I have always maintained dust is nature's own weathering. 

Curt

Pleago

My train room is climate controlled 16'X34" one window and one set of double doors. I run a air filter separately. Nothing in here but train stuff. I have never stopped dust I only control it and vacuum frequently.

The only thing that comes to mind you can possibly use is the thin inexpensive clear plastic clear paint tarps that you can get in the home stores. Cheap and very light weight.

Larry

"dust is nature's own weathering"

but it looks lousy and detracts

pelago posted:

 

but dust is dust it finds a way.

You answered your own question.  You will never stop dust unless you work for the Smithsonian in an isolation chamber.  I don't care how many covers you put over it... 

The alternative is much easier.  A nice simple $2.99 feather duster.  It works marvelously....  Just walk around, admire your work and sweep clean your beautiful creations....

I can't stand dust. I have a small vacuum cleaner in the train room. Once a month or so I use the nozzle attachment with a small paint brush stuck the side and carefully go over the entire layout especially the switches. I don't have rock ballast and my ground cover is painted in to the layout surface so I don't have to worry about sucking up details. So I just have to be careful not to suck up any of the workers and layout residents or other small scenery elements. If I do it's a bag vacuum and I just open the bag and fish them out. For engines, cars and buildings I follow an earlier tip I got on the forum and use one of those soft facial make-up brushes you can get at the drug store. These work really well. For dust in tight spots I keep a can of compressed air that you can get at the electronics store. Like Larry, I also keep an inexpensive air filter circulator I got on Amazon.

I suppose I could just roll with the dust buildup but my dogs took ownership of the room long before it was a train room. They shed spectacularly and it seems find its way into every part of the layout.

These small adaptable attachments for the shop vac are great to use for very small areas. There great also for displayed trains on shelf's.

Larry

I have often thought of trying one of these, but have never researched them enough to know if it would be worth it or even make a difference? Anyway here are a couple of links, there are a GREAT many brands, models, sizes etc, to choose from. If you have a furnace/ac ducted type setup they even have them for those that go in the ducts. Something more to look at/consider.

Woodworking Dust filters

Home Air Purifier

Another thing to consider, you would also probably have to run them all the time so the costs of operation might be a factor, some are pretty expensive to begin with. So it could get expensive.

I've been using a lightweight plastic cover for as long as I can remember. I helped my grandfather cover our layout with a lightweight bed sheet (before plastic became available). It's one of those things, once you start it's hard to stop. 

I dont know if anyone has thought of this BUT many layouts are in the basement.Heres what I mean.In a basement there are usually no air returns.This means that the air is not put through your furnaces air filtration system as well.Causing more dust to settle than other rooms.Just a thought.Nick

Try running an air cleaner, there are many available. They sell them to people with alergies.

Fred

Another inexpensive dust control option for a basement or garage is to use an inexpensive box fan and attach with a bungee cord a better quality 3M Allergan furnace filter.  You'll be surprised as to how much dust is captured on the filter as the box fan pushes/pulls air through the pleated filter.

Nice idea Keystone! I am using an Oreck combo passive and electric filter that was just too loud for the living space. I cut pieces of the filtrate filters for the passive filter. Moving the air and filtering it keeps the dust to a minimum in a basement with an unfinished ceiling.

You idea adds a lot more filter material. You only need slow speed.

 The only way to really rid your train room from dust is to set up a clean room and who wants to do that?

I also agree that dust is natures weathering.  I think the amount of dust you have is a function of where your layout is.  I don't have much dust in my basement but when it bothers me I just use a shop vacuum and a soft brush.

.....

Dennis

i hear what you are saying, but doesnt the long hose and brush handle play havoc with all the detail

kinda hard to vacuum with a two inch wide hose and associated long handle??
detail has to get in the way?  Dont't you knock things over?

Your standards are too high.

Actually I haven't reached the stage of trees and obstructions like that on my layout.  It is easy to run a vacuum brush over trains and track etc.

.....

Dennis

These work.

In a George Sellies video of his Franklin and South Manchester RR he demonstrated a way he uses his layout's skirt as a cover. 

He had a provision where the hem of the skirt could be raised up and attached to the wall or ceiling.

Full coverage for times the RR was not in use.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Still building on my RR so dust is more of a problem here.  There is frequently a need to do trim cutting on the benchwork.

For my friable dust I use Delta air cleaners hanging from the ceiling and on rollers to keep near projects in process.

Also, box fans with square HEPA filters duct taped on.  I find them not that effective.  An HVAC air handler with a 4"X20"X25" pleated filters works best all around.  Buy the filter by the case from Amazon.

For my heavy dust I use shop vacs and Delta dust collector each with pickups right at the tool bit.  All sanders have direct attached vac hoses.

I do all my major cutting work out of the train room's shop area.

I live in a house with 2 Siberian Huskies....they shed 2x a year and make dander all year long.

Air dusters and shop vacs are my friends.

Delta air cleaners

i am not familiar with these??

Delta air cleaner - very effective.

No one mentioned it yet, but it goes without saying that cement floors must be painted or sealed. A bare cement floor produces an incredible amount of dust, as do open floor joists in an unfinished basement. Ask me how I know.

Jim

here is the room before the structure for the layout, it is one monolithic table with cabinets, but floor is tile and walls and ceilings are painted

does this vent to the outside?  take 120 volt, permanent,  i see eye bolts, it hangs?

looks interesting,  expensive?, i am at the point where this is a possibility

i plan on having too much detail for a 2" vacume hose to be dragged over and desrtoy it  shop vacume would really tear this up

but a air filtration system might be the ticket, i do have a attic and do have gable ends onthe building??

open for suggestions other than the one  with the torch

That's a very nice layout room. I wouldn't think that you would have much problem with dust.

The Delta is more for removing dust when using power woodworking tools rather than as a general full-time air purifier. If I have to use a saw or sander, etc. in the train area, it grabs the big dust.

I suppose it could be vented, but I just rely on the double or triple filtration system in the unit and just let it recycle the air back into the room.

You can hang it from a ceiling or just set it on the floor near where you are working.

I would think that in your case something like the Delta would be more suited to the work area you have outside the train room. Grab the dust there before it has a chance to filter into the train area.

Jim

Good afternoon 

Better to prevent dust from getting into train room than trying to remove it.

I have a basement railroad and my ranch house has forced air HVAC. I adjust the air intakes and outlets so air is always being forced out of the basement up the stair well. More air comes in the far point of the basement then across and up the stairs then into the air returns and the filters then back out the far basement air outlets. During open house with a lot of people coming down into basement the air moves up past them. I can turn the furnace fan on without using heat or air conditioning. Basement is kinda pressurized.

Sure hope I explained that right

Clem

Pelago,

Try looking in to a HEPA filter. While the Delta is good, it's used to remove larger dust particles. You may require a higher level of air filtration. 

Andy

Andy,

The Deltas are for the small stuff down to 1 micron. The collection system gets the big stuff in a shop. It's breathing the micro stuff that's the problem.

As I said, the Delta is the way to go! Thanks for the clarification Moonman. A HEPA system or the Delta would do just fine. Just make sure that the unit can handle the air capacity of your room. 

Andy

i like the idea free standing, can hang it, no need to vent it, i like it

I have used the plastic sheets Larry mentioned.  I just had to be careful when removing the plastic.  My layout was only 4 x 8.

my original layout is good for that type of protection but this one is different, bigger

will probably need to fabricate three individual dust prevention covers, remember the mosquito nets we had in military and the poles that connected to the (horrible, unomfortable) cot,  probably will use same principle and have uprights and dust control that rolls out

At first I hung my Deltas but there was motor noise transmitted through the joists to the living quarters.  So I then made some dedicated shelving for the Deltas and set them on a foam pad.  No noise transmission and a lot easier to R&R the unit from the shelf than the eye bolts on the joists.

Also the Jet/Delta 12 X 24 pleated filter is an undersize.  No conventional 12 X 24 fits it. So I externally position a standard 12 X 24 size hepa filter on the face of the filter mount  taped on all four sides.  Primitive but effective. tt

Venting or exhaust will increase dust. What ever air that is exhausted will be replaced by air drawn in from where ever possible, dust and all. Venting would require an additional opening with HEPA filtering to allow enough air in to replace exhausted air.

Space would be better off pressurized (as clem k posted above) to keep dust out. Or have the filter blowing in instead of out, filtering the air before it enters the room.

I use a shaving brush consisting of pig bristles for rolling stock and power, and for the scenery areas I use a hand "duster" that has an electrostatic action that you clean by spinning the handle using your hands. Your wives probably know what it is.......

There is no substitute for not letting the dust in, so any sealing, a door, etc. is probably the best way to do this. Once the dust is in, the problem gets much larger and more complicated and harder to solve. You can't completely eliminate dust unless you have a clean room, but minimizing it helps a lot. I would certainly paint or seal a concrete floor.

You can buy air make-up units to add to your house's heating/cooling system that keeps a positive air pressure in your house.  You can make one yourself too. You just need to pipe some outside air into your return air plenum with a small fan.

.....

Dennis

Two other things I did for dust control in my basement:

1) I saved the blower from our old furnace when we had a new one installed and added wheels, an on/off switch, cord, and wall plug.  Then I jerry-rigged some filters to it and wheel it into what ever area I am working in to run it when I am making dust by sawing or sweeping etc.

2) I cut the sleeves off a jillian-thread count dress shirt and rubber banded it to the outlet of my shop-vac and sealed the other end with rubber bands also.  It fills up like a balloon and catches a lot of fine dust that makes it through your vac.

.....

Dennis

I use 2 woodworking dust collectors and the do a good job of capturing dust but they are not a 100% solution