What other method can be used to pick up dust, besides a tack cloth. Be applying the finish to the floor?
I am using a oil base product.

I typically vacuum very well using a quality vacuum. I use a ProTeam Super Coach back pack vac. It picks up 95% of the dust. Then I dampen lint free terry cloth towels in either water or mineral spirits and "tack" the floors till all the remaining dust is removed. This includes doing the edges by hand. After completely dry, I'm ready to put the finish down. I also dust my feet and clothes off well. I don't know what else one could do. Some wear Bona "booties" to apply finishes and Tyvek suits.

I also use a towel , runged out as tight as i can get it , and let it set for a 1/2 hr .. set it on the floor , put my push broom on it , wrap it around the broom .. to wet and it will raise the grain .. i use a 3 ' approach mop for the main dust ..you can order them from brunswick ..

I should add. If tacking a floor with NO finish on it that has just been sanded, you dry tack it with no water or maybe SLIGHTLY damp with mineral spirits IF you're using OMU. If you're flooring is an oily exotic, consider tacking with acetone or lacquer thinner to remove some of the oils that may have risen to the surface. Always allow the flooring to dry completely before applying the finish. Vacuuming well is the main key.

we used to spread some zorbs all on the heads of the lanes because they oil them every day .. left it on over night , and the next morning they were like new .. that was birdseye mayple .. Gary , do you think that would help with pulling the finish , or would it take out to much oil from this type of wood ?

I think it would just make a mess to clean up. When sanding and finishing oily woods, the best approach, IMO, is the following. You must seal it on the same day you performed the final sanding. The oils will rise to the surface if left overnight. Also, I highly suggest using dewaxed shellac as a sealer coat. Zinssers SealCoat and Parks Universal Sealer are one in the same. These products have a tenacious ability to stick to stuff nothing else will. They will also act as a barrier coat between any oils in the wood and subsequent finishes. After allowing a thin, uniform coat of this sealer to dry (about 1.5 hrs.) then hot coat it with the waterbased finish of your choice. Do not attempt to buff the sealer as it will gum. If applied too heavy, it will raise the grain, which it does a little anyway. Waterborne finishes perform better on oily woods but you can use OMU over SealCoat if you wish. Both Parks and Zinsser warranty the bond.