Super Newbie

[Eaglesphan2719]

Hello Everyone! I say I am a super newbie as I have actually never used a scroll saw in my life up until a week ago. I just always wanted one due to all the cool things I have seen people make. I don't really have any experience in woodworking other than trying (keyword being TRYING, hahaha) to make a simple shelf to put some small stuff off the floor in my tiny little corner of the garage/workshop. But I am in LOVE with scroll sawing. I made a little wall decor thing for my daughter using a coloring book page and then I found this site and can't wait to make them. I do have a question though, what are some ways you all use to keep the dust down. While I was working my wife came and told me she could just taste sawdust. I tried hooking it up to a shop vac but the noise from the vac was unbearable and sucked my fun out too. I am unfortunately on a very low budget but any tips, tricks, hacks anything would be of great use. I appreciate it all!

Chris

[ThomasW63640]

The shop vac is a must you will just need to learn to over come the sound some folks wear ear buds and listen to fav pod cast or you could just use ear plugs the machine it's self is not that loud but the dust collection systems are and a must especially since the saws generally put out very fine dust which is the ones that are most harmful to our lungs.

Also the shop vac can be small, the smallest vac's will do the trick usually and are less noisy than say a 16 gallon one but that might cost a few extra bucks if a large one is all you have.

Anyway welcome and happy scrolling

ThomasW63640

[KCSteve]

Last year my ever-indulgent wife got me Seyco's small dust collection system for Valentine's Day.  It counts under our rules, which I think your wife will like as well.  To be a legal Valentine's Day present it must be 1) a 'traditional' present, or 2) have something red.  Rule 2 makes it much easier to buy for a guy.  The Seyco catalog has red print so obviously it counts.

Steve has a link to Seyco on the blog.  The little vacuum is a bit noisy but I just wear earmuffs over the headphones I'm listening to music through.  A small amount of dust still escapes - there's always the bit on top of the wood - but it's pretty easily dealt with.  The only way to have NO dust in the house is to have a separate workshop, and even then some will come in with you. 

Make her a few nice things and she'll associate the smell with presents.

[spirithorse]

I have not personally tried this but, a lot of people said they put a furnace filter on the back of a box fan and place the fan in front of the scroll saw, allowing the air flow to suck the air into the furnace filter. I image the noise from most box fans is much less than most shop vacs.
God Bless! Spirithorse

[Norm Fengstad]

I have a box fan and filter behind my saw and a Seyco dust collecting from underneath. Still not perfect but with noise protection and dust mask It works fine for me