Air filter

[Noho12C]

Hello,

I would like to get an air filter for the workshop. I've been looking at Axminster and Microclene, for a small size air filter.
Looking at the specs, it looks like they capture dust up to 1 micron, with Axminster being seemingly better (86% at 1 micron)
However, my understanding is that the very nasty dust is the one below 1 micron, so are those really useful, or do they just remove the big dust ?

I dont use MDF, barely any plywood, but mostly hardwood (which i believe is as bad as MDF).

Would be happy to read some feedback about your setup.

Cheers!
Noho

 

[Doug B]

I made my own incorporating a hepa filter & a squirrel cage fan as I wasn’t that impressed with what was on offer.

 

[jeremyduncombe]

Any particles under 10 microns have the potential to damage your lungs, so removing particles down to 1 micron must still be a good thing. These machines won’t capture very fine dust from a sander, but they will capture most particles from a bandsaw or table saw. I use the trade version of the Axminster air filter and it has collected a fair amount of dirt even though I don’t see dust particles hanging in the air.
I always wear a mask when appropriate ( though might run out of masks soon thanks to Coronavirus ), and I always use dust extraction on power tools and machinery. I see the main purpose of the air filter as cleaning any residual dust out of the air after a session in the workshop, so it is nice and clean next time I go in.
No filtration system will guarantee to remove all dust, unless you are prepared to spend a fortune. I feel my air filter gives me a bit more piece of mind for a reasonably small outlay.

 

[Noho12C]

You're right, they are probably better than having nothing.
I'm not sanding a lot, and sanding by hand only, and it's quite scary to see the cloud of dust afterwards. I wear a mask when sanding, but the cloud remains quite long after I'm finished, and I guess the dust just settles until the first air movement.
I may have a go at the new Axminster craft filter, the other ones being quite big for my garage shop.


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[wallace]

If you are wanting to clean the air for the next time you enter your shed its probably better to have some kind of extractor or fan that purges the air that's in your place and replenishes it with fresh air.
I used a car radiator fan years ago because Im cheap set on a timer after I left so when I returned all of the nasty dust was gone. Then you don't have to worry about micron size

 

[samhay]

The record ac400 seems to be a fairly popular choice. Rutlands do something similar too.

I've been meaning to get something for a while. The smaller microclean (now Thor) would be great, but seems to be fairly noisy (if anyone has real world experience, if be interested to hear your opinion) and more expensive than e.g. the record.

 

[Sideways]

Thor are good, albeit a bit noisy. I own one of the larger Microclene ones and maintain a couple more. They have a simple design and a quality sealed motor fan unit inside. Customer service has proven very good.

I recently stripped a jet unit - one of the big box type models - because it was constantly tripping the RCBO breaker on the distribution panel. As part of diagnosing it, I disconnected the earth and found the case floated up to 185V. The earth leakage trip on the breaker was obviously doing it's job. After removing the motor, I could see that one of the windings was baked black through overheating. The whole device was dangerous, but with no earth, the filter still worked. It used a squirrel cage type fan with an open frame motor in the centre. That didn't seem very sensible to me for use in a dust filtration device and It went in the bin. I wonder if the record and axminster ones that look very like this jet model are any better designed ?

Lastly - if you have £650 to spare, Axminster have just started selling a new electrostatic fan / filter unit under the Powermatic brand. Insanely expensive but it's very quiet ! I measured it at sub 60dB on full so I believe the published specs. It has a 5 yr warranty and filters that should last 2-3 years in our application (4 days a week x 8 hours) before replacement. We're trying out two in a bid to drive down both dust and ambient noise.

 

[Sideways]

You're right, they are probably better than having nothing.
I'm not sanding a lot, and sanding by hand only, and it's quite scary to see the cloud of dust afterwards. I wear a mask when sanding, but the cloud remains quite long after I'm finished, and I guess the dust just settles until the first air movement.
I may have a go at the new Axminster craft filter, the other ones being quite big for my garage shop.


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For hand sanding, do take a look at Mirka's hand sanding blocks with a super flexible extraction hose attached. They are cheap and work exceptionally well connected to almost any shop vac and using abranet mesh abrasives. Kill as much of the dust as possible at source.

 

[Noho12C]

I've seen the powermatic on their website. Specs seem very good (though I take them with a pinch of salt). But it's quite above my budget, and as a hobbyist maybe a bit overkill. I was thinking about their small craft one (around 150 £), which specs seem better than microclene or RP (but again, with a pinch of salt)

The mirka hand block looks like a good idea, but I don't have a shop vac. I would need to get one with HEPA filter, with is quite pricey. And I start to get short of place...

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[Duncan A]

 By Sideways - Sun Feb 16, 2020 3:48 pm
Thor are good, albeit a bit noisy. I own one of the larger Microclene ones and maintain a couple more. They have a simple design and a quality sealed motor fan unit inside. Customer service has proven very good.

I've started using a £6.29 fan speed controller on my Microclene MC760. It works very well and seems to be popular with "hydroponics" growers: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hydroponics- ... SwwvZZU50v
I run it slow and quiet most of the time, and put it up to full speed when I'm actively producing dust that may escape the extractor.
As an aside, my MC760 motor packed up a few months ago (before fitting the speed controller) and I was able to buy a new one from the original manufacturer, Remco. About half the price of a complete new unit; hope it lasts a bit better than the old one. I'm not certain, but think Thor may source the motor from another company.
Duncan

 

[AES]

Purely my own experience, +1 for the Record Power AC 400 and the Mirka hand sander.

 

[Noho12C]

What machine do you use with the mirka hand sander ? And with any sanding machine ? (I bet an HEPA machine ?)

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[AES]

It's a quite old Kaercher shop vac. The filter isn't HEPA - but I do try to sand as near as possible to the AC 400 though (it's up on the ceiling, but in my cellar the ceiling's quite low - I can JUST walk upright under the AC 400).

AND the AC400 stays running for a long time after all sanding is finished, and if sanding MDF, I wear a mask too,

 

[Noho12C]

I have a chips extractor with a filter (HVLP). Would it be suitable to use a reducer to plug it to the hand sanding block ?

I know it is not recommended to use a reducer with an HVLP, but hand sanding generates less dust than a power sander.

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[jeremyduncombe]

I always thought you were not supposed to use a HVLP extractor with a narrow inlet tube. However, Record Power sell a 100 mm to 32 mm reducer for using HVLP with power tools, so they must think it is OK. I am sure this topic has been discussed many times on here, try the search function and see what comes up.

 

[AES]

@NoHo12C: Personally I dunno (I haven't got any HVLP gear). But what you need to look at is the sticky by "siggy 7" which is the sticky at the Tools Buying Advice & Reviews section.Here:

a-guide-to-dust-extraction-by-member-siggy-7-t102025.html

HTH

 

[Sideways]

I always thought you were not supposed to use a HVLP extractor with a narrow inlet tube. However, Record Power sell a 100 mm to 32 mm reducer for using HVLP with power tools, so they must think it is OK. I am sure this topic has been discussed many times on here, try the search function and see what comes up.

Record make nonsensical machines like the RD1 etc, vacuum cleaners in a tin with a 100mm port. These are not HVLP and don't move enough air for the 100mm inlet to make any sense, but reduced down to 30mm odd, they are a vacuum cleaner with plenty of suction and work perfectly well if noisily. I got one of these reducers that you mention bundled with an RD2 when I bought one years ago without knowing any better. The reducers are not meant for HVLP use. An HVLP machine does not generate enough suction for use with a narrow hose.

 

[Sideways]

 By Sideways - Sun Feb 16, 2020 3:48 pm
Thor are good, albeit a bit noisy. I own one of the larger Microclene ones and maintain a couple more. They have a simple design and a quality sealed motor fan unit inside. Customer service has proven very good.

I've started using a £6.29 fan speed controller on my Microclene MC760. It works very well and seems to be popular with "hydroponics" growers: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hydroponics- ... SwwvZZU50v
I run it slow and quiet most of the time, and put it up to full speed when I'm actively producing dust that may escape the extractor.
As an aside, my MC760 motor packed up a few months ago (before fitting the speed controller) and I was able to buy a new one from the original manufacturer, Remco. About half the price of a complete new unit; hope it lasts a bit better than the old one. I'm not certain, but think Thor may source the motor from another company.
Duncan

Thanks Duncan, that's very interesting. I'll have to try this idea.
When I stripped one of Thor's larger units - a modern machine less than a year old, it also had a Remco motor / fan unit inside.
Cheers

 

[Noho12C]

Well, I placed this morning an order for a Mirka sanding block, abranet and reducer. Let's see how it performs. If that doesn't work well, I might have a look at a small vacuum. I will report back later this week when I have tried the mirka thingy.

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[Noho12C]

So, received the Mirka hand sanding block today. Tried it with the chip collector, and it doesnt at all (hammer)
There is no suction at all and I can feel the extractor is struggling.

So, what do you think would be the best ? To get an air filter, or invest in a shop vac ? (the FEIN dustex looks good, and can get an M class filter)