Air cleaners running while finishing or not?

[Kevin Blunt]

Hello,
I will be finishing my sons headboard very soon and am wondering which would be the better method while staining and varnishing.
I have a JDS 750er air cleaner and also a Ridgid tube air cleaner that was purchased at LV a little while ago. I am wodering if it would be better to run these air cleaners before finishing for a few hours and then shut them off while finishing or leave them running while doing the finishing. The reason I am asking because the way I see it, the air cleaner keeps air moving around the shop therefore leaving possible larger size dust particles floating in the air which in turn could end up in the finish.
Would you leave the air cleaners running while you finsh your projects and while the finishes cure?

[Jerry Balzell]

I would be more concerned with a possible explosion caused by the electric motor and the finish.

[Jim Becker]

I would be more concerned with a possible explosion caused by the electric motor and the finish.

If one is using solvent based finishes such as lacquer, than yes, the air cleaner (and a bunch of other things)shouldn't be running at the same time as finishing.

But I only spray water borne. I run the air cleaner to reduce the (dry) suspended fines in the air. There is no explosion potential in this case.

[Howard Acheson]

The best way to used air cleaners when finishing is to do your final surface prep then thoroughly vacuum the item and the area. Get out your finishing supplies and vacuum them off. Turn on your air cleaner and get out of the area for a couple of hours. Change your cloths--one of the biggest collector of dust is your clothing. Go gently back into the area, wipe the item down your item with a rag lightly dampened in mineral spirits to remove any dust accumulated since vacuuming. Now carefully apply your final coat and again get out of the area for a couple of hours.

I turn my air cleaner off before applying the final coat.