Copyright stuff: This page and the Dust Boxer is a product of MouseWorks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Windhaven Group, LLC. Owned and operated and managed. Mostly. The content of this page belongs to Windhaven Group, LLC. You are welcome to use it to build your own personal Dust Boxer or a whole farm of Dust Boxers. Visit Jan's Journey for the adventures and stories (mostly true) of Jan and her faithful companion Roni as they sail in their trusty wooden shoe Doublewide (in actual fact, a Performance Cruising Gemini 105Mc catamaran) from Annapolis to Clear Lake, Texas! Follow the sailboat... . But right now, let's build .... The Dust Boxer It fights dust, so you don't have to! The prototype was built in 2005 and has been in use since. I am allergic to any number of pollens, even to my dogs to some extent, but mostly to house dust (mites). So I wanted to come up with a way to help minimize in the inside 'dust storm' that is always a problem when people and/or animals live in a confined space. I find that it keeps the dust down to a level where I never feel all that guilty about not dusting. There isn't much dust around to feel guilty about. (It really does work that well.) When the sun comes in you never see that 'haze of dust' in the air... You can build the box out of anything you like, plywood, mahogany, hardened steel, all your choice, but using a cardboard box is a pretty good place to start. I had the idea for this a few years ago, but just never had the time to build it the way I envisioned... Carefully crafted 'woodworking' techniquies... Finally light dawned on Marblehead (as a good friend of my likes to say), and need overcame perfection and voila! The Dust Boxer was born! Notes: I run the blowers on low, as I don't want to overburden the motor. I'm not sure that is an issue, however, given the way the thing is constructed, with the squirrel cage blower. Probably wouldn't hurt, but I'm a conservative. Sort of. For this project I use one filter and cut it up. Why? Because I am a cheap-skate in some things. The cost of a 12 x 12 inch filter is pennies less (sometimes even the same price) as a 12 x 24. The really good filters are not cheap. I like the 3M filters best, and generally those are the ones that I use. But I used a 'supermarket' filter here, because I wanted to get this page up and ready, having promised it to a few folks (Hi Dr. Stein! Scott-O!) When the filters get dirty - probably every month or so depending, I just pull them off and tape on new ones. When the box gets a little too weak, I make a new one, but they should last through several filter changes. You could even reuinforce the holes, but I wouldn't bother. This project too me 30 minutes, including setting everything up 'neat', and taking pictures too. Not much effort. Getting the thing air-tight is not that important because the blower is so powerful it is going to pull air through the filter anyway. If air is moving through the filter than you are getting filtered air, even if every molecule isn't filtered. So you have a big net win. Good luck, and have fun! This took me only 30 minutes to build, including taking pictures. But I've built a few before. Disclaimer: I do not work for, nor have any financial interest in, 3m. But I would work for them if they asked me (so PLEASE if you are a recruiter for 3m, take note of this incredibly talented and innovative (not to mention fashion conscious) Engineer who just loves 3m)... Seriously, there is not a dud on their product list. Manufacturing steps for the Dust Boxer Click on pictures to see a larger image (Then click on the larger image to come back here, or use the Aids to Navigation...)
go to TOP of page	Step 01 Assemble Materials. They are: 14 x 14 heavy cardboard box (any size you like, this is the smallest one that I would use) Stanley/Lasko blower (available on Amazon for about $58) 12 x 24 HEPA filter (we'll cut it in half) 3m white duct tape (any duct tape will do, but 3m white comes off better and helps preserve the box when its time to change filters) large zip-lok plastic box to use as air duct (optional) utility knife, pen, ruler and scissors (hiding on top of filter)
go to TOP of page	Step 02 Close one end of the box and tape it shut. The box was built upside down intentionally. Yes it was. Moving on...
go to TOP of pag width="70%"e	Step 03 Make the Air Duct Or not. You may choose not to use an air duct for your dustbox and go the simpler more direct route of just cutting a hole in the front of the box and using tape to secure the blower head and make it air-tight, more or less. I like the air duct as it gives me an additional opportunity to use tools.
go to TOP of page	Step 04 Air dam cut out and fitted to the blower.
go to TOP of page	Step 05 Cut holes for filters Draw a 10 x 10 square on the box on two adjacent sides. The holes should be 2 inches smaller than the filter, in both directions.
go to TOP of page	Step 06 Cut the filter holes.
go to TOP of page	Step 07 Put the blower in the box Be sure to have the air intake face a filter opening.
go to TOP of page	Step 08 Cut a hole for the cord.
go to TOP of page	Step 09 Position blower and draw the air duct Or if you aren't using one, draw an outline of the blower face, on the inside of the box. Be sure the position is correct, and that there is about an inch of space on The non-intake side (the motor is there and you want good air circulation to avoid heating it up). Cut it out slightly smaller than the outline so the lip will make a seal (see next photo). If you aren't using the air duct method cut it the same size or slightly larger than the face of the blower.
Step 10 go to TOP of page	Push the air dam in from the outside! It doesn't have to fit perfectly, just close. If you aren't using an air duct fashion a seal with tape, to keep the blower in position.
go to TOP of page	Step 11 Make an access port for off on switch Before you seal the top, make an access port so you can turn it off or adjust the speed. Or don't bother and just pull the plug when you're not using it.
go to TOP of page	Step 12 Make a flap from the leftover plastic or cardboard
go to TOP of page	Step 13 Tape down the lid
go to TOP of page	Step 14 Cut the filter in two
go to TOP of page	Step 15 Seal each of the edges of the filter with tape. It won't be perfect but it will work fine. I tend to follow the 90-10 rule.
go to TOP of page	Step 16 Tape filters to the box Check the side of the filter to see which way the air should flow. Air is going to be coming from the outside in (duh).
go to TOP of page	Step 17 Finished!
go to TOP of page	A lovely example in our fashionable computer room/library. This one blows UP. No. Really.
go to TOP of page	Here's a model where I used a plastic storage box and just cut holes in it. The plastic is brittle and tends to shatter so this one is the only one of its kind and likely to remain so.
go to TOP of page	Oh yes, the bedroom unit! Delightfully stylish, and useful too, as a trashcan holder.