Layout Vacuum Cleaner

[Richard08]

I while back I posted asking if there was small vacuum cleaner suitable for dusting/cleaning up ballast etc for modelers. Well, I found one - in the local garage while paying for petrol. There was a demo one try try, so I did. It won't pick up Mars bars BTW. As it seemed what I wanted (i.e. not too powerful) I took a punt. Like my USB airbrush, it's way better than you might expect. £30 doesn't seem extortionate either.

The exciting box.

What's in the nice zip bag.

So, what happened? See the first reply, due to the photo limit.

[Richard08]

The first thing I wanted to try was stray ballast that had got about when swapping points. Up til now 'cleaning' this would have been brushing with a paintbrush, and then picking up the mess with the brush slightly dampened. Long and tedious. Did it work?

Before...

After... (combining with brushing gets everything, but I wanted to see what happened with just the hoover). Happy bunny mode. Now I can get under the trees and hoover up the fallen leaves (which have failed to rot, so the 7mm worms haven't done their stuff) without trashing the grass. That's been bugging me for a while.

I didn't get this with the intention of using it on rolling stock, but tried it on the 08 that's not been cleaned in 3 years.

Before...

After... Ok, I guess it doesn't get everything, but a good effort. Again, using a paintbrush to agitate improves the effect.

And when her indoors kicks you out for wasting £30 in these troubled times, you can use it to pump up the air bed.

[Scrat]

Again, using a paintbrush to agitate improves the effect.

Many years ago (still available today) LUX made something called "Staubhexe" (dust witch).
This thing blows air to get the dust up and then sucks it in.
Never tried it but it seems to have a good reputation.

[Bufferstop]

These might get in tighter spaces.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... b&_sacat=0