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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: s_busby_uk on May 08, 2014, 09:49:24 am

Title: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: s_busby_uk on May 08, 2014, 09:49:24 am
What's the best way to get rid of sawdust etc from an MDF cabinet prior to painting? I mean the stuff that seems to cling to it like dust to static. I've heard it's not a great idea to get MDF wet, but it seems to me some sort of damp rag would be the most effective solution. What do people recommend?
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: Generic Eric on May 08, 2014, 09:53:18 am
What's the best way to get rid of sawdust etc from an MDF cabinet prior to painting? I mean the stuff that seems to cling to it like dust to static. I've heard it's not a great idea to get MDF wet, but it seems to me some sort of damp rag would be the most effective solution. What do people recommend?
In shop class we used a horse hair brush.  But we didn't use MDF
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: s_busby_uk on May 08, 2014, 09:57:38 am
Yeah I have a fairly effective brush, but MDF dust is so fine that much of the swept dust just goes back into the air it seems.
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: Generic Eric on May 08, 2014, 10:01:27 am
Dryer sheets?

Perhaps you need to capture the sawdust during the cut more efficiently.
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: Louis Tully on May 08, 2014, 10:07:18 am
.
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: s_busby_uk on May 08, 2014, 10:09:42 am
Yeah the problem is I don't have a proper hoover and I didn't much fancy buying one for the sake of the project (I'm in a small flat so I only really use a good dustbuster with a handle!).

Yeah I was thinking of lightly spraying a cloth and running that over it carefully - but would some form of alcohol be better maybe?
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: yotsuya on May 08, 2014, 10:32:03 am
I use a paper towel lightly dampened by Windex.
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: Hoopz on May 08, 2014, 10:35:39 am
Damp rag and do it multiple times with allowing the water to evaporate each time.  Not very damp so it shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes to dry. You can do this a few times and get everything off.
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: lilshawn on May 08, 2014, 11:05:19 am
tack cloth.

it's like gauze or (more recently) microfiber with sticky resin impregnated into it. you just wipe it down lightly and everything sticks to it. if you don't wipe hard with it, it won't leave any residue. if it does leave a residue, just wipe the piece down with a rag with some lacquer thinner.

you just have to be careful you don't allow any water/solvents etc. you use to be absorbed into the wood (especially the cut edges.) or it's going to swell up on you like a depressed ex.
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: DeLuSioNal29 on May 08, 2014, 11:11:46 am
tack cloth.
+ 1

Home Depot sells them.  Just a word of advice:  Wear work gloves or latex gloves while using it.  The tack cloth's residue will tend to get your hands sticky.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-Tack-Cloths-3-Pack-88-WFTC3/100295475 (http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-Tack-Cloths-3-Pack-88-WFTC3/100295475)

DeLuSioNaL29
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: Louis Tully on May 08, 2014, 11:19:21 am
.
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: Vigo on May 08, 2014, 11:21:07 am
Running over everything with a shop vac takes care of most of it for me.
Title: Re: Painting stage - cleaning dust from the wood
Post by: Le Chuck on May 08, 2014, 12:18:30 pm
Tac cloth = great advice
Damp rag = not bad advice, works as long as you don't saturate the piece and let it dry before painting
Leaf blower = most awesome redneck solution.  I use it all the time.