Dust extractors

[Keith_W]

Hello everyone, I did a search on this topic and came up with nothing. 

 

I just cleaned out a spare bedroom which was being used as a storeroom. After several trips to the rubbish tip getting rid of old clothes and general garbage I have a pristine empty room which will be my new hobby room! I am somewhat concerned because it is part of the house, and the last time I made a ship model I lived in a house which had an attached workshop. I have no such luxury in my new house, and my wife insists that it is kept spotless. 

 

I wonder whether any members have used a dust extractor, and whether it would be possible to rig up a vacuum cleaner to do the job? At the moment I am thinking of making an extension for my vac out of flexible pipe with the nozzle near my work desk with a little filter on it to stop it from sucking up small pieces which I may be working on. 

 

Is this a good idea, or would I be better off buying a dust extractor? 

[mtaylor]

My workshop is in the house also.  I use a small shop vac and attach to whatever power tool I'm using.  However, some things, like the thickness sander are only used outside.  At the build board, the vacuum is used several times an hour if hand-sanding.  I also have a paint brush handy to sweep up everything on the bench.   I still get dust in the room but once a week, everything gets a good wipe down/vacuuming.

[Pete38]

I  have my workshop in a upstairs spare bedroom, and when sanding do as Mark has said above....but also use a window box fan with filter material infront of it. Place it where I am working and it will get most of the sanding dust....plus just leave it running and it will clean the air.

Here's a picture...you can see it in the background

 

Works pretty well

[Keith_W]

Thanks for the responses. Pete that looks like a great (and inexpensive) idea. May not work for me because I can't have the window open in winter. Hard to keep your hands steady when they are shivering  

[Pete38]

You don't need the window open. This will just circulate the air in the room but it goes through the filter first. I had it sitting on the workbench with the window closed.

 

Kinda of a poor man's air purifier.