Plaster dust

[Groggy]

Does anyone have any tips for vacuuming plaster dust? I have to shake out the filter every few minutes and it is a bit of a pain.

I tried putting a stocking over the filter but the dust goes straight through.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

You're s'posed to use plain stockings, not fish-net...

Did you try wetting it (the stocking) first? Still a PITA every few minutes, but easier to change the stocking than strip the vaccy.

[Groggy]

You're s'posed to use plain stockings, not fish-net...

Did you try wetting it (the stocking) first? Still a PITA every few minutes, but easier to change the stocking than strip the vaccy.

I put a few litres of water in the unit but this only took about 30 secs to get a white skin on it. Then I had the same problem again. Oh well, I'll just put up with it I guess. Was just hoping there may be a simple fix.

[journeyman Mick]

Groggy,
did a job at someone's place once, cutting new doorways through gyprock walls. Asked to borrow a broom plus dustpan and brush as I'd forgotten mine. Was told to just use the vacuum cleaner instead. The vacuum cleaner expired the day after I used it. When the owners took it in for service they were told that plaster dust was absolutely the worst thing you could put through a vacuum cleaner and was almost guaranteed to kill a vac. You have been warned.

Mick

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Just a thought: you have a Triton dust-bucket, don't you?

If that doesn't work either, it might be worthwhile half filling it with water and taping a length of pipe to the inside of the inlet, running to just under the water? (Hmmm... I wonder what the record is for the world's biggest bong? )

[Groggy]

When the owners took it in for service they were told that plaster dust was absolutely the worst thing you could put through a vacuum cleaner and was almost guaranteed to kill a vac.

Wish I'd known that when I was trying to kill my 1950's Electrolux so I could get a shop vac - darn thing never did die .

I'm using a Karcher shop-vac so hopefully it will survive. The filter clogs up and I can't see any dust build up past the filter when I clean it.

Reminds me of a story of a cleaner with a back-pack vac who sucked up a bunch of carbon dust from around a photocopier. It arced and sparked and flames came from the unit, she had to rip it off and run for it. Dunno if it's true or rumour, but it would have been a giggle to see.

[mic-d]

I take up most of the dust with a dust pan and brush and then use the triton dustbucket on my Arlec wet and dry dust extractor. Helps to stop the vacuum occasionally and give the bucket a few raps on the ground to drop the dust.

Another bad thing for vacuums is using them to collect the dust from angle grinding granite benchtops The dust is so hot that it melted my poor old volta's exhaust and goodness knows what inside.

Cheers
Michael

[ozwinner]

Does anyone have any tips for vacuuming plaster dust?

Why or how are you making the dust?

Al

[scooter]

Sanding the plaster that he's been doing, Al

Need a small cyclone I reckon, Greg.

[ozwinner]

Sanding the plaster that he's been doing, Al

If so.........
Not that Im a plasterer, but the technique is wrong.

There shouldnt be too much, if any sanding.

I know a plaster who never sands.

Al

[scooter]

Probably not uncommon for newbie plastering

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I dunno 'bout sanding, but I have a beggar of a time blowing it out of my power-plane. [sigh]

[Groggy]

There shouldnt be too much, if any sanding.

I know a plaster who never sands.

Yeah, but Al, I don't have a painter I can leave that job for.

[Iain]

I've used the triton bucket for this as well, with regular trips outside to bang the filter clean, bugger of a job regardless.

[ozwinner]

Yeah, but Al, I don't have a painter I can leave that job for.

By never, I mean he does the job with the trowel in such a way that sanding is unnecessary.

Al