Dust collection ideas

[Canadian cue]

The reason to enclose it fully is to get the fine dust that you cannot see. An open frame like yours will catch the larger particles, but will still have a large amount of very fine dust (about .5 - 1 micron) floating thru the air that wont show on the surfaces until it builds up enough, but will cause a serious health issue. A handy tool to have is the one that measures the particules in the air. An example is:http://www.pmeasuring.com/particleC...15406d177ba5&gclid=COu_-O3k77gCFUyk4Aod9D8Afg
Measuring when nothing is running and then measuring once you start to cut, it's amazing the amount it increases and yet you can't see them...
Dave

Thank you for the link to that device, I will be sure to look into that. As to the fine dust I will have to disagree with you. After a full day of turning shafts I don't get the fine dust accumulation on any surfaces in the shop. It is my belief that as long as your suction is sufficient to redirect the dust you do not need to have a full enclosure. I capture the dust as it is coming off the cutter, location of your inlet is key Of coarse I do not have that device you have linked to so I can not qualify with 100% certainty that my theory to be correct. I am curious now. When all is said and done regardless of how good your dust control is wearing a good mask is the only sure way of being certain you are safe.

 

[Dave38]

I agree, a mask is a must, but what I found is that afterwards, when you remove the mask, airborne stuff that you cannot see ends up in your lungs. I use my DC whenever I cut anything in my shop and I have an aircleaner hanging from the ceiling and it turns the outer white 1 micron filter whatever color of wood I have cut the last few days. I run it every time I'm in the shop for the time I'm in there or set the timer for a few hours after I leave and the filter changes color pretty fast. I borrowed a buddies particle measuring device a year or so ago and was surprised how much 1-5 micron and lower was floating in the shop, just by turning on the lathe it created a wind stream that blew any dust that had settled over night. I upgraded my equipment, .3 micron cannister filter for the DC and made it into a 2 stage DC with a baffle, and a new aircleaner with a 1 micron outer filter and the .3 micron inner filter. What a difference. Noiw the shop stays cleaner and so do my lungs.
I highly recommend a full compliment of items, a good dust collector with a cannister filter, a hanging aircleaner, and a really good face mask. Everything should filter down to .3 microns. It's not cheap, but neither is permenant lung damage. JMO.
Dave

 

[ELBeau]

Measuring Air quality

Wearing a mask when cutting only isn't effective for anything the dust collector misses. The fine dust is the stuff that causes the most damage to our respiratory systems.

Per Bill Pentz, "Most dust collectors miss collecting 40% or more of the fine airborne dust. If we just miss collecting 1% of the fine dust each twenty pounds of sawdust adds another fifteen times more fine dust than it takes for a typical two-car garage sized shop to fail an EPA air quality test."

I like the slogan for Particle Measuring Systems - Without measurement there is no control. However, I don't like the price for their system.
Many woodworkers are using the affordable.5-micron Pro Dylos Particle Meter. They are about $260, and they seem to offer discounts for group buys.

Check out Bill Pentz's page for more about Air Quality Testing

 

[ddcuerepair]

Here is my dust collection unit.

View attachment 288322

View attachment 288323

Now you are just showing off Ryan.
If you don't like that system ship it to me and I will give it a nice home.

 

[matcase]

you should collect dust from George balabushka, gus samboti, and ernie guiterez.and jerry franklin. I collected dust from Pablo escobar, and it isn't good to have laying around!

 

[opiesbro]

What is this?

Todd,

Can you please tell the brand name and model this mask is?

I was really looking for a PAPR but wondering if that is a bit of overkill. I am also looking at this unit: http://www.activeforever.com/msa-advantage-3200-twin-port-respirator

Ryan, In you original post you mentioned "Nasal Problems"... Dust collection will certainly help (it will really help keep the shop clean), but if you want to breath better you might consider something like this. :thumbup: Just a suggestion... and you probably already use one anyway.

View attachment 288336

 

[tsp&b]

http://www.emedco.com/north-5400-lo...ycode=WB0074&gclid=CNKoncujt7oCFU9o7AodI0cAfg

There are a lot of very good quality Full Face respirators available... this is just one.

 

[scdiveteam]

Ryan,

Here is a set up for the sanding operations on the sanding lathe.

I built a simple plywood box with a skill size saw blade slot at the bottom of (2) 45 degree angled chamfered edges on top.

There is about 3/4" clearance between the box and the butt between centers and a little more when a shaft is mounted. I have a 4" suction mounted to the box.

When I am sanding I keep the paper or sanding block on top of the piece I am sanding and virtually all of the dust goes dead down into the 3/16 slit at the bottom of the chamfered top.

I have a very powerful quarts light on top of the work and when I am sanding any wood dust, epoxy dust or clear coat dust is completely captured by this system as the is never even a spec of dust seen in the air above the work piece under the scrutiny of the intense light.

This system works perfect and the dust fines in my shop at this lathe it is gone, very helpful health wise!

I built the box in less than an hour 8 years ago when I bought the wood lathe and the only maintenance I do is run a hack saw blade in the slit about every month to clear the slit as I also wet sand about this slit and some dust residue gets mixed with water and need to be cleared out now and then. 60 seconds of work.

Every cue maker that has seen this in action has been totally amazed as I have been for many years.

I know this will help your situation.

Rick

The box just sits on the of the lathe bed and I can move it from side to side if need with one finger.




Close up show the slit and chamfered transition down into the slit which creates the laminar flow. The dust once subjected to this flow is not broke up by any eddies because of this design.



Side view show suction port in back:



The only modification I have made to this unit was to install the trap door in the front. When I use my sanding block with 320 or 220 non clog paper and it starts to becoming loaded up. I open the door, place the device in there sideway and give it a 100 psi blast and the I am back to sanding pronto.

When I am using full sheets of non clog and wish to clear the dust I simple place it over the top of the slit and move the paper back and forth on the top of the unit which is very rough and uneven from the epoxy residue that has accumulated of the years.

Sanding block that fits is trap door. The door is directly line up with the 4 inch suction cleaning the sanding block is also very efficient and safe also.

 

[ratcues]

I've since built a box, similar to yours and it has been working well. I'll have to snap some pics when I get a chance. It is a prototype that worked so it isn't all that pretty.

The only machines that I'm still plumbing are the general machine lathes, which is where I spend most of my time. It isn't a one-size-fits-all type of hood or table that will work. I've been drawing up different configurations for each process I do but haven't had a chance to build any of them.

 

[Newton]

Ryan,

Here is my take on it
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=253191&highlight=safe+dust

Note - the round version is the best - takes almost everything and it's small and out of the way. Still working on a better coring setup since the round one is not doing that great in that departement.

I have also invested in a 3M professional dust protection setup where I have a portable fan on a belt - hose from this and up to a very light facemask which is only soft materials - no helmet. Well - I bought the helmet also but this is very rarely use, but the helmet is qualified for chips and what ever which might fly off from the lathe. Best thing I have invested in...

My dust collectors is located outside of my workshop and is all vacuum operated where on has a cyclone built inside it self.

N

 

[DoubleDCues]

Down Draft Plenum

Sorry it's taken me so long to post. Here is one of the down draft plenums I have built for my shop. They are cheap, used house fans, they move a TON of air. I use a triple filter set up keeps dust to a way down. Still use a mask for cocobolo and stinky stuff. But I can cut rings, use a vacuum with a router. Stays fairly clean.
Let me know what you think.