PVC tube down collection question

[berk]

Alright, possibly a dumb question. I've read about using 2" PVC to stuff down into from a comforter. Do you only open the baffles enough to slide the PVC into, and work the down into the tube from the outside? Or do you open it all the way, stick the tube and your hand into the baffle, and stuff that way? I tried option 2 and made a mess, then realized option 1 was probably smarter. Just looking for input from those who may have done this. Thanks!

[gmcttr]

You may be referring to placing netting over a vacuum nozzle and then another tube over that. Vacuum down into the tube, remove it from the vacuum, place the tube far into a baffle and puff on it to empty the down into the baffle.

Here are a couple of other ways to handle down....

Scroll down to Down Eductor.

Drifter using an Eductor.

How Fronkey stuffs down.

[berk]

Should clarify, this is collection by hand from a down comforter. I've seen this method referenced a few times and am just looking to clarify the mechanics.

[gmcttr]

My bad....I completely read that wrong.

[MAD777]

I've often contemplated making a "slurp gun" using PVC piping to harvest down. That's used to capture small tropical fish for aquariums.
"slurp gun"

[Ike]

To collect down from a donor quilt I like to use a small shop vac with a new clean bag and just vacuum the down into the clean bag, clean and easy. Starting at one end of a donor baffle I make a slit a foot or so long and vac all the down out, then I continue a foot or two at a time until the baffle is completely empty. Repeat for each baffle until the donor quilt is empty. As long as it is sitting flat and I move smoothly I don't get any flying down and if anything did try to escape into the air it just gets vacuumed up.

The shop vac will slightly compact the down (which IMO is ok for a short time). I tape over the hole and it looks sort of like a big down filled haggis. I record the amount of down in the bag and when I want to re-use the down I shake it to one end, cut off the other and use the bag with the eductor system

For stuffing new quilts I have tried all the methods and prefer the eductor. I see it is all in the BPL link but I can attest to the recomendations:

1) Do NOT block the discharge hose or the backpressure will blow into your down supply and make a mess (did that once - that is the only mess I had)
2) Be careful not to overstuff, this is a fast method and you can suck up and transfer a lot of down in a second.
3) A small vacuum works best, too much airflow is not a good thing.
4) Seal the baffle around the discharge tube well with your hand when you are stuffing a new baffle, the quilt shell will fill with air. Be especially careful filling the last couple of baffles.
5) Seal every filled baffle to prevent the air pressure from blowing the down out of the shell. I just use metal binder clips and clothespins on double or triple folded edge.

This method pushes the the down into the far finished end of the baffle and that makes it easy to sew the open edge since the down is at the other end.

Good luck on your project, DIY is satisfying and fun

[SimonMc]

You may be referring to placing netting over a vacuum nozzle and then another tube over that. Vacuum down into the tube, remove it from the vacuum, place the tube far into a baffle and puff on it to empty the down into the baffle.

Here are a couple of other ways to handle down....

Scroll down to Down Eductor.

Drifter using an Eductor.

How Fronkey stuffs down.

Don't worry mate your post helped me a lot, I am in the middle of making a top quilt - so thanks