I have a small shop vac that I have been trying o use to clean up dirt, dust and debris from scenery and structure projects on my layout. This vac is very difficult to manuever around my layout and I would like to find something that would be easier to use. I see all kinds of hand vacs online and in stores but don’t know if any of them would be better than any others for what I want to do. Anyone out there had success with a particular setup? Thanks in advance for all inputs.
wdcrvr
The size/bulkiness of a vac is an issue, but the control of the suction is as well. I have a small Craftsman vac in the layout room, and inserted a 1/2 inch rubber tube in the 1 1/2 inch hose, and sealed/secured it with tape.
So now I can get into small areas, and pinch the hose to control the suction as needed. And as the hose is 8 feet long (and the vacuum hose 4 ft), I can set the vacuum on the floor and work a very large area before having to move the vac.
There are micro attachments which fit a 1.5" hose. Not suitable for a big shop vac, but I use an upright hoover. The hose is short, compared to shop vacs, but I can lift the vaccuum up or put it on a stool. You can find those attachments and some hand held vacs on Amazon.
I use both a small shopvac, and a cordless handheld:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0023EY002/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QTJ2MLQ/
The handheld is great for small jobs, especially with the crevice nozzle. The shopvac is very compact, on wheels, and I think holds the hose and accessories better than most I’ve seen (and had), when not in use.
And not that you asked, but I found that this is an awesome little stepstool:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006HWGPY/
Yeah, I keep Amazon in business…
I occasionally use this micro attachment as Big Daddy mentioned:
For quick pickups I like this cordless Black & Decker model:
It comes in handy when I drop tiny parts on the workroom floor, too. I can buzz this thing around then empty the dust collector into a tray and 99% of the time I find the tiny part.
I remember those step stools from my old school library. They were fun to kick around and see how far we could get them to scoot! What a hoot!
Good Luck, Ed
I bought a package (from the Tool Man at a train show) of small attachments that fit onto the standard sized hose of my floor type Eureka vac. [Edited Post: it looks like what Mel pictures in his recent post below this one] Some have small brushes some just have smaller tips for getting into small places. I hold the Eureka by its handle with one hand and vac with the other. Seems to work. But I do recall advice in MR, which I did not follow, to put fine mesh such as from ladies stockings or pantyhose, over the nozzle to catch the various things you want to keep.
I think Woodland Scenics is offering something along these lines to go with their static grass applicators - vac up the excess but save it for reuse
Dave Nelson
I use a regular shop vac (not a huge one) with either the brush or crevice tool on the hose, depending on what’s being cleaned. I also have a very soft 3/4" brush for more delicate items, brushing off the dust with the crevice tool close-by.
Other than most of the structures and scenery, all details are loose - vehicles, figures, trackside details, stuff on loading docks, etc., as are most of the loads in open freight cars, so it all has to be removed for cleaning, then returned (not necessarily to the same location) afterwards.
I don’t vacuum freight cars or locomotives, but the brush attachment is my main track cleaning tool, usually once every year or two.
The bare concrete floor of the layout room is never swept, but does get vacuumed regularly - much more often than the layout itself. With the layout room separate from other parts of the house, and with a drop ceiling and a door, it’s fairly easy to keep clean, albeit a bit involved when cleaning becomes necessary.
Wayne
My wife gave me a Mini Vac Attachment for Christmas about 10 years ago that fits my Lowes Shop Vac hose and it has done me well for many years, I highly recommend it.
My Lowes Shop Vac is quite old but works very good using the Mini Vac Attachment.
MicroMark has a mini vac that looks like it would be perfect.
My wife bought me a dust buster that I use to clean the layout and my car among other things.