How to keep sawdust/shavings from getting on a roubo's shelf

[Federico Mena Quintero]

This is my bench:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?124750-Show-us-your-Bench&p=1518194#post1518194

Since that photo was taken, I added a shelf by resting some boards on the long stretchers. This is very nice for storing my planes, as they are always on hand.

However, when I saw something clamped on the leg vise, or sometimes when planing, sawdust/shavings manage to fly and land on the shelf; the shelf's front is flush with the legs and with the benchtop. This is rather unnerving, as the planes and the front of the shelf end up quite sawdust-y.

Does anyone have ideas for how to solve this? I don't really want to add drawers or doors at this point; I *really* need a sliding deadman and that would seem to interfere with those.

[David Weaver]

Blow compressed air through it or vacuum off the tops of the planes each time you clean up your shavings.

Happens to me, too. I don't worry about it until there's really a lot on the planes, and then I will run a vaccum roughly across the tops to get the bigger shavings.

[george wilson]

To keep sawdust off the shelf,please refrain from making any.:)

[Jim Koepke]

Think wind tunnel... or curtains.

Making omelets breaks eggs, working wood makes dust.

jtk

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi Federico,

I'm with the other folks on this one. Woodworking in the shop can make a mess including sawdust and shavings. I just sweep it all up when necessary . If it makes you feel any better, the shelf under my bench collects dust and shavings too.

[john brenton]

A cheap shop vac with a blower option is awesome. I picked up a cheapo and it's the best. Sweep up the big stuff, vacuum the rest, and then blow everything out.

I really like your workspace and your bench by the way. It seems like the kind of place that you'd feel really creative in.

Good luck finding tung oil down there!!

[Casey Gooding]

You could always build a box between the stretchers and make what is now the shelf a lid. Your planes wouldn't be quite as at the ready, but they wouldn't have dust all over them either.

[Michael Titus]

For awhile I stored various hand tools on my workbench shelf, but I got tired of them being covered with sawdust. Now I just store lumber (shorts) on the shelf -- they add weight and I don't care how dirty they get.

[Zach Dillinger]

How about some sort of curtain arrangement? You could tack up some cloths, maybe three or four panels that overlap slightly. This would keep the junk out and still give you easy access to the shelf.

[John Coloccia]

Dust is good. It absorbs all the glue and shellac I spill.

[Pam Niedermayer]

I also stored tools on the workbench shelf when I started, quickly built a couple of cabinets (think big bottom kitchen with shelves between) off to the side of the bench. Bingo, no dust and a lot less rust on my tools.

Pam

[George Penfold]

Just a thought on blowing the dust and shaving off. This will cause a LOT of nasty dust etc billowing into the air, so make sure you wear a mask or have an extractor pipe on it. but really, wood working makes a mess, and planes are dust proof.

[Federico Mena Quintero]

Thanks, all. Looks like it's time to bring the shop vac down to the woodshop. Or maybe I should make a proper plane till and be done with it :)

[Zach England]

Dust is good. It absorbs all the glue and shellac I spill.


I thought it was for absorbing the blood.

[Johnny Kleso]

Even if you make a cabinet you will get saw dust in the cabinet..
Some people mmake their shelfs from slats so the chips can fall thought to the floor..

[Tom Vanzant]

I have a loose panel that lies across the stretchers, currently holding about 300-400# of wheelweights and lead ingots used for casting bullets. That also adds enough weight that the bench does not move during planing. My planes are in a cabinet above/behind the bench, near at hand but behind doors, clean and dust-free. The entire area gets a sweep-up and vacuum at the end of a session.

[kevin loftus]

Hey Federico, you could hire a maid.:D

[Terry Beadle]

The curtain idea, I think, is a good one. I'd get a piece of canvas or heavy fabric from the cloth store. Anchor one end to the bottom of the bench top and on the other just put a piece of 1 x 3 along the entire bottom edge. Then you can lift the curtain when you need a plane and just let it drop back into place. Chips and saw dust will just skirt to the floor.

Of course a plane bin is a lot of fun to build and can contain scraps from projects to titillate your memories !

Enjoy the shavings.

PS. Mr. Wilson... I'm still laughing. ( To keep sawdust off the shelf,please refrain from making any. )

[Zach Dillinger]

You could get a cheap canvas drop cloth from the Borg. Last time I needed one, they were around $6 for the smaller one, which should work perfectly.

[Tom Vanzant]

An old window shade (pull-down roller-type) would work too. Cut to fit, tack in place beneath the bench-top.

[Zach Dillinger]

An old window shade (pull-down roller-type) would work too. Cut to fit, tack in place beneath the bench-top.

Also a good idea.

[Andrew Gibson]

I have a shelf under my bench. I use it to hold larger planes and tools that I don't want in my tool tray. At the end of each day I wipe them off and put them back in my tool chest to keep them safe from damage and moisture.