Dust management - small workshop ??

[Maverick81]

Howdy y'all.

Recently joined the forum, but to explain my situation, I am about to begin the process of rebuilding the old shed at the end of the garden as its walls will soon fall down if i dont knock them down. So once rebuilt i intend to kit this out as a functional small workshop. Dimensions approx 6m x 4m (8ft high).
So with this mind I am constantly brainstorming and will probably be pitching various questions at the forum to bounce around as and when they occur to me.

My thoughts on this occasion have turned to Dust Management.
I am aware of large scale dust extraction systems like we have at college but we are nowhere near this sort of scale. I know nothing of dust extraction systems or how they work. Are there smaller systems suitable for a space such as mine....or should i be thinking more along the lines of just a good workshop vacuum cleaner?

Please expand and enlighten me with your collective wisdoms. Thank you )

 

[hammer n nails]

you could try one of axminsters http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ho ... rod886587/

 

[custard]

If you're running machines, especially dust and shaving monsters like a thickneser, then you'll either need a dust extractor... or a mighty big dustpan and brush!

It's really about the equipment you're running rather than the size of the workshop.

 

[CHJ]

..........Please expand and enlighten me with your collective wisdoms. Thank you )

My take on the subject
Hope it does not keep you awake too long tonight. :lol:

And how well in with your Bank Manager are you ?

 

[Fishandchips]

If noise is not a problem I would fit simple 4" DIY extraction units from inside the shed to outside, possibly to a box with a material side to allow for air flow. 2 or 3 should set you back £30 to £40, they'll pull a lot of dust too. But also pull the noise to outside your shed.

Install the extraction as low as you can to pull the dust downwards away from head level.

This was my idea but I my case noise was a problem so I had to use an enclosed system.

I presume your concern is airborne fine particles.

 

[eribaMotters]

First thing, can you make the ceiling height greater than 8 foot. This would be advisable as it means moving sheets of ply/mdf a lot easier.

On a 6m long workshop a bag type extractor with a fine cartridge filter half way along one side should meet your needs . A 2.5m hose on this should reach to and cope with any machine in the workshop as a single user you may buy. I use a Jet1100. Although expensive you can pick these up on a well known auction site at about half new price.

A decent vacuum cleaner, preferably one with a power tool take off would also be very useful.

Finally a hang it from the ceiling air filter as mentioned in another reply is really useful.

Colin

 

[Fishandchips]

Air filter on the floor level if possible, suck the dust downwards towards your feet not towards your head.

Or floor level and extract outside to a dust box.

 

[M P Hales]

If your'e going to heat your WS a direct to outside extraction system will quickly vent all the warmth from inside (found out the hard way as usual) to outside

I have recently installed a Camvac Model GV286W with ducting around WS to five ports with blast gates and find it a good system but as stated above not kind on the pocket

Hope this helps

M

 

[fluffflinger]

You will find tons of info on all the items listed below, as well as a bunch of people only to willing to help, here's my precis of dust/chip extraction;

Extractors basically fall into two categories;

LVHP = Low Volume High Pressure (vacuum cleaner) good for dust and small volume producers of chips, sanders routers, bandsaw etc, generally smallish bore pipes up to about 2 1/2in. HVLP = High Volume Low Pressure (chip collectors) good for big mucky things like planers, thicknessers, table saws etc, much bigger diameter pipes 4-6in.

Both will be massively improved by adding some form of cyclone (clever device that separates waste before it hits your filters), blocked filter quickly limit the efficiency of your extractor and waste time if they constantly need cleaning or changing.

If money and space allows then have both but in the real world most people end can't justify that solution.

There are solutions that can do a pretty good job on both via a simple ducted system. I have a Record DX4000 running a 4in ducted system incorporating a cyclone to intercept and collect over 98% of dust and chips, plus a shop vac with a small home built cyclone to use as a portable unit for sanding and also I attach it to the crown guard on the table saw. I have a few spare inlets that could allow me to dispense with the shop vac. Only down side to my system is noise, my extractor is a pair of brush motors and it roars a bit.

Whatever you do don't underestimate the damage dust can do your health so please please use a dust mask when machining timber and if possible add an air cleaner to sort the scary bits you can't see.

Hope this gets you started.

 

[Maverick81]

Thanks guys.
Well im talking about a SCMS station, router table, potentially looking to buy a bandsaw and possibly a planer/thicknesser, sanding station. All withing scale to a workshop of my size...not big industrial floor standing units.
But my thinking was mainly of tidyness, although wellbeing is also a factor. But as i say, i know nothing of such things as ive never set up anything like this beore. This would be my first 'proper' workshop environment.
I know MDF dust is a big no no, but i know nothing of filters and microns.

My thinking was.....If i got a wet/dry vac that i could drag around the shop to where required as-and-when and aim the nozzle at the tool as i use it, would this have a sufficient impact on dust levels?
I have never before had/seen/used a wet/dry vac. Would this concept be viable or do i need to be thinking more substancial with some kind of 'proper' dust extraction system?

 

[sammo]

I have a camvac (in my shed) with a cyclone seperator outside - the twin motor camvac copes pretty well with everything I through at it from connecting it to a sander - (one motor running) to my planner thicknesser (both motors running)
I also have a wet / dry vacuum with power take off - which I used mainly for handheld power tools.

 

[Maverick81]

Thanks Richard. A reply of truely majestic preportions. Just what i like. )

So am i right in understanding that a unit, for example the Record DX4000 or such like, provides the suction power. You can then run pipes/tubes from this unit around the workshop with 3 or 4 exit points at various tool locations.
I trust the end of the pipe should be closed....as should each station point not in use so suction is maximised at the station in use only. Am i on the right lines?
How much suction is 'enough suction'?

 

[Maverick81]

PS.....what is a cyclone exactly? Is this a seperate component you incorporate somehow?

 

[sammo]

Hi Maverick - if you do a google search for cyclone separators all will become clear - I cannot recall his name, but there is a chap on this site who supplies highly rated kits (this is not what I have) - I have some ducting with 3 blast gates. This system captures nearly all the dust leaving the dust filters on the CamVac fairly clean. I have also just purchased a air filter, which I have fitted to the ceiling - but after reading this thread I may consider putting it on the floor, but in my 5m x 4m shed floor space is very limited.

 

[carlb40]

Cyclone central is what you should search for. The site also has a vid of the cyclone in use

http://cyclonecentral.co.uk/

 

[pip1954]

hi this is mine easy to make

 

[fluffflinger]

Maverick

You are correct the DX4000 does the sucking and is in essence a very large very very powerful twin motored vacuum cleaner. The cyclones job is to stop dust and chips reaching the extractor. Any dust will quickly clog the filters in the extractor and render it less and less efficient, if it something like dust from a sander then this takes very little time indeed. The filters in the extractor are there to limit the air bourne (and generally invisible particles reaching the atmosphere you are breathing) but they are are also the way the machine "breathes", clog them and the performance of your extractor will reduce drastically. The ducting most people use is standard soil pipe as it relatively cheap easily accessible and has all the fittings that you need. Each machine is served but an inlet and that is controlled by a valve known as a blast gate.

You are aware that dust from MDF is particularly naughty but just about any dust will cause you harm. Wearing a good face mask fitted with P2 or P3 filters is a good discipline to adopt when preparing stock.

There is nothing wrong with starting off with a portable shop vacuum but fit it with a small cyclone and you will find it 1000% more useful (this is where i started). I suggest before you buy anything take some time to follow the links provided do some reading and learn a bit more, it's a big topic and there are dozens of good threads on this forum.

If you intend to do much in your shop then at some point you will need to address this issue, sadly the best solutions are not simple or cheap but they are very necessary and save so much hassle in the long run.

 

[brihol]

I use of one of these
http://www.axminster.co.uk/numatic-numatic-nvd750-workshop-vacuum-extractor-prod782721/

It's linked to one of these kits plus a few extras
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-63mm-dust-extraction-kit-prod21901/

I can control the extractor from anywhere in the workshop using this set-up
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p71401
It's noisy but efficient and you normally wear ear defenders with most machines (especially if the weather's cold)

Brian