Containing Dust from a Charcoal Soldering Block
Q: Every time I use a charcoal block (even the compressed ones) I have dust everywhere. What do I need to do to keep my bench from being covered with black grit?
A: Make yourself a small metal box, any kind of metal will do: aluminum sheet, a tin can, brass plate, or whatever. It’s simple to fold something with open corners, but a bottom and four side walls bent up, so it is about half the height of your charcoal block. Just keep the charcoal block in that. It contains the dust that otherwise falls off the bottom of the block.
by Peter W. Rowe M.F.A., G.G.