Does anyone have experience with a drywall sanding device which reduces/eliminates dust? I have seen manual sanding pads which attach to the shop vac. I know for a fact the fine/dense powder will clog the filter quickly. In addition, the hose will be awkward up on the ladder. I saw a slick set up on TV once. It was a mototrized orbital sander which trapped the dust with a skirt. A vaccum drew the dust in. I wonder it can rent one. Ideas?o No:
Yes there are such things as drywall sanders. But there expensive because they are usually full systems. They look like vacs. Anyways check with home depot or lowes. But i'd go with Home Depot. Look for Porter Cable or LOVELESS. Sorta like this. o No:
sander I found a unit at Home Depot that is basically a 5 gal plastic pail with a hose in and out. Cost about $25.00. You fill the bucket with water and hook up the short hose to a standard vac. The long hose (about 9 feet) hooks into a sanding block with holes behind the sanding screen. WORKED GREAT!!!! :TU: The only problem I had was the vacuum sucked the screen tight to the wall and would leave marks, so you had to be careful. By adjusting the vacuum and NOT pressing on the sanding block you could get a nice finish. - Bill
Thanks Bill. That sounds like the solution I am looking for. I will check it out on the way home. Much appreciated. :TU:
David- Lowes sells different filters for the shop vac's---specifically made for sheetrock dust + I think they have a fancier filter bag also. As I recall they actually had two "Better" filters available for purchase seperate from the shop vacs. You might consider these also. Patton
Hey Patton: Your solution is a good one. However, the dust will hit the air w/o the special sanding block. May-nerds does sell the ventilated sanding blocks seperately which run around $15.00 chops. I did buy the unit Bill mentioned. It came with the special sanding block, 10ft hose, filter bucket, and vaccum attaching adapters. I am looking forward to trying it out, maybe tonite. Hopefully the unit works as well as the box claims.:Comp:
Dry skin FYI - This is a great product. The unit has a simple design which borders on genius relative to cost. The larger model retails for $40.00. A MUST buy for the amateur drywaller. The only downside I found is the unit's compatibilty with sand paper (v. screens). Screens work great for taking down LARGE amounts of mud quickly. However, finishing will require finer sandpaper. Because sandpaper has no pre punched holes like the screens, paper is not a direct bolt-on so to speak. I will skim coat all joints before primering to insure deep sanding lines are smooth to the touch. Overall, a fantastic product. Thanks to Bill for the tip.:TU: :TU: :Comp:
Well, the sanding sounds great. Until, I saw what some "pros" do. It is much easier and quicker to use a damp sponge and use it as a sander in a circular motion to smooth the joint compound. No dust, no mess and mirror smooth finish. If the joint compound is dry, you can use a spray bottle filled with water to moisten the area and then use the damp sponge. Use a 5 gallon bucket as your sponge bucket and go at it. Try it out and see if you like it.
George: I have tried that technique with mixed results. It seems to work great for small repairs in conspicuous areas. However, I would not attempt to use a flexible smoothing tool when blending seems. If the seam is not bridged by a rigid tool, the material will be scooped out of low spots creating valleys. Quite frustrating. I imagine if someone routinely used the sponge technique, it could be mastered.
I'm finally done sanding the walls. Climbing up and down a ladder while snaking around all my stuff is no fun. There's not a lot of instant gradification in sanding. Luckily the vacuum tool kept it bearable. Hopefully when the primer goes on tonight it will give me an ambition boost. Doing the ceiling will be a joy I'm sure.p
remember--you must prime and blocksand the walls at least three times (like a car)---we aren't going to be happy on this site unless those walls are glass smooth!!! (Ok--I'll admit to using some bondo on my wooden garage door when I "restored" the outside of it a few years ago).:grin: Patton
Funny you say that. I have put FIVE coats on over the contractors tape and if the clock wasn't against me, I'd probably do five more. While on the ladder I started to appreciate why show quality body and paint costs what it does. I'll have it all covered in peg board and shelves in a week but I still feel compelled to do the best job I can. I think I'm nuts half the time. The other half I know I am p
