Anyone ever tried an Abranet kit?

[Feltwell]

As per the title really. I've got a load of filler to rub down at the moment and I hate the dust, it gets everywhere.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mirka-Abr...201?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f13491c99

 

[Moo]

 I've got a load of filler to rub down at the moment and I hate the dust

Me too!
If you google you can find it at a cheaper price than that e-bay one.
I was tempted until I realised that you have to provide the vacuum cleaner at the other end of the hose, which may or may not be a good idea. I know people who've managed to kill perfectly good vacuums by clogging the motor with building dust.

 

[Feltwell]

It's a good point Moo but I'm lucky enough to have an ancient metal bodied Henry that appears to be indestructible (said Feltwell, tempting fate). It might not be the most powerful of vacuums but it just keeps on going, it's got to be at least 35 years old now. The poor thing gets used for every horrible job going, including cleaning out the bottom of an old flue this weekend that had been sealed for over 50 years*. With most jobs, but not the flue, I tend to pick up the worst with the Henry, then finish off with a much more powerful but much more fragile Dyson.


* part of a copy of Woman's Own dated 1958 was amongst the flue contents, so I presume that was when the fireplace was bricked up. It might have just been an old copy. 1958 does seem quite early for someone to be ripping out their Victorian fireplace and blocking it up - when did central heating start to become popular? Certainly the heating system we've got now is newer than that.

 

[Feltwell]

I took the plunge and bought a kit in the end - many different options are available, I bought this one:-

http://www.restexpress.co.uk/acatalog/Mirka_Abranet_Professional_Starter_Kit_70x125.html

I'm very, very pleased with it - coupled up to my old Henry vacuum it really does give almost dust free sanding, and the fact that the sanding sheets don't clog is a vast improvement on using "normal" sandpaper - it seems much easier to rub the filler down with the Abranet. I'm not exactly the most houseproud individual but I do hate the dust that comes with rubbing down filler on walls, and in this place every time I decorate filler has to be used in abundance!

 

[Flyfisher]

I don't know about that sanding kit, but I've experienced very dusty jobs where the filters in standard domestic vacuum cleaners are not adequate to prevent the room filling with very fine dust. This is very noticeable when cleaning chimneys and the room smells sooty afterwards, even though there is no dust to be seen, which is a sign of how hazardous such dust can be.

I solved the problem by buying one of Henry's industrial variants. Not only does it have better filtration but, crucially, it also has provision to connect a hose to the exhaust outlet. So, I park the unit near a window or door and connect a 3m hose to the exhaust and direct it outdoors. I then use an 8m hose for the cleaning job in hand. The result is zero dust inside the house no matter what sort of dust being cleaned up.

 

[Feltwell]

I'm sure my old Henry doesn't filter everything out - but he gets most of it. I don't use bags in it - there is a thick cloth filter under the motor, which gets banged out every time I empty it (also makes emptying it a filthy job ). I did try bags but I went through so many I gave up! Probably doesn't do Henry any great favours, but seeing as how he'd been used like that for at least 20 years before I got him......

When Henry is first started up after being emptied there is always a big cloud of dust comes out of the exhaust, so much so I always try to start him for the first time outside after he's been emptied.

 

[Flyfisher]

Yes, that's a good indication of the level of efficiency of domestic filters. I sometimes think they clean lean away dust buy just making it airborne and invisible - try vacuuming when there are rays of bright sunshine streaming through a windows and you'll see a lot of airborne dust :shock: It's also why a long pipe on the exhaust output can be so effective at eliminating indoor particles. It's a shame they only seem to be available for 'industrial' vacs though.