How do you guys clean up the fine dust on your finished projects?

[sgryd]

You might try it once inside, but then you learn =)
If you use the compressor (outside), see to that you have a filter near the working end of the air system or you might stain your wood with rusty water.

 

[zapdafish]

No disrespect meant at all, but doesn't blowing the dust off just move the dust into the air so it settles somewhere

well, if i can see the dust before I hit it with the compressor and can no longer see it afterwards I don't care where the dust went to  [big grin] 

I am assuming this is being done in the workshop and not in the house.

 

[Alan m]

i always blow down doors etc with compressed air before i finish them. i started doing this after too many screw ups because of crap in the grain.
i do it outside . then rub down with a tack cloth. if im finshing i will sometimes wipe down between coats with the solvent for the finish. (water for waterbased,whitespirits for oil etc) . 

 

[mouppe]

I almost always lay down a coat of shellac before applying another finish, and after a quick wipe with a painters rag or tack cloth, I just work the shellac in. It binds with any dust left in the pores so you don't need to worry about having a completely dust-free environment or a dust-free workpiece.

By the time I get to the oiling and waxing stages, there's no dust on the workpiece and the air filter has taken care of the dust in the air.

If I was spraying or using poly or lacquers I suppose I'd do it differently and be more wary of dust.

 

[nickao]

That makes no sense to me. Drag everything outside to blow it off then drag it back inside? I guess we all work different, whatever works I guess. It just seems on a Festool forum where everything is about containing dust using compressed air to blow around dust goes against the grain at best and is deadly at worst(using the woods I use even outside I would not blow the dust around).

If it does not matter where the dust goes why bother collecting the dust or using dustless tools at all then? I find it hard to believe someone drags all their projects outside and blows them off through all 4 seasons. And I don't care if I am in the house or shop, I hate that fine coat of dust all over my stuff from using a compressor and my lungs don't like it either.

I am not posting against Jesse personally at all. I am posting against the practice of using compressed air for blowing dust around in general. Dust I try so hard to suck up and keep out of my gardens, off my plants, out of my shop and out of my lungs.

I love shellac and for me its my go to finish. And I agree, it's really easy to work with it around dust  

 

[leakyroof]

That makes no sense to me. Drag everything outside to blow it off then drag it back inside? I guess we all work different, whatever works I guess. It just seems on a Festool forum where everything is about containing dust using compressed air to blow around dust goes against the grain at best and is deadly at worst(using the woods I use even outside I would not blow the dust around).

If it does not matter where the dust goes why bother collecting the dust or using dustless tools at all then? I find it hard to believe someone drags all their projects outside and blows them off through all 4 seasons. And I don't care if I am in the house or shop, I hate that fine coat of dust all over my stuff from using a compressor and my lungs don't like it either.

I am not posting against Jesse personally at all. I am posting against the practice of using compressed air for blowing dust around in general. Dust I try so hard to suck up and keep out of my gardens, off my plants, out of my shop and out of my lungs.

I love shellac and for me its my go to finish. And I agree, it's really easy to work with it around dust  

Dovetail, I was not implying that you have something against Jesse, just that I wasn't sure anyone saw the outdoor part of his post.

 

[jmbfestool]

That makes no sense to me. Drag everything outside to blow it off then drag it back inside? I guess we all work different, whatever works I guess. It just seems on a Festool forum where everything is about containing dust using compressed air to blow around dust goes against the grain at best and is deadly at worst(using the woods I use even outside I would not blow the dust around).

If it does not matter where the dust goes why bother collecting the dust or using dustless tools at all then? I find it hard to believe someone drags all their projects outside and blows them off through all 4 seasons. And I don't care if I am in the house or shop, I hate that fine coat of dust all over my stuff from using a compressor and my lungs don't like it either.

I am not posting against Jesse personally at all. I am posting against the practice of using compressed air for blowing dust around in general. Dust I try so hard to suck up and keep out of my gardens, off my plants, out of my shop and out of my lungs.

I love shellac and for me its my go to finish. And I agree, it's really easy to work with it around dust  

LoL. I don't know how much dust you have on your work pieces but the sounds of it  you must have piles of it because last time I checked the amount of dust created by cutting sawing etc is a lot more than dust what settles on your work piece.  So going out side blowing it of is NOT going to cover your entire garden with dust.

Not saying I would do it or not I don't have a work shop but just saying that their is no point using dust collecting if you go out side blowing minimal amount of dust of your work piece is daft.

Jmb

 

[PaulMarcel]

I buy bags of microfiber cloths and use them all the time in the shop.  They are like a tack cloth without the resins that could foul up your finish depending on its chemistry and they aren't all the same.  New microfiber cloths grab really well; after several washings, they just get used in the shop as a great pickup cloth, but not for finished projects.

Sometimes I wipe down with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits or naptha if I'm using a water-based finish and am concerned about greasy fingerprints (damn chips and salsa in the shop...)  For a solvent-based finish, the solvent will dissolve the fingerprints into the project.  For many water-based finishes, the water carrier won't like a greasy fingerprint, but the emulsion the water carries has solvent in it that won't care much about the fingerprint.  Not that it is relevant, but thought to toss that out.

I do blow out my garage shop from time to time with a leaf blower, but never before finish.

 

[Scott B.]

I use this brush attachment for fine work cleanup. I find that there are two advantages: the bristles seem softer than on the standard round brushes; the larger size and shape make for fewer passes on surfaces, which reduces the likelihood of scratching. If I still feel like there is superfine static dust clinging to a stain grade or clear grade finish surface, I will do a wipe with either a thinner rag or a damp rag - any lint free quality rag will do. I have gotten away from standard tack cloths because they can leave some stickiness on surfaces which I dont want for final finish application.

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[Michael Kellough]

This Miele SUB20 brush is the best I've used. The mostly natural bristles get down into finer pores to knock dust out than can synthetic bristles and the natural bristles stay straight.

The brush is light weight and has soft corners (it even has a soft rubber bumper around the perimeter) so it doesn't dent wood as much as other brushes.

The only things I don't like are the articulating feature (I just kill that with tape) and the cost.

To wipe off the dust that remains I use a Norton micro-fiber cloth. The woven red version is the only one that works on raw wood. The short nap pile versions leave behind micro-fluff.

Sometimes the micro-fiber cloth leaves behind some fine dust when sanding between coats. It's probably too fine to worry about but I find wiping the surface with a nitrile gloved hand get that off.

 

[semenza]

I buy bags of microfiber cloths and use them all the time in the shop.  They are like a tack cloth without the resins that could foul up your finish depending on its chemistry and they aren't all the same.  New microfiber cloths grab really well; after several washings, they just get used in the shop as a great pickup cloth, but not for finished projects.

Sometimes I wipe down with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits or naptha if I'm using a water-based finish and am concerned about greasy fingerprints (damn chips and salsa in the shop...)  For a solvent-based finish, the solvent will dissolve the fingerprints into the project.  For many water-based finishes, the water carrier won't like a greasy fingerprint, but the emulsion the water carries has solvent in it that won't care much about the fingerprint.  Not that it is relevant, but thought to toss that out.

I do blow out my garage shop from time to time with a leaf blower, but never before finish.

Bill Murray style  [thumbs up]

Is there a particular brand / type of microfiber cloth you are using?

Seth

 

[zapdafish]

Sometimes I wipe down with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits or naptha if I'm using a water-based finish and am concerned about greasy fingerprints (damn chips and salsa in the shop...)  For a solvent-based finish, the solvent will dissolve the fingerprints into the project.  For many water-based finishes, the water carrier won't like a greasy fingerprint, but the emulsion the water carries has solvent in it that won't care much about the fingerprint.  Not that it is relevant, but thought to toss that out.

I do blow out my garage shop from time to time with a leaf blower, but never before finish.

when you blow out the chips that landed on the floor, how do you get rid of the grease?

 

[PaulMarcel]

I do blow out my garage shop from time to time with a leaf blower, but never before finish.

Bill Murray style  [thumbs up]

Is there a particular brand / type of microfiber cloth you are using?

Seth

I get the microfiber cloths from CostCo in a (surprise!) big bag.  Here's the CostCo.com link.  Like Michael commented, those other ones are better for raw wood.  These cloths have enough nap to get caught up in some of the rough spots.  I don't worry about it much since I don't usually use them on raw wood.  Between coats on a finish, though, they work well.

I get looks when I blow out the garage with the leaf blower.  Do it late Monday night and get the pile just off the curb cuz around 6 am Tuesday morning, the street sweeper picks it up.  booyah...

 

[PaulMarcel]

when you blow out the chips that landed on the floor, how do you get rid of the grease?

I religiously follow the 5-second rule; that kind of mess won't happen!  No chip left behind...

 

[peter halle]

when you blow out the chips that landed on the floor, how do you get rid of the grease?

I religiously follow the 5-second rule; that kind of mess won't happen!  No chip left behind...

Unless you are in the middle of a Stein review  [poke] [thumbs up] [thumbs up]

Peter

 

[tbellemare]

The Long-Life Bag helps in those circumstances. It even has a "potato chip closure top".

Tom

 

[woodwreck]

Microfiber rags does a great job. Sometimes it's better to lightly dampen the rag first.

Edit:
"Air gun".. isn't that painting equipment? Pardon my English. I mean the handle that sits at the end of the air hose with which you blow air. What's it callled?

Air gun, air nozzle, air thing....  our collective Yankee English should only be as clear as yours.  [thumbs up]

 

[woodwreck]

  Also, if you use a brush on a vac, recommendations on any particular brush with softer or non-marring bristles is also appreciated. 

As to the dust brush the sad truth is that vac dust brushes - original or after market - bear absolutely no form of consistency, grading, or standards; they are just trinkets from the manf. The key is to find one (check consumer vac. retailers) that has the density and softness of bristles you like, and then keep it aside for this purpose. Do not use it for normal vac shop cleaning.

 

[RONWEN]

This Miele SUB20 brush is the best I've used. The mostly natural bristles get down into finer pores to knock dust out than can synthetic bristles and the natural bristles stay straight.

The brush is light weight and has soft corners (it even has a soft rubber bumper around the perimeter) so it doesn't dent wood as much as other brushes.

The only things I don't like are the articulating feature (I just kill that with tape) and the cost.

To wipe off the dust that remains I use a Norton micro-fiber cloth. The woven red version is the only one that works on raw wood. The short nap pile versions leave behind micro-fluff.

Sometimes the micro-fiber cloth leaves behind some fine dust when sanding between coats. It's probably too fine to worry about but I find wiping the surface with a nitrile gloved hand get that off.

There are several Amazon reviews with the same complaint -- apparently it just spins too freely for any practical use.  Maybe squeeze a little epoxy into the joints?
Does it match up well with Festool 27mm hose?

 

[leakyroof]

This Miele SUB20 brush is the best I've used. The mostly natural bristles get down into finer pores to knock dust out than can synthetic bristles and the natural bristles stay straight.

The brush is light weight and has soft corners (it even has a soft rubber bumper around the perimeter) so it doesn't dent wood as much as other brushes.

The only things I don't like are the articulating feature (I just kill that with tape) and the cost.

To wipe off the dust that remains I use a Norton micro-fiber cloth. The woven red version is the only one that works on raw wood. The short nap pile versions leave behind micro-fluff.

Sometimes the micro-fiber cloth leaves behind some fine dust when sanding between coats. It's probably too fine to worry about but I find wiping the surface with a nitrile gloved hand get that off.

There are several Amazon reviews with the same complaint -- apparently it just spins too freely for any practical use.  Maybe squeeze a little epoxy into the joints?
Does it match up well with Festool 27mm hose?

If it's like the one I bought from Miele, then yes Ron, nice fit with a standard 27mm hose end. I keep my brush next to my Dust Deputy with Velcro tape. Mine is the small round brush, looks like MK's is rectangular but made in a similar fashion like most things from Miele