Cleaning off sawdust prior to finishing

[Jim Riseborough]

Any tricks to cleaning off fine dust before finishing? My options:

1. blow off the wood
2. Vacuum the wood
3. Mineral Spirits on a rag
4. Water on a rag
5. Tack Cloth

I am leaning to just blow it off, and move to finishing room, but wonder if I should wipe it too.

Thanks

[Nick Decker]

Myself, I hit it with the shop vac, than wipe it with mineral spirits to be sure I've removed finger grease, etc.

Then, the mineral spirits usually highlight a spot or two that needs some more sanding.

[Mike Ontko]

A lightly damp (with water) rag can help if you need to pre-raise the grain and perform a final sanding just before finishing. Of course at that point we're back to your original question

[Bill Graham]

Agree with Nick, #2 and #3. Then the tack rag when you're ready to coat.

Blowing just spreads dust all over the shop and there's the risk of contaminants from the air line. A damp cloth won't get all the dust.

[Bill Adamsen]

Rob Macks from Laughing Loon Kayaks has a video series on building one of his kayaks. He details the cleaning approach prior to varnishing which results in a furniture grade kayak. His boats look amazing. It is pretty much the same process I might do before finishing. Blowing dust is typically a bad idea since it results in suspension or air entrainment of super fine particles. So if you feel you have to do that (dust in corners that can't be gotten rid of otherwise) expect to wait a long time before finishing.

One idea used on boats is to turn them upside down to varnish (the insides) assuming there is always dust settling, and therefore gravity becomes your friend.

[Ralph Okonieski]

I stopped using tack cloths. I firmly believe they can potentially contaminate the surface.

I often use naptha in place of the mineral spirits for cleaning before finishing. It seems to dry a little faster than mineral spirits.

[John K Jordan]

I often use naptha in place of the mineral spirits for cleaning before finishing. It seems to dry a little faster than mineral spirits.

I use the naptha too, on wood turnings. Dries very quickly and will also highlight any defects.

JKJ

[Wayne Lomman]

Blow it down. If you have a problem with suspended dust, your shop is not well enough ventilated and is not the best environment to work in. Applying solvents to reduce dust - that is asking for finishing problems. Vacuum if you are feeling especially concerned. All these examples of turning things upside down etc have other causes that should be addressed before finishing. Cheers

[Frederick Skelly]

3. Mineral Spirits on a rag

I use #3. Works fine.

[peter Joseph]

I also feel as though tack clothes contaminate the surface. I vacuum with a festool extractor and use cans of duster to blow out any final dust. No problems thus far.

[Prashun Patel]

If you are brush finishing perhaps all that makes a difference. For any wiping or spray finish I tend not to worry too much about it. I haven't found dust to be an issue with a good finish but that's for thinly applied coats.

I do prefer vacuuming or blowing the wood clean instead of using water or ms.