Small cordless hand-held vacuum cleaners

[spikey]

This sort of thing ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/BLACK-DECKER-Lithium-Ion-Dustbuster-Vacuum/dp/B01GHADZI0/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1516373197&sr=8-6&keywords=hand+vacuum+cleaner+cordless

 

The Lady Wife has suggested that something like that would be well handy for removing surplus scatter and such when doing the scenery, as well as helping to keep down the dreaded dust and fluff the rest of the time.

 

Are these things actually useful to chap for his railway?  And if so, would anybody care to recommend one that's particularly good value for money?

[Ian Abel]

I CAN say I'd seen them recommended many times whilst researching ballasting - supposedly perfect to recover the loose ballast to re-use.

 

I received one two Christmases ago for just that purpose. 

 

I CAN'T say how effective they are since I've spent too much time building wagons/signals, laying track and then running trains to actually START ballasting yet  

It's still in the box under the layout, expecting it's appearance and use any minute...

Edited January 19, 2018 by Ian Abel

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

This sort of thing ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/BLACK-DECKER-Lithium-Ion-Dustbuster-Vacuum/dp/B01GHADZI0/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1516373197&sr=8-6&keywords=hand+vacuum+cleaner+cordless

 

The Lady Wife has suggested that something like that would be well handy for removing surplus scatter and such when doing the scenery, as well as helping to keep down the dreaded dust and fluff the rest of the time.

 

Are these things actually useful to chap for his railway?  And if so, would anybody care to recommend one that's particularly good value for money?

My own experience with these cleaners ( mine is an Aldi one ) are that they lack power and fall between two stools. If they are powerful enough to do the job they were designed for, they are then a bit too powerful for fragile model railway scenic items.

 

Also, model railway items tend to attract static dust which seems to require mechanical shifting with a make up brush. Remember that model railways are very intricate and small so the suction of any vacuum cleaner is not really designed for that level of intricacy. At the same time, use of a full power mains vacuum with the now de rigeur brush attachment will be a tad too much I fear and damage will result.

 

I suppose the combined use of a soft brush and a handheld vacuum cleaner might get some or most of the detritus but not the loose ballast that might be more of a problem on a new build. Strangely, inverting the layout and giving a small shake transfers the ballast problem to the carpet where a really powerful vacuum cleaner will complete the job.

[alfsboy]

I  got one when we bought a jumble box off Gumtree .The idea was to sort it all out and donate  it to a  local  charity .It turned out to have some real gems in it and was  worth far more than we paid .Among the items was a battery  powered little vac.It works well for things like ballast and dust and is handy for getting dust out of crooks and grannies on my guitars .I still have a new set of Ford CVH plug leads if anyone needs it .It was an odd mix .

[Tony Davis]

I use a small USB powered device which, I believe, I bought from one of the poundshop type of establishments. I find it powerful enough to suck up scatter, dust etc, whilst leaving fixed items in situ. I plug it in to a USB mains adaptor ( I think it came as part of a mobile 'phone charger). It has a bag attached which is handy for collecting the scatter, static grass etc. (Although, obviously, it isn't cordless)

 

HTH

 

Tony

Edited January 19, 2018 by anthony07

[newbryford]

I have one of these.

http://www.blackanddecker.co.uk/en-gb/products/home-products/handheld-vacuums/12v-dustbuster-flexi-hand-vac/pd1202n

 

Now discontinued, but there is a similar replacement.

 

Although more expensive than the traditional dustbuster type, it's far more usable.

The flexible nozzle and door for the dust/collection compartment make it very useful for removing and reusing excess ballast.

It often goes to exhibitions with me, as it's also pretty good at removing bits of track cleaner.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Guest ShildonShunter]

Hi Spikey I have one of the Black and Deckers and its slot on for my railway needs.

[amdaley]

I use the household vacuum cleaner.

Its a Miele but it has variable suction.

If you're working on baseboards or cutting wood you can have high suction but if you are doing scatter material the suction can be turned way down so that you don't pull up all your scenery.

[spikey]

Thank you, gentlemen.  That's me sorted then

[Peter Kazmierczak]

My wife does all the hoovering, so I wouldn't know anything about things like this...........

[Phil Bullock]

Like Peter I get dreadful back ache if I push the hoover - hee hee

 

But seriously - something like this is good for shifting adherent dust ...

 

https://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/1000/76/76751d2a-f22d-4718-8670-4933c2ec3ad5_1000.jpg

 

And a small mains vac with decent suction such as

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dirt-Devil-Handy-Zip-DD-150Z-Plus-red-hand-held-vacuum-cleaner/132469116199?hash=item1ed7c64d27:g:Md0AAOSwFmxaV8Ti

 

Is useful

 

 

Phil

Edited January 19, 2018 by Phil Bullock