# Drywall dust disaster



## Scotty8 (Aug 17, 2019)

Hello, we had our basement renovated, and we forgot to cover my trains. The train room is actually not included in the reno, and is quite a distance from the parts being renovated. But - the dust traveled everywhere. 

I now have like $50k in HO locos and cars covered in drywall dust. Roco, Trix, Flesichmann, MTH, Brawa, Broadway, etc.

I am retired, have no problems dusting each item individually - but a bunch of the locos are European and quite detailed.

Any suggestions for cleaning - man oh man what an oversight by me, and a cleanup disaster.

Any help would be appreciated, a drive thru train wash would be perfect.

Thanks...


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Whatever method you choose, do it quickly, don't let humidity moisture adhere that dust like paint.
My only thought would be compressed DRY air.

On the light side, winter is coming and the Holiday season.:goofball:

Dan


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## Scotty8 (Aug 17, 2019)

Thanks Dan, 
I was wondering if that dust stuff would eventually stick, or if it is even corrosive to plastic. Additional issue, the train room is stuffed with moved furniture from reno.

My day has gone straight to hell in a handbag.

But thanks for the help Dan...


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

compressed dry air and a soft brush for the locos and rolling stock ... once you have the layout semi clear, then a vacumn cleaner with a brush head and/or a soft bristle brush will clean up the rest ..
it will be slow ...


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## Scotty8 (Aug 17, 2019)

wvgca said:


> compressed dry air and a soft brush for the locos and rolling stock ... once you have the layout semi clear, then a vacumn cleaner with a brush head and/or a soft bristle brush will clean up the rest ..
> it will be slow ...


ugh

Thank you for the help, any suggestions on a dry air compressor i can purchase?
This dry air compressor stuff is new territory for me.

I really don't care about the coinage it will cost 
I left too many locos out on the track.

I also suspect the dust has made it into some of my storage cabinets and drawers - so getting hooked up with a dry air compressor will apparently be very helpful.

Thanks...


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

They make tiny vacuums for use in detailing car dashboards. They have soft brushes and some other attachments. Might be worth looking into. Good luck!


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

a 'dry air' compressor is simply a small [read harbour freight] compressor with an cheap air dryer hooked onto the air outlet .... nothing fancy at all .. a small storage tank on the compressor would be helpful


use the air compressor where the vacumn cleaner can't / won't reach easily ..


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Also recently I have seen advertised a vacuum cleaner attachment that can vacuum out small parts bis and drawers etc., without sucking up the parts in the drawers.
2nd row, second item in.

https://tinyurl.com/yy4f87bb

Dan


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

A powerful hair dryer with the heat turned off might work too. I would do it outside so as not to move the dust from one piece to the next.

Afterwards go over them with a soft 2" camel hair brush.


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## Deane Johnson (Sep 19, 2016)

Scotty8, some good advice on here. I might just share what I did for a brush. I went to Ace Hardware and started testing the 2" brushes for softness (for obvious reasons). There was a lot of difference between brands. The softest one I came up with was made by Purdy. It's now part of my train servicing tools. Works nice to get the dust out around details. Being a paint brush with a handle made for holding, it's about as easy to use physically as anything you could come up with. I preferred the one cut at a slight angle.


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## Scotty8 (Aug 17, 2019)

MichaelE said:


> A powerful hair dryer with the heat turned off might work too. I would do it outside so as not to move the dust from one piece to the next.
> 
> Afterwards go over them with a soft 2" camel hair brush.


Yes, I think outside or inside with a mini vacuum But I am having difficulty finding a Metrovac type machine locally.

I really do not want to be taking some of these locomotives for a field trip outside. Way to much chance of more damage - I think I am stuck on brushes and vacuums.

Thanks for the help -

I can feel my blood pressure raising up up up, ugh...


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## Scotty8 (Aug 17, 2019)

Deane Johnson said:


> Scotty8, some good advice on here. I might just share what I did for a brush. I went to Ace Hardware and started testing the 2" brushes for softness (for obvious reasons). There was a lot of difference between brands. The softest one I came up with was made by Purdy. It's now part of my train servicing tools. Works nice to get the dust out around details. Being a paint brush with a handle made for holding, it's about as easy to use physically as anything you could come up with. I preferred the one cut at a slight angle.


Wife is on a brush run now - thank you for the tips.

I'm trying to find one of them mini Metrovac things locally - but no luck - moving some of these locos will end in disaster - so vacuuming were they are is my preferred method.

What a day - could of course be much worse - but I was looking forward to spending the evening with captain Morgan and the Nascar race at Bristol.



Thank you for replying...


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

I use a variety of "makeup brushes" that you can buy in any makeup department in drug stores or Walmart type places.

They are super soft and get into all the nooks and crannys.

Tom


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## Scotty8 (Aug 17, 2019)

Krieglok said:


> I use a variety of "makeup brushes" that you can buy in any makeup department in drug stores or Walmart type places.
> 
> They are super soft and get into all the nooks and crannys.
> 
> Tom


Thats a good idea too

Thanks.

Starting to get real pizzed about the cleaning, needed to take my asthma inhaler.


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

Tape a air nozzle to the side of the vacuum hose. So you blow the dust off and capture most with vac. This leaves one hand free to hold onto the street signs and roof shingles!


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## Scotty8 (Aug 17, 2019)

Dennis461 said:


> Tape a air nozzle to the side of the vacuum hose. So you blow the dust off and capture most with vac. This leaves one hand free to hold onto the street signs and roof shingles!


That is an engineering / MIT kinda of idea.

No scenery on my layout whatsoever - a few years back my wife's 12 pound Siamese cat destroyed much of my layout while we were away. 


I saw a very spartan layout by Marklin in a catalog - all white table top - all wiring either DCC or hidden - very non realistic - very minimalist but clean looking and non interesting for the cat.

That cat still lives, and now on occasion I find a loco or car tipped over on its side - that's all the cat does now.

Quite a life, when the cat ranks higher than me in the house, so the track need a vacuuming - but your suggestion is intriguing for the rolling stock and locos.

Thanks for the outside the box idea.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Honestly, I'd first brush them with a soft artist's brush, long-ish bristles, and blow as you move the brush...outdoors, in the shade if possible. When most of it is gone, run the item under cold water, but as a gentle spray. Gently paper towel dry here and there, and let nature do the rest in a clean safe stand somewhere.


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## Scotty8 (Aug 17, 2019)

mesenteria said:


> Honestly, I'd first brush them with a soft artist's brush, long-ish bristles, and blow as you move the brush...outdoors, in the shade if possible. When most of it is gone, run the item under cold water, but as a gentle spray. Gently paper towel dry here and there, and let nature do the rest in a clean safe stand somewhere.



I did a few locos today, big puffy makeup type brush to clean most areas, then smaller brush for smaller areas like stairs and cabs, then I bought a Datavac electric duster to blow of anything left.

I need to do the cleaning of the locos inside, some of these guys are worth 4 digits - I cant take a chance of dropping the locos by taking them outside.

Wanted to try a Metro vac - but could not find one locally.

Thanks for replying...


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

The only problem with doing the brushing inside is that the drywall dust also stays inside....it's a fine powder that even vacuuming doesn't completely get it all.....and if it gets inside the motors and mechanisms, then the problem intensifies....


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## Scotty8 (Aug 17, 2019)

Old_Hobo said:


> The only problem with doing the brushing inside is that the drywall dust also stays inside....it's a fine powder that even vacuuming doesn't completely get it all.....and if it gets inside the motors and mechanisms, then the problem intensifies....


Yup - getting dust in the loco motors a big concern for me

I have 40 plus Roco track switches - but they are all DCC and sealed under the actual track.
- not so worried about them - but the loco motors - ya I am worried.


So, cleaning them inside just moves the dust around - but I am so worried about dropping these locos by taking them outside.

What a day I am having.

Thanks for your reply...


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

This is just my opinion, but the chances of dropping them are slim....the chances of the drywall dust ruining the motors are much greater.....

Your call......


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

I would be careful about the water. Try some water in a small area first. Dry it then let it set for a bit to see if it effects the paint.


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## Severn (May 13, 2016)

Ok I have not tried this but I love my home depot ship vac ... And having had somewhat similar problems have this(untried) idea... Stick some pantyhose over the nozzle of the pickup hosevand vacuum away....


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

Scotty8 said:


> So, cleaning them inside just moves the dust around - but I am so worried about dropping these locos by taking them outside.
> 
> 
> Thanks for your reply...


Don’t carry them bare handed. Put them in a cardboard box a bit larger than the loco. Put a thick layer of clean rags, like old t-shirts, on the bottom. 
I was also going to suggest a foam loco cradle, but the fit may be too tight and grind the dust into the paint. Agreed, outside is best.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

My son recently purchased compressed air to clean keyboards etc. It came as a four pack. Use them first then expel a liquid then dry out. Brand name is Ultra Duster.



Dry dust is the worst. The room should of been sealed with plastic.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

The drywall could have been 'wet' sanded to eliminate the dust.

Oh well, too late for that now. I like the compressed air idea however it is relatively impossible to remove all the moisture. I use compressed Nitrogen to clean my Radon equipment and computers. Dry and inert (Nitrogen doesn't react with any thing). The only downside is it comes in a high pressure bottle (which you buy-refill is like 15 bucks) and you will need a pressure regulator.

Any bottled gas supplier will have it.


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## Viperjim1 (Mar 19, 2015)

*Dust clean up*

I would use a air compressor as the cans sometimes give a burst of wet air when used sometimes so this may be a problem for the dust. Local hobby shop or see if Michaels has one and print out one of their 40% off coupons and get the moisture trap, and you have control over the pressure. And also they have very large artist brushes made of hair and that are perfect for this and don the bother the details. But the sooner you get to it the better depending how moist your basement is. And if you have a dehumidifier to keep it at a constant. Good luck and all will be well!


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

Scotty8 said:


> Hello, we had our basement renovated, and we forgot to cover my trains. The train room is actually not included in the reno, and is quite a distance from the parts being renovated. But - the dust traveled everywhere.


The cost of paying someone to finish our basement was out of our budget so we decided to do it ourselves. We started last Christmas day to hang the drywall.










Some weeks later we were well into the taping, mudding and sanding phase. The sanding generated a lot of drywall dust.










So my wife gets the hair brain idea to get the leaf blower and blow out the basement. It raised a holy cloud of dry wall dust. The utility room is where I have all my trains stored, almost all of them in boxes thank God, and everything in the basement was covered in a layer of drywall dust. We got a big new shop vac and cleaned it all up and recently I got most of the shelves of trains cleaned up. Not fun.

We've since finished the drywall part and after that I installed a drop ceiling grid. We plan to get a guy in to wire the flat panel LED lights and have the ceiling tiles mostly cut and ready to install.

Basement bathroom is well along, my wife did the tiling and should have the tile grouted this weekend. Then the floor is all that is left and will hopefully.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I use my air compressor with a dryer in the hose for keeping the dust off my shelves. However, if they're really coated with the drywall dust, it may be a more extensive cleanup. Whatever you do, DON'T get any moisture on them, or let them sit around in high humidity. That drywall dust will turn to glue, and you'll have a very difficult time getting it off!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

riogrande said:


> Some weeks later we were well into the taping, mudding and sanding phase. The sanding generated a lot of drywall dust.


I watched some professionals hang drywall, they used wet sponges to smooth it, there was almost no sanding involved. There was also almost no dust produced.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I watched some professionals hang drywall, they used wet sponges to smooth it, there was almost no sanding involved. There was also almost no dust produced.


My wife and I saw that too, and we tried it. Suffice it to say, it didn't go well and we went back to old fashion sanding. Our drywalling job looks as good or better than the builders did with the main part of the house. Better really.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I think you need to practice with the sponge to get it right. When I do drywall, I also sand it, as I can't get the sponge to work very well.  

However, these guys did a great job when it was finished, but it may have been either the mud they were using, how they mixed it, or just the exact timing of wiping off the excess.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

After drywalling an entire basement, I am skeptical you can simply sponge the walls and do no sanding at all. You'd have to be damn good with a skim coating the mud so it needs almost no sanding. If you get the sponge too moist you get grooves in the skim coat and have to redo it. I did try it and it either didn't work at all, or when it did, it took too much off and I had to go back and re-do, and took added on time.

Drywalling with no dust and only using a sponge sounds real good but for a novice, it isn't really an option.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I certainly agree, I know it can be done. Those guys have been doing drywall all day, every day for years, that's likely the reason it works for them. It didn't work for this novice either, but I suppose some folks are a quicker study than I was.


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## nkpltrr (Jun 5, 2019)

drywall dust is about the worst dust there is to get rid of and it is extremely hard on motors of any kind! You can buy canned air at any office supply to blow off the powered items and if possible remove the shells to gain acess to the motor brushes. As far as vacumn goes, same thing it is hard on the motors so frequent cleaning of whatever you are using to vacumn with. As the others have said, it will be a long and slow process but better to be through than rush and lose an engine in the process. it is not corrosive as far as I am aware but it will adhere to about anything and water is not a good idea at all. Good luck!


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## Railfan 8 (Jan 14, 2015)

Find a box that is about twice the size of the length of your longest engine or build a box like a small paint booth for detailing/weathering rolling stock. Attach your shop vac to the box, if it is cardboard duck tape the vac where you have cut a hole in the back. Get one of those makeup brushes suggested in an earlier post. the shop vac will suck the dust off the engine with the help of the brush and also keep things dry. Move the engine in front of the vacuum opening and it probably would suck any loose dust from inside. To be safe do routine maintenance on loco's


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## Patrick1544 (Apr 27, 2013)

A dry wall guy once showed me, you never use it thick from the can. They Always thin it with water. It goes on very smoothly this way. Involves 3 coats and wet sponge sanding in between, feathering it out to the edges to nearly nothing. The last coat is thinned a little more and that finishes it. I always do it this way. I find it gives a much smooth finish.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

I use this on my trains - some problem - no matter how hard I try, dust from my workshop somehow drifts into the trainroom and settles on some of my locos. 

https://www.amazon.com/EasyGo-Compu...rd+cleaning+blower&qid=1566741692&s=pc&sr=1-5


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I use one of these to generate the air for cleaning. I have a dryer in line with the air outlet and a small nozzle that is used for inflating balls on the output. It gives me a concentrated stream if I'm really close, but a more gentle stream at any distance. It seems to work well for dusting off the shelves.


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