dust and woodchip extraction.

[Suffolkboy]

I just wear a paper mask.

It is better than nothing but do you take it off the moment you stop sanding or do you leave it on for a period until the airborne dust has settled

it's on as soon as I start and it doesn't come off. I forget it's there. I spilt tea on my kitchen floor the other day trying to drink through it.

 

[sunnybob]

thats good,, but is it filtering ALL of the dust? check the FFP number on it. If it doesnt have one, then its barely saving you from anything.

 

[Ridethewave]

Lathes need more extraction than almost any other machine, because they produce all the extremes. Largish chips right down to dust so fine it cant be seen, and perversely, the harder it is to see, the more it floats and the more dangerous it is.

Its best to have a large extraction hood at the rear of the lathe, and a fresh air supply from behind you blowing the dust towards the hood. Many makes, endless home made versions, but make sure you dont let it slip by you.

Even then, WEAR A MASK! You only get one set of lungs (transplants excepted) and you really dont want to be unable to even walk without gasping for breath.

And at the end of each day, vacuum the place out. Do you have kids? would you want them wandering around kicking up clouds of harmful dust when they come to see what youre doing?
woodworking can be very hazardous if you get lazy.

Thanks Bob.

So my thoughts for my small 10x8 shed are to:
1. have an extractor fan in the wall behind the lathe for the airborne particles
2.also something with more suction that can be moved around and suck up all the chips from the floor and bench going through a homemade cyclone with the exhaust ending up outside
3.a good face mask or air supply helmet

John

 

[sunnybob]

youre nearly there i think.
but just an extractor behind the lathe wont get enough of the REALLY small dust quickly enough before you have your head in a cloud of it.
My thoughts (there are many others with their thoughts) would be to have a "push" air flow behind you blowing the air towards the "pull" extractor.
Powered face mask filters are pretty good while theyre switched on, but if thats all you have, the second you turn it off and remove it, youre breathing the dust in the air again, My approach is to remove the dust before it gets to your personal space.

 

[Dalboy]

Great observations and info there guys..Thanks.

As for my small shed, what would you use for dust extraction,particularly for the fine breathable particles that are most dangerous?

Thanks...John

A full face air powered respirator would be my first choice then an extractor of some kind. The more you can use the better

 

[Inspector]

John this is the kind of fan that we put behind my fathers lathe exhausting out into the yard. His did not have the louvers, he hung an old refrigerator door across them and would prop it open when he turned. So if you mean one of these when you said "1. have an extractor fan in the wall behind the lathe for the airborne particles", the fan in the link will clear all the airborne dust and more from the shed many times over, as long as you have a door/window open for makeup air.

https://www.amazon.ca/iLIVING-ILG8SF16V ... 2Bfan&th=1

The only sure fire way of knowing if an exhaust fan, dust collector or ceiling hung air filter box is effective is to test the air. That with the proper equipment is extremely expensive. There are inexpensive air particle counters that can measure the dust in the air and will give you a good indication of the airborne dust. They can't be put directly in the dust stream of the sensor will be overwhelmed and wreck it. Hung a few feet away it will give you the levels of dust so that you can see what you have and act accordingly. You may only need the wall fan and nothing else or you may need the full fan/DC/mask route.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Household-P ... SwevdZ7t4C

You'll have to hunt down the links in your auction sites.

 

[Ridethewave]

Thankyou everyone.

 

[Ridethewave]

Well I have made a quick diy solution to get me started and Im very happy with it, but I do need to wear ear protection when using it.
I've basically put a black and decker leaf blower/hoover in my log shed with the long hoover bit through the wall of the shed(wooden boards) the end reaches nearly to about 6" below the headstock. I then stuck a flowerpot with the bottom cut off to extend it further so that the chips that fall from the bowl mostly get sucked in.
I have also rigged up and adapter with a hoover flexible pipe on it to clear up everything else thats missed once finished. As my shed is only about 10x6. It surfices well for clearing most of the visible stuff.
At the moment I also have the single door open and small window.
A big improvement to what I had....nothing.
As for discarding the waste collected I am so far burning the larger stuff once riddled. Not sure what to do with the stuff that made it through the riddle. I think it might be too messy to try burning it in the logstove.

John

 

[Robbo3]

snip ...
As for discarding the waste collected I am so far burning the larger stuff once riddled. Not sure what to do with the stuff that made it through the riddle. I think it might be too messy to try burning it in the logstove. John

Phil.p fills empty food boxes with sawdust & burns them. I've started doing the same.

 

[Ridethewave]

you mean cardboard boxes?.... good idea, thanks.