: Using a shopvac on your sander, as well? Wow!

: I'm quite concerned about inhaling that stuff. I'm trying to find
: enough hose to have my shopvac outside the building - there's
: some blow-by, otherwise. I'd also like a positive pressure hood,
: but that seems ... unlikely. I've been good, but not that good.

You can make your sander/vac combination way more efficient with a couple of changes. Switching to a Clearstream HEPA filter cartridge will literally cut down nearly 100% of the blow-by, and will barely cut down on efficiency (If you're really worried about dust clogging the filter and cutting efficiency you can add an Oneida Dust Deputy in line before the vacuum.) It's a pretty cheap upgrade. Also, upgrade your sandpaper to Mirka Abranet mesh abrasives. They allow considerably more dust to pass through into the dust collection, making it literally almost dustless. They don't last as long as sheet sandpaper, but it's a balance between dust and cutting efficiency. I use both, depending on the situation. On a kayak the dust collection on any sander even with a vac won't be as good as it is on something flat, so you can compensate with the Abranet.

Safe is good. I've worked with guys in commercial shops who don't use masks or sanders with dust collection, and I'm confused as to why they're surprised that they developed asthma.

m