in the trash.

Easy Cabinet Dust Control

Club member Joe Black of Fayetteville, Georgia, came up with this quick way to keep dust out of the open-front storage shelves in his shop. Rather than purchase cabinet doors, he installed inexpensive pull-down vinyl window shades above each opening. With a quick tug he can lower the shades, cover the openings and protect the cabinets’ contents whenever he’s generating dust.

How to Build a Dust Collector

To save money, Club member Jerry Will of Celina, Ohio, created his own low-cost dust collector for his shop. He built a wooden frame to hold a 20-in. box fan with a furnace filter placed at each side. He used spacers to center the filters in relation to the fan, and he notched the top of the wooden box to allow for the fan’s handle and speed control. By removing the screws that secure the two opposing strips at the top of the box, Jerry can quickly change the filters when necessary.

How to Create a Dust Barrier

To create a dust barrier during a recent renovation project, Club member Brett Bunn of Fancy Gap, Virginia, used plastic window-
insulation film. He simply applied the double-sided tape that came with the film kit around the doorway, attached the film to the tape and used a hair dryer to shrink the film tight. Brett recommends applying a few strips of painter’s tape over the film to increase visibility and prevent family members from running into it.

Sander Dust Collection Tip

To better control the dust in his shop, Club member Raymond Lindeman of Paynesville, Minnesota, crafted this vacuum adapter for his sander. He cut the basic shape from a scrap of pine on his band saw and then used a 1-in.-dia. Forstner bit to create the main hole on one end that allows him to attach the hose from his shop vacuum. Finally, he used a 3/8-in. wood bit to drill a series of holes for the oval opening at the other end.