Basement Scrolling

[Reaper]

Hey Guys, Some input please. I tried working in the garage yesterday and was just to cold. I plan on heating my garage next year. In the mean time what do you think about scrolling in the basement. I really hate to go 3 months without doing anything. Is the basement OK? I have to first let you know that the only room I would be able to use has the furnace and hot water heater in there. So would dust mess them up and if not what could I do to prevent it. Any help or ideas would be great. Thanks Dave

[tvman44]

How about a good air filter?

[dirtrider73068]

I would have a way to collect the dust either by shop vac or something, you don't see it but saw dust can fly a good distance, my garage is a good example I can find sawdust all over the place.

[old wormy]

I do my scrolling in the basement and sawdust is a problem. I have an air cleaner and two dust collectors and still there is a lot of fine dust I don't get. So be prepared to deal with. If your room is big enough you might hang some plastic sheeting to keep as much as you can from the furnace and water heater.

[jim stiek]

I put a small fan blowing across my table and a box fan and filter on the other gets about 90% of the dust it seems to me just used it for the first time today for any length of time about 2 hours and am happy with it might add another fan vertically as I found a small amount of dust on top of the box fan very minimal but a little

[yyyyyguy]

I put a small fan blowing across my table and a box fan and filter on the other gets about 90% of the dust it seems to me just used it for the first time today for any length of time about 2 hours and am happy with it might add another fan vertically as I found a small amount of dust on top of the box fan very minimal but a little

This is what I have used for a couple years now, it still gets dusty but the home made filter/fan set up I use works pretty well, I vacuum the filter every week or so.

[overfifty]

Hi Reaper. I do scrollwork and use my router everyday in the basement. . My darling and I are both allergic to dust, and I developed a hypersensitivity to wood products (sawdust) my last several years in carpentry. As of yet dust hasn't been an issue, and wife's happy if I vacuum my mess occasionally. Cheers, Barry.

[Dan26]

I agree with the fan and filter set up. Also, clean daily because the dust will pile up fast.

[Reaper]

Hey Guys, Thanks for the replies,but I think I will wait until I get heat in the garage.I use a fan with a filter and an overhead vacuum in the garage and there is still dust. So I don't think I will take the chance in the basement.I'm worried that the furnace and hot water heater will  get clogged. If I had another room down there I could have sealed off then I might have tried it. Oh well, guess I could wait a few months.....

[mrsn]

I have been a basement scroller for several years, and I love it! Heat in the winter and A/C in the summer.
I have a box fan filter running when I scroll and clean up regularly. My husband is in charge of changing furnace filters and says that he changes them about once a month, but checks every couple of weeks.

[scrollsaw22]

I do my scrolling in the basement as well.  Don't know if you're wanting to do this much of a cabinet to put it in, but here's what mine looks like if it gives you any ideas.  Lighting helps a lot as well and the box fan in the back has a filter attached so pulls the dust away from you.

[trailfndr]

I am also a basement scroller.  I have a small room (10x7) that I have benable to seal off from the rest of the basement.  I use a shopvac when sanding, and I clean daily.  I plan to get a dust collection system in the near future.  Dust has not been a problem outside of the shop room.

[Danny]

Gee! Lots of Ideas guys n Gal.  Not a Basement here, but still have the dust problem.  Shop is 14X12.  I use a small Heater Fan blowing across the Scrollsaw into a Box fan with a GOOD filter attached.  Did have the small shop vac hooked up attached to the A/C plug of the saw right directly below the table.  Visual thing there was very little if any fine sawdust floating.  Cut a piece with NO FANS OR VACS. and Wow!  Sawdust floating every wheres.  Anyway. Danny :+}

[Marcellarius]

one basement isn't the other Dave,

a few years ago i let a contractor dig out the space under my house and made a complete basement with lot's of space. basement is 26' 2" x 16' 8"and the ceiling is 8 feet high.
my workshop is 16' 8" x 9' 10" so plenty of room for me.
sawdust is a issue so I use the vac cleaner to keep it clean.
but when using the table saw it's getting "messy" and also spraying paint does leave some dust.
I use an old  kitchen ventilation hood/system to suck out the air and keep it clean.
temps in the basement are between 55-60 all year around so I installed a central heating radiator on the main system. occasionally I use an electric heater to get out the chilly feeling.
so for scrolling and some crafts it's perfect, but for real woodworking with the table saw or router a bigger workshop with door to open would be better.....

So for me basement scrolling is the best there is

[jbrowder]

I was fortunate that when we bought our piece of property it came with a 24' x 30' shop already there. Over the years I've managed to slowly convert it from a garage/storage unit to a woodworking shop. What I found is that even with all that space, dust still is a problem, especially when hunched over the scroll saw. I think that wherever you end up, the air filter/fan combination is necessary.