Best Dust/Chip extractors for small workshop - Advice Please

[Jona]

Let's assume then that I can stretch to having both systems, probably by going second hand. How would this be for a division of machines:

HVLP:

Planer thicknesser
Table saw
Router table
Band saw

HPLV:

Drum sander
Spindle sander
Hand power tools
Floor cleanup

Do you have a similar set of machines Mike? Is this how you have it set up?

Thanks

 

[PAC1]

It would depend upon the port on the router table and drum sander as well as the recommended cfm for the drum sander.
Given what you said earlier about the nature of your construction and worries about humidity I wonder if you need a clean air system with 0.3mu minimum filtration system.
I would not vent to the gap between the wall and the cladding, it is amazing how much dust is actually exhausted and you do not want it filling with dust.

 

[Jona]

I will be building the router table into the table saw's right hand extension, using my Trend T11 EK and parts from my small CRT table. Previously I used the 32mm shroud which came with the router, plugged into the wet & dry vac. This seemed to do a decent job, although to be fair my standards were pretty low in the old shed, and I intend to run things a lot better in the new workshop.

I have also considered an air filter, but the budget is taking a real bashing if I need a HPLV, HVLP AND a filter box...

 

[PAC1]

Jona, I do not mean an air filter that you hang from the ceiling, I mean a fully functioning chip extractor system with a HEPA filter down to 0.3mu. It is madness to partially clean the air, exhaust the half clean air (with dangerous fine dust particles) into the path of your lungs and then install a air filter on the ceiling! Especially when the specification of those ceiling mounted systems are usually the majority of particles at 1 micron maximum.

 

[MikeJhn]

Let's assume then that I can stretch to having both systems, probably by going second hand. How would this be for a division of machines:

HVLP:

Planer thicknesser
Table saw
Router table
Band saw

HPLV:

Drum sander
Spindle sander
Hand power tools
Floor cleanup

Do you have a similar set of machines Mike? Is this how you have it set up?

Thanks

That is almost exactly what I have and is how it is set up, my router table has a collection box below it connected to a 100mm duct, the fence has a 63mm outlet also connected to the box outlet, its the Axminster professional set up, don't have the time to put a link at the moment as I have just heard my other half open a bottle of wine, will look a bit later, but it may be a bit of a struggle after the wine, hic.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/ujk-technolo ... s-ax887924
http://www.axminster.co.uk/ujk-technolo ... box-502538
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ho ... eal-717658

And with the modification I carried out to the table saw, I have no problems with dust anywhere.

Mike

 

[Jona]

Jona, I do not mean an air filter that you hang from the ceiling, I mean a fully functioning chip extractor system with a HEPA filter down to 0.3mu. It is madness to partially clean the air, exhaust the half clean air (with dangerous fine dust particles) into the path of your lungs and then install a air filter on the ceiling! Especially when the specification of those ceiling mounted systems are usually the majority of particles at 1 micron maximum.

Ah my mistake, you mean a high performance, HEPA variation of the cylindrical filter cartridge usually above the motor of a chip collector? Is that available as an upgrade for many systems?

Mike, I take it you mean the UJK table with collection box- nice tables. That kind of arrangement should be simple enough to build into my table, especially if using an HVLP extractor which can't work with the 32mm shroud. Enjoy the wine!

Jona

 

[MikeJhn]

Jona

I have updated my post.

The good thing about the Axminster router table is the 63mm extract duct from the fence to the main extract under the table, works extremely well, I am always fascinated by the amount of debris being sucked away from the workpiece through the fence, hardly any makes it onto the table or timber being machined.

Mike

 

[PAC1]

Jona, Axminster do some 0.3 units and now have a HEPA system but at a price. Felder do some the Af 14 or 22 can be fitted with a class M filter. They also do some clean air units.

 

[Jona]

Jona, Axminster do some 0.3 units and now have a HEPA system but at a price. Felder do some the Af 14 or 22 can be fitted with a class M filter. They also do some clean air units.

Are there a lot of particles between 0.3 and 0.5 micron (the apparent standard for high end vac-type extractors) produced by normal machining? I occasionally use MDF for jigs etc. but not routinely.

Incidentally, I shudder to think of the damage I may have done myself when I first started out, routing MDF with no extraction at all in a tiny shed...

 

[PAC1]

Jona I understand it is the fine dust unto 1 micron that really kills you. So not a case of counting numbers as total avoidance.
As for practices in days gone by. The shop I served my apprenticeship used to cut asbestos sheet into soffit board. The air would be blue!