# Making a downdraft sanding box



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

I'm guessing dust control goes under the heading of 'Shop Safety'...

Every time we sand anything at all we find that the dust is just too much to deal with and takes hours to clean the shop. So I decided a downdraft sanding box is needed. I've read how some say they don't work very well but I see plenty of how-to videos so someone must like them. Even if it only helped 25% it would be better but after building it and using it I can safely say it is catching at least 75% of the dust, if not more. 

So nothing new or secret here, just a video documentation of how I built mine plus the slightly entertaining value of watching us work with a 4x8 sheet in a small shop.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Good job Dave. Could maybe be in Jigs and Fixtures and would definitely fit in Show and Tell. Shop Safety isn't a misfit.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

Great post Dave. I am getting ready to build a sanding table also. I want to put mine under a work bench and have it slide out using drawer slides. I also may use "T-tracks" in the top so I can hold things I sand down. That would mean I would have to use 3/4" ply for the top. That would add more weight so I am not sure.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

hawkeye10 said:


> Great post Dave. I am getting ready to build a sanding table also. I want to put mine under a work bench and have it slide out using drawer slides. I also may use "T-tracks" in the top so I can hold things I sand down. That would mean I would have to use 3/4" ply for the top. That would add more weight so I am not sure.


Thanks, Don! 

I can tell you this is heavier than I wanted it to be. My original plan was to have it store on runners or hang directly under the table saw extension but I decided to make it the same size as the extension top so that was out. When I picked it up the first time I knew the only place to store it would be standing up against the garage door. I also thought about getting some pulleys and hanging it directly above the extension by pulling it all the way to the ceiling. But I just made the Walnut/Maple handles and will tote it back and forth. 

If I were to make another one I would look at 1/4" or 3/16" hardboard with solid wood internal frame, maybe 3/4" x 3/4" sticks. That might take a little while longer to make but would probably be half the weight.


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

LOL, you have a huge workshop compared to mine. Mine is 16' x 9' and I can't even get an 8'x4' sheet flat in mine. To break down 8'x4' sheets I had to make a breakdown table for use in my back yard that sits on two collapsible trestles. Then use a circular saw to make the sizes more useable in the workshop.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Dave that is another good video. Looks like a good project but I would have no idea where to store it when not in use. Maybe hinge it on a wall so it could be out of the way but be easy to swing it up when needed.


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## whimsofchaz (Jun 6, 2013)

I really liked the video. Great resource for future reference. Thanks for sharing.

Chuck


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

MEBCWD said:


> Dave that is another good video. Looks like a good project but I would have no idea where to store it when not in use. Maybe hinge it on a wall so it could be out of the way but be easy to swing it up when needed.


Thanks, Mike! I am actually considering suspending it from the ceiling and lowering it via pulleys and a rope. Then I can raise/lower it as needed.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

difalkner said:


> Thanks, Mike! I am actually considering suspending it from the ceiling and lowering it via pulleys and a rope. Then I can raise/lower it as needed.


Dave is yours hooked up to a shop vac. or a big dust collector? I would like to use my shop vac. but I don't know it I will get enough suction. If I use my big dust collector I will have to roll it closer to use it. I really don't want to have to do that because my shop is small "like yours" and it can be a hassle.


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

Dave, thanks for the great inspiration.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Thanks Dave great job.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

hawkeye10 said:


> Dave is yours hooked up to a shop vac. or a big dust collector? I would like to use my shop vac. but I don't know it I will get enough suction. If I use my big dust collector I will have to roll it closer to use it. I really don't want to have to do that because my shop is small "like yours" and it can be a hassle.


It's hooked up to the HF dust collector, Don. I think it would have to be much smaller if you were going to use a shop vac. One thing I did was to buy a 20' clear hose from Amazon and it reaches all of the tools in our shop. Powertec 4" clear 20' hose


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Good job, David. I need one of those in the worst way. Like you, I keep the door shut. I like it *cool *in the shop and the mini split does a great job of that.

I have thought about it in the past but never put out the effort to build one. The biggest problem is storage. I just don't have the room to store it. I guess I need to look around and see what I can do to make room for one.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks, Mike! After the last round of tails and cutting boards I was still cleaning dust 3 days later and figured this has to stop. And I seriously should have used hardboard and made it much lighter. Of course, it is stout enough to actually work on without concern that it's going to give way. And for storage all I did is prop it against the handful of other 'too large for anywhere else' items against the garage door that only gets opened about twice a year. I left enough room that I can get to the bandsaw without moving anything.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

MT Stringer said:


> Good job, David. I need one of those in the worst way. Like you, I keep the door shut. I like it *cool *in the shop and the mini split does a great job of that.
> 
> I have thought about it in the past but never put out the effort to build one. The biggest problem is storage. I just don't have the room to store it. I guess I need to look around and see what I can do to make room for one.


Mike this is how I am going to build mine so storage will not be a problem. I also think I will put T-tracks in the top so I can hold thing in place when sanding or doing something else.






This video shows the top I want to put on it. Comments good or bad needed.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Both are interesting ways to address the storage problem, but I really like the second one, building the dust collection into the top of the work table. I found another option, a portable hood that clamps onto the workbench while you're sanding - still needs to be stored, but much smaller.

As an aside, I found that hooking a shop vac up to my ROS gave much better dust collection than the little canister that came with it, there seems to be little or no dust thrown out by the sander now.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Don the problem I see with mounting it on drawer slides is the working height of the top. I have enough problem with working on the top of a normal workbench but it could be on a drawer mounded shelf where it could be pulled out and raised up onto the top of the workbench. Problem there would be the top of the workbench would need to be cleaned off before you could use the table.

Oh one more possibility it could be hinged to your workbench on the end or back if your bench is not against a wall and mounted right would be higher than the top of the bench when in use or could be mounted where it is flush with the top. with the addition of the T-track it could be used to assist with glue ups. I kind of like this idea because both of my workbenches are on rollers and are usually never against a wall.


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

MEBCWD said:


> Don the problem I see with mounting it on drawer slides is the working height of the top. I have enough problem with working on the top of a normal workbench but it could be on a drawer mounded shelf where it could be pulled out and raised up onto the top of the workbench. Problem there would be the top of the workbench would need to be cleaned off before you could use the table.
> 
> Oh one more possibility it could be hinged to your workbench on the end or back if your bench is not against a wall and mounted right would be higher than the top of the bench when in use or could be mounted where it is flush with the top. with the addition of the T-track it could be used to assist with glue ups. I kind of like this idea because both of my workbenches are on rollers and are usually never against a wall.


Mike's comments made me visualize one of those blender/mixer mounts--would be pricy unless you ran across someone tossing a set a cabinets!!
earl


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

MEBCWD said:


> Don the problem I see with mounting it on drawer slides is the working height of the top. I have enough problem with working on the top of a normal workbench but it could be on a drawer mounded shelf where it could be pulled out and raised up onto the top of the workbench. Problem there would be the top of the workbench would need to be cleaned off before you could use the table.
> 
> Oh one more possibility it could be hinged to your workbench on the end or back if your bench is not against a wall and mounted right would be higher than the top of the bench when in use or could be mounted where it is flush with the top. with the addition of the T-track it could be used to assist with glue ups. I kind of like this idea because both of my workbenches are on rollers and are usually never against a wall.


Mike I thought I would just sit and sand. The bench I sand on now I sit and sand sometimes. I am lazy like that. :grin:


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

So maybe I need to rethink things because my way may be too high for my shop stool. :wink::grin:


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