Bondo sanding, what a mess! What do you do about it?

[Terrag Shugo]

So, I'm doing two helmets at the moment. A Carter and Jun. I have the interior loaded with a think layer, multiple layers of Rondo, and the exterior has been coated with resin. They are both very solid units at the moment.
My issue now, is that there are some uneven edges and the chin has warped a bit. Small things here and there that can be coated with bondo and then sanded down.
Problem with sanding bondo is, Major DUST! I spent an hour and a half out there this morning doing some work. Half hour of helmet work, hour of vacuuming and cleaning stuff up.

I'm thinking that I may have to build an entire "sanding box" in my garage just to contain this crap. I have a bunch of 4x8 sheets of mdf , various rolls of plastic, caulk, 2x4's and enough extra room to build a 6x8 sanding room. Then I thought I'd set up my shop vac and attach it to a hand built funnel/duct, attach that to an old box fan, mount that to a cut out section of the mdf sheet wall, then rig up some shop lights, a power outlet....and bing...sanding box/room. ?

But here I am building a small room in my garage, just for sanding? A bit much? I don't know? I have all the materials, except for cheap'o box fan, but no big deal. It's just an idea, but I'm wondering if anyone else has done something similar or has an alternative method?

I don't want to turn my entire garage into a hazop zone or sit out in my yard and run tools all day and night to piss off my neighbors lol. I still need a place to drink, throw darts and work out to. I may have to ditch the entire work out area? Drink inside my house? Build an underground bunker?

Dilemma, fo sho.

/sigh, /shake head.

Comments, questions, ideas?

T.

 

[Nintendude]

If you are really worried about the bondo dust, what I would suggest is using a wet cloth and basically wet sanding both helmets. I also sent you a e-mail.

 

[ventrue]

I'm thinking that I may have to build an entire "sanding box" in my garage just to contain this crap. I have a bunch of 4x8 sheets of mdf , various rolls of plastic, caulk, 2x4's and enough extra room to build a 6x8 sanding room. Then I thought I'd set up my shop vac and attach it to a hand built funnel/duct, attach that to an old box fan, mount that to a cut out section of the mdf sheet wall, then rig up some shop lights, a power outlet....and bing...sanding box/room. ?

I've been thinking about that same problem, because I want to do that stuff inside as well (inside as in "in my apartment", I don't even have a garage ;-)). Normally, I would just have set up my vacuum next to the Dremel to collect at least some of the dust. The alternative would be to do it in my shower (already sealed off and self-cleaning.. kind of), but speaking of noise, that's even worse than doing it outside.

But what you wrote there actually isn't such a bad idea. You don't even need wood to seal off a small corner of the room, you can just tape/nail/whatever some plastic foil to the ceiling and let it fall like a curtain. That should already keep the dust inside (if not, tape the bottom end as well, then it's definitely sealed) and you can even fold it away when you don't need it. You could even build something really fancy with magnets or velcro and some thicker foil

But I was also thinking... if you have to go through all the trouble and create a separate space for sanding anyways... why sit in it? With transparent foil and maybe some acrylic glass, you could seal off some space, maybe even on a table, put the model and your hands inside it, but sit outside yourself, so you don't get all dirty. Just like a glove-box (which you could buy, of course, but that's probably expensive).
Since I happen to have a glass plate lying around, all I need is something to keep it in place. Awesome!


Edit:

If you are really worried about the bondo dust, what I would suggest is using a wet cloth and basically wet sanding both helmets. I also sent you a e-mail.

Do power tools like that?

 

[Nintendude]

This is why I love my brothers paint shop he has a sand blasting cabinet that I can mount a helmet in it and watch it sand it for me. I just have to watch it while it works otherwise it sand blasts it into nothing but as long as I watch it everything comes out good.

Ventrue what I meant by using a wet cloth is just to wet the helmet down to use wet/dry sandpaper and keep wetting it down I actually use soapy warm water and if you use a power tool like a electric palm sander with a piece of wet/dry sandpaper on it , it should work the same way.

 

[Brandon McClain]

If you are working in a garage, work near the front with the door open and every once in a while, grab your shop vac, put it on reverse and blow the dust out the front door. It dissipates very nicely. I work on the front doorstep of my apartment no problem.

 

[Kommissar]

yeah, bondo is .. messy and dusty, the stuff gets everywhere.

 

[Arioch]

It makes a huge mess, wet sanding might help quite a bit, I never tried it though. I just let it pile up while I dremel / mouse away lol. Then shop vac it up.
You could try keeping the shop vac / dust buster / whatever you have handy and just use it as you move along before its a big mess. Honestly I cleaned it up most times before I took a break and it went kinda quick.

Dont breathe too much of that dust crap in. Keep that respirator on! I have breathed a bunch in before and it can limit lung capacity for a couple days or so till it clears up. Im sure its not healthy lol.

It IS a pain to get set up for this stuff, but once that initial setup is done and paid for its good to go. Im in the process now of making more molds for the smaller pieces of armor. But, I think I found a cheap way to do it... Ill be sure to let you know if it works out. Im all about doing this on the cheap.

 

[FrostyTheSnowMan]

This is why I love my brothers paint shop he has a sand blasting cabinet that I can mount a helmet in it and watch it sand it for me. I just have to watch it while it works otherwise it sand blasts it into nothing but as long as I watch it everything comes out good.

=O so using a sand blaster will work the same as sanding it? is it hard to keep the item in the right shape?

 

[strangebrownie]

I just use the outside method. Contra code style, Keep it Simple

 

[Nintendude]

=O so using a sand blaster will work the same as sanding it? is it hard to keep the item in the right shape?

Using a regular sand blaster I don't know you might end up doing more damage than good, the type of machine my brother has I can sit and keep a eye on it as it blasts the helmet or item like a dishwasher would but in effect it smooths the bondo down quite a bit I still have a little manual sanding to do afterwards though.

 

[misfitjh]

I usually have a big fan by the garage door to get the stuff in the air. But the stuff on the table I SAVE it. I keep it in a can, I find if your part is still sticky after resin you can dust it with the powder. Same as using baby powder but it's free cause you already bought it. Plus an old school body trick is to add the powder back into you bondo mix to add volume.

 

[calladar]

I usually have a big fan by the garage door to get the stuff in the air. But the stuff on the table I SAVE it. I keep it in a can, I find if your part is still sticky after resin you can dust it with the powder. Same as using baby powder but it's free cause you already bought it. Plus an old school body trick is to add the powder back into you bondo mix to add volume.

agreed. i do the same with the big fan and sit at the edge of the garage. only have to wash the truck off about every other day though. lol. i never thought about holding onto the dust though that is a brilliant idea.

 

[astrocreep 22re]

What about making a downdraft sanding box? It's pretty much a sealed box with pegboard on the top and a hole on the side for your shop vac. I am not sure how well it would work for helmets because of their height but should work well for smaller pieces. Something kind of like this-http://http://www.blueangels.rchomepage.com/Sanding_Box.htm

 

[Arioch]

hmmmm,.... sounds like a vac form table to me.. good idea

 

[astrocreep 22re]

I almost compared it to a vac form table. Sounds like a multi-tasker to me.