Looking for Down Draft sanding table

[Bob Reeves]

Anyone found an affordable Down Draft sanding table? My nose is tired of balsa dust and I'm going to buy something.. Know I can build one but would rather buy an ARS (Almost Ready to Sand) rather than take the time to gather up the materials and build one.

This is one Google came up with that looks pretty good for the price.. Everything else was thousands..

http://toolsandmore.us/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1337

[Dave Heinzman]

Bob,
I think Windy did a how to article on a down draft sanding table in Model  Aviaton back in the mid 90's.
If you want affordable that might be a way to go. I'm going to look for it myself and check it out.

Dave

[Ward Van Duzer]

Bob,
Check with Eric V. He sent me pics of a fairly easy one he built for our Jan/Feb Tangled Lines newsletter... 

Ward

[Warren Wagner]

Anyone found an affordable Down Draft sanding table? My nose is tired of balsa dust and I'm going to buy something.. Know I can build one but would rather buy an ARS (Almost Ready to Sand) rather than take the time to gather up the materials and build one.

Bob,

If you have a shop vac, you can make a sanding table so easily, quicker than it would take to order one in.

As I remember the one that Windy wrote about, the sanding table surface was a  dropped ceiling grill for a fluorescent light fixture.    Seems like it was about 2' x2' (panels are also available in 2' x4'), white plastic grill, with egg-crate squares approximately 3/4" than went all the way through the panel.   I'll bet if you walked through any home improvement center, you would find something very close to that.    You would probably want to "buff" the surface of the grill with steel wool or Sotch Brite to make sure there were no sharp edges that would damage your work.

I did a Google search but could not come up with any pictures to show you, but I'm sure you have seen them in the stores.

I believe Windy's base was a existing table or bench, and probably went to a central vacuum system.   You could cut the ceiling grill to fit any size "box" that you might have, even an old drawer would work....cut the grill to fit, and drill a hole in one size for your shop vac.   

Or you could construct a box specific to the job, and design it to fit your exact requirements and to fit the space that you have available.   "Piece of cake", as they say.

Part of the fun of being a modeler is that you can make things that you need, and often times, make them better.  Eric V just fabricated one for himself...maybe he will let you in on his design, as soon as he comes down off from 'Cloud Nine' for taking second in PAMPA Advanced at the KOI.

Cheers.

Warren Wagner

[Willie Johnson]

I have one that looks like the Shopfox above but was sold by Delta.  You can find them through most woodworking vendors such as Grizzly.  Please note that the 4 inch port is made to connect to a dust collector.  I guess you could add a reducer and connect to a shop vac.  If you have other dust making tools, a dust collector isn't a bad idea.  Penn State Industries also sales a lot of dust collection stuff.

[Mark Scarborough]

I went another direction, the downdraft table idea is a good one, but it worried me about nicking up delicate balsa on a "grid" of some sort, what I did is to take one of those inexpensive window fans from wallyworld that expand to fit the window. two motors and variable speed, I think I paid 12 bucks?, I found a box that was about 16 x 20, cardboard. Then cut out enoug of the bottom of the box to allow the two fan motors to blow air through. Stuff the fan in the box so it blows out the backside. I then shoved packign materials I got with some props I won on the 'bay,,, to make the fan seal around the edges. Then I taped a 16 x 22 furnace filter to the front of the box. I set this contraption on the edge or back of my building bench when I am sanding.It is dead quietand it moves enough air to make it almost dust free for me. My workbench is in the living room so dust collection is important, but so is hearing the tv while I am working. It works really well for me and no clunky benchtopo to move around .
Your mileage may vary,,If you want pictures either go to my thread on the 109 I am building, or I can post them later for you. I spent about 15 minutes including finding the right box to create it. If you want pictures let me know, or I will perhaps just post them when I get home tonight

[Randy Powell]

I actually have a vacuum system and built about 80% of a sanding table. It's been sitting there for 2 years because I had the bad grace to keep splatting planes or building stuff that didn't meet the standard for competition (I do go off on tangents). So, my plan is to finally finish the thing. I need a grate of sort sort for the top and some connections and piping for the thing, but it's largely ready to go. I plan to runs some stuff to the mill and bandsaw also and hook them into the system.

[Bob Reeves]

Willie Johnson and Dave Heinzman please go to your profile and delete your zip code per the messages below.

Thanks for the tips gang, guess I'll order the Shop Fox, seems to be the best deal going.. Some time ago I found a roll of rubber mat at Harbor Freight that I believe is intended to line the bottom of tool boxes. It just happens to be made like a grid with holes every 1/8th inch or so. This stuff will be perfect to lay between the part and the top of a sanding box.