Dust extraction advise, please?

[Davidf]

Thanks CHJ.

No, my symptoms weren't like that at all...so I wonder if it was the dust. I'm still suspicious about its severity, though.

I take your point about prolonged exposure etc. It still seems unwise to take ANY unnecessary (serious) health risks......I don't mind the odd runny nose....

I'm not throwing in the towel just yet though; I'm thinking around fans - if the stuff is blown away i don't see how it can harm you - I have spare car battery...whether a car rad fan strategically positioned............



Many thanks for the input,





David

 

[CHJ]

I'm thinking around fans - if the stuff is blown away i don't see how it can harm you David

As long as it is outside the shop/shed, just be aware of other people and don't blow it into a neighbors back yard.

I warn visitors not to stand adjacent to the exhaust and chip collector fan outlets when I am sanding.

 

[Paul.J]

CHJ wrote
just be aware of other people and don't blow it into a neighbors back yard.
This is another problem been created when doing this method,if as Chas says you have neighbours.Won't cars,windows,etc start getting covered in fine dust.More complaints. :!: :!:
Paul.J.

 

[Davidf]

I think you may have a point.




:?




Back to the drawing board.





D.

 

[duncanh]

I've previously posted an image of my air filter and this discussion prompted me do so again whilst keeping a record of working time.

Yesterday and today I've been turning (I think) iroko into a fruit dish. The wood produced a lot of dust and, as is often the case recently, I wore a dust mask continuously during the turning as well as the sanding.
also had my Microclene air filter going all the time. Whilst I was sanding I used my Camvac dust extractor with the poseable hose as close to the sanding as possible.

This is an image of the filter from the Microclene after 2 hours work...

The white patch is where I vacuumed off some of the dust for contrast.

This is an image of a piece of kitchen towel that I sandwiched over the air intake of my dust mask and is from just 30 minutes sanding this morning (when I had all my other extraction on)...


These 2 images should show everyone how important effective dust extraction is.

I recently fitted a small kitchen extractor in the shed to (hopefully) remove hot air. It may also remove a small amount of dust but no-where near as much as the rest of my extraction - with the Microlene you can see airborne particles moving towards it from over a meter away.

I know that as wood turners we often like to make our own tools and jigs to save money, but I just wouldn't risk it where my health is involved dust-wise.

Duncan

 

[Russell]

You will never remove dust completely

Extract at source as much as possible with a dust extractor/hover/chip collector fitted with the appropriate filter down to .5 microns

Have an ambient air filter such as a microclene that filters down to 0.1 of a micron.

You must still were a face mask or have a mask that delivers a clean air supply such as a paint sprayers clean air mask.

The only way you are going to be dust free is to use a clean air supply that gives you air from a dust free source you can use a compressor with the correct regulators and filters but the compressor must be remote from the dust. Clean air supplies are the only way forward if you have severe dust related respiratory problems. They can be expensive systems to implement and only work if you wear them the entire time you are working even when not sanding because once you have created dust you will disturb it the next day unless you are ruthless with your clean up process.

 

[Paul.J]

Nice one Duncan.
Those piccys do show how important some sort of extraction is needed.

Russell wrote
You will never remove dust completely
You are right there Russell.
One of the hazards working with wood.It's there all the time.Just can't see it :roll:
Paul.J.

 

[Davidf]

Thanks for this input, gentlemen.






There a learning curve here.





regs,


D.

 

[caretaker]

the best way is to get the dust outside, and some of us have the idea of a fan fitted into a hole in the wall beside the lathe blowing out all the time.

I am the unlucky sole that used Iroko and when I was told about the dust what it did I was a bit concerned, but I still feel fine.

Funny thing is I was just thinking about getting an extractor fan and putting it behind the lathe, must be better than nowt.

 

[Davidf]

I am the unlucky sole that used Iroko and when I was told about the dust what it did I was a bit concerned, but I still feel fine.

Yes, I'd imagine that limited exposure won't be an issue.......its doing it full time when the probs start........x number of years away!

My confined work shop now looks a bad idea....long term. A fan would certainly help.

 

[Russell]

One of my customers made a kitchen with solid maple doors. 6 months after he had surgery on his nose to remove a growth when analysed it turned out to be a solid lump of maple dust in the centre of it about the size of pea that the growth had grown around. :shock:

Needless to say he now has full dust gear and I learn't from the experience of others.

 

[Davidf]

I don't know as I wanted to hear that!



:shock: