# Portable belt sander and dust



## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

Searched the internet and find pretty much bogus answers like "use a vac" or "I love my sander". Nothing that sounds like answers. OK, I have a great old Makita 3×24 with a bag. Bag gets a lot of the big stuff, but air is still of fines and of course a lot still exits over the top of the belt. So with a bit of force and duct tape, I hooked up my Fein vac. Not only was it not any better, but not sure it is as good.

So, is this just the way it goes and I should move all my rough sanding outside in a breeze, or are there better ways? I may build a downdraft bench, but it would still not get the fines out f the air. You know, the stuff that actually kills you.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

This is why you have ceiling dust collectors and down drafts. But you still Wont get all of it.

Some belt sander don't have dust collection. Some are on the left and dome are on the right…

Nothing guaranteed…


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## Axis39 (Jul 3, 2019)

Why not 'use a vac'? Just hook it up to the bag port. That'll get a lot of it.

Another option might be to make a downdraft sanding table? Or, you could make a big scoop and hook it up to a dust collection system of some kind (be it shop vac, or a full on DC system)


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

If you look at my post, you will see that is what I tried first and it did not work as well as just the bag.

I do not have space to make a big downdraft and hood. Wish I did. Wish I had a drum sander. Wish I won the lottery. That's how it goes.

Of course, I was down to my last two dust masks before the current crisis and they don't work very well with a full beard.



> Why not use a vac ? Just hook it up to the bag port. That ll get a lot of it.
> 
> Another option might be to make a downdraft sanding table? Or, you could make a big scoop and hook it up to a dust collection system of some kind (be it shop vac, or a full on DC system)
> 
> - Axis39


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Pretend you have the Corona and WEAR A MASK!

No vac is going to get 100% of the smalls.

Wear a mask with an air feed like car painter's use.

If no air fed mask, use regular mask & face a strong fan pulling clean air,.

Keep the shop open to the outside air.

Use .5 or 1um filters on DC, air cleaner etc.

Use an air cleaner on a timer when you close and leave the shop.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

Sorry to say this, but shave. It is the only way to wear a respirator. The guy making razor blades needs a job too.


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## AndyJ1s (Jan 26, 2019)

If you have a good DC, can you fashion a hood and attach it somehow to the side/front/back/top of the sander? Flex hose required.

Outdoors in a breeze (natural or fan generated) seems the simplest solution…


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