Sawdust removal tip

[CanadianScroller]

We all know sawdust is one of the biggest killers of a good finish.
Try this
Using a damp microfibre cloth. If it is good enough for glasses it has to be good enough for wood.

[SharonW0111]

So thats where my wash rags went
Sharon

[Sue Chrestensen]

I wonder if the static sheets one places in the dryer with clothes would work ..hmmm, I'll give that a try today.. I definitely have some laudry to do before I can get back into the shop!

[Jediscroller]

Why not just use a tack cloth designed for the purpose?

Kevin

[Gill]

Why not just use a tack cloth designed for the purpose?

Tack cloths can't be washed and re-used...

... unless you know of a clever wrinkle to overcome this limitation .

Gill

[Jediscroller]

Tack cloths can't be washed and re-used...

... unless you know of a clever wrinkle to overcome this limitation .

Gill

Umm, yea, buy more. I always have 50 or so in my shop.

Kevin

[BobD (Archive)]

I guess I've always been afraid that the sticky chemical on the tack cloth would somehow transfer to my project--can't quantify, but it's still a concern for me...

That, and I have a texture aversion to the feel of those tack cloths--it's like nail on a chalk board for me or crumbled up stryfoam!

Bob

[William Young (SE BC)]

I have use just a damp lint free cotton cloth as a tack cloth for years ever since I switched to Water Base lacquer as my finish of choice. After all , it is water base so even if a little dampness is left on the wood before the next spraying it just adds a tiny bit of dilution to the finish.

Dryer static sheets were mentiond. I also have a bunch of used ones in my shop at all times. They work wonderfull for wiping the inside and outside of my full face mask that I use for turning on my wood lathe. Without it static electricity makes the fine sawdust stick right to it when doing the final sanding on the lathe.
W.Y.

[SculpturedBox]

Sawdust removal

We all know sawdust is one of the biggest killers of a good finish.
Try this
Using a damp microfibre cloth. If it is good enough for glasses it has to be good enough for wood.

Hi

I've seen it done, but never done it!!!

Apply mineral turpentine to the surface and put a match to it, it does not leave any burn marks or sawdust!!!

The result - raw wood with no sawdust embedded in the grain!

Sculptured Box

[heavykevy]

saw dust removal tip

I find a can of compressed air works good to remove saw dust from almost anything, I think lighting my project on fire will be my last resort

[BobD (Archive)]

I've heard about carvers finishing their work with fire, but this is the first time I've read about finishing a scrolled work with fire (aside from using a torch to remove the fuzzies from the back of a portrait...hmn...would the mineral spirits work there too...must experiment...

Anyway, a few people have pointed out that we need to emphasize that you do any burning either OUTSIDE your shop, or well away from any other flammable materials. Just a reminder--it's been said that fine sawdust--such as the kind created by a scroll saw--is nearly as explosive as dynamite. I covered a story when I wrote for a newspaper about a manufactured wood plant that exploded because a fire reached an area of the plant where there was a lot of sawdust! Three people died and several are still in rehab (It was about 5 years ago).

So if you do use fire for any finishing--be careful. Do it away from flammable materials and over a flameproof surface. A concrete pad works well, but drywall will also work--the paper on top of the drywall may burn, but the drywall inside won't.

Also, you want to watch the fumes for anything you burn--so it probably is best to do it outside where you have a lot of ventilation.

Bob

[CanadianScroller]

Hmm Fire and Water, has scrolling transcended into Feng Shui?

Funny how we can control two enemies of wood to do what we require.

[Neal Moore]

Flame and sawdust

A heavy concentration of sawdust in the air is in fact explosive and will ignite especially if there are combustible vapors present. Bob is correct....if you want to use an open flame take the work outside. I have seen the results of similar explosions first hand where I used to work and it's not a pretty sight.

[minowevie]

We all know sawdust is one of the biggest killers of a good finish.
Try this
Using a damp microfibre cloth. If it is good enough for glasses it has to be good enough for wood.

hay Carl. are you meening the microfilament rags you buy for glass. if so i use them all the time. they are great. only on the outside of my work. they are a miracale rag. there is no cemacales on them just the way they are made . kindof a hock and loop thing. i user them on my dusting without anything . they are a dust magnet. you can just get them wet and cleen windows without stricking. i use them on my wood too. they are not cheep. but last along time. thanks for bringing this up. your friend Evie