A dirty job but....

[Alan Tolchinsky]

somebody has to do it. This may seem like a weird question but how do you guys keep all the turning dust off your clothes and hair etc. Don't get me wrong; I don't mind getting dirty. But there are times I'd like to turn but don't want to have dust all over me. I'm temporarily stuck without a dust collector and it seems every time I turn it's time for the shower. I'm thinking of buying overalls or something. What do you do to stay clean!!!? Thanks

[David DeCristoforo]

Ah... comon! You want to do woodwork but not get dusty? OK. Try one of these...

http://www.pksafety.com/duponttkx112.html

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Maybe stand at the corner of the house, that cool wind should you good as well :rolleyes: :eek:

[Jim Underwood]

I wear a turning smock. That keeps the worst of it off. After that I use the air compressor to blow off.
Eventually I'll get my cyclone set up and try to collect "at the source"...

You could use a fan to blow the dust out the window.

[Dan Hintz]

You could always pick up a bunny suit like they use in semiconductor plants... they're not expensive, very light, and they breathe really well.

[John Keeton]

I have a DC drop at my lathe, and I get virtually no dust on me. My glasses don't even get dusty. I do get some chips on my arms and front sometimes depending on the direction of the cut, and those are blown off with my compressor hose.

[Steve Vaughan]

Same here as with John. I'm always going over to the lathe for a 5 minute fix, then off to the office or whatever. Not a problem. Even showed up a time or two in the office with a chip or two in the hair. I just consider it part of me.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Alan, Turn? Clean? What part of turning do you not understand? When you turn dry wood you get dusty. When you get dusty you turn wet wood to get clean. What's so complicated?:D:D:D

[David Christopher]

my dust comes off as soon as I get on the carpet in the house

[Larry Marley]

without the dust trail, my wife would not know how to find me...

I use a powered respirator, a turning smock and HIGH PRESSURE AIR.

[Josh Bowman]

I use a DC and wear a smock.

[David Woodruff]

Like several others I use a drop at the lathe and blow off with compressed air.
If you are sanding dry wood on the lathe, like when finishing a piece, learn to love dust, it will happen, I promise.

I know a guy who rolls his 24/36 outside from May thru October under a lean to shed and has a fan to blow the dust away, no problem. Actually not a bad idea.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Some of your answers really cracked me up. :) I can't wait to get my dust collection up and running but you've given me some great ideas until then. I can roll my lathe outside sometimes and I may be doing that weather permitting. Thanks for the great ideas as well as the entertainment.

[Thomas Canfield]

I have a hair dryer hanging at the door to blow off dust and chips before leaving the shop. A nylon turning apron keeps it out of my waistband, but shoes, hair, sleeves, etc still collect. Using an air compressor can be a problem, and a low velocity nozzle needed for sure.

[Reed Gray]

A welders type of cap will keep most of it out of your hair if you have hair. Nothing seems to keep it out of my beard. A turners smock helps, though even with the velcro neck adjustment, it still goes down the back of my neck. A painters Tyvek suit would help, and seems to shed dust and shavings. Nothing seems to keep it off my socks, though I do wear shorts (don't you know it is cold? Why yes, I am wearing a hat). A broom will brush a lot of it off. No way to keep it all off, though I am one of those who could get dirty in a sterile clean room.

robo hippy

[Trevor Howard]

Alan, you can also buy cheap disposable Tyvek Suits. They come with hoods. Use one carefully and it should last until you can get the DC installed.

[Philip Rodriquez]

I think you may need one of these. It will also keep you from getting to hot :D


http://www.handborn.com/products/Vintage/sundress.htm