No fine dust from........

[Inspector]

........surfacers and thicknessers!

It has been said many times on this and other woodworking forums that surfacers, thicknessers, jointers and planers don't make fine dust, just chips. Tonight I was thicknessing a piece of Oak without dust collection an hour before sunset and the light was streaming in through the window. I watched a cloud of fine dust that I couldn't see earlier in the day rise up from the W&H planer moulder and float upwards to the ceiling. I took a picture (usual "Excuse the messy shop." statement) to show you that there is a lot more than just chips coming off. So when someone tells you not to worry too much about collecting fine dust from a thicknesser, planer, surfacer or jointer, don't believe them.

Pete

By the way. That is the dust produced from a cut 7" wide, a bit over 1/32"(0.8mm) deep, after just a couple feet of cutting.

 

[MikeJhn]

Just a thought, could it have been dust that had settled on the workpiece or machine before work began? But even if it is thats an interesting observation of how much dust can be in the atmosphere during woodworking.

 

[clogs]

not wide enough of a photo to determin if it's a messy w/shop....lol....
scary amount of dust tho....
never seen racking (backround) like that before....

 

[williams1185]

any machine will produce dust and it definitely came off that piece of timber just shows what good dust extraction can capture did my training in a shop without extraction a horrible dusty place . ian

 

[Inspector]

Just a thought, could it have been dust that had settled on the workpiece or machine before work began? But even if it is thats an interesting observation of how much dust can be in the atmosphere during woodworking.

The board was clean to start with and the air got a lot dirtier by the time I was done. There was a member that put up a link to a government publication about seeing fine dust using a strong light. I can't find it at the moment but it is the same reason it was visible last night but not earlier the day when the light was different.

Pete

 

[Inspector]

not wide enough of a photo to determin if it's a messy w/shop....lol....
scary amount of dust tho....
never seen racking (backround) like that before....

Believe me it is a mess.
Do a search for Kitchen Wire Racking and you will find lots. Upside to them is dust and debris don't accumulate on it but little stuff fall through. They are relatively cheap, here at least.

Pete

 

[Spectric]

I dont think anything can compete with MDF for creating dust, something made from dust must just return to dust when cut.

 

[thetyreman]

I dont think anything can compete with MDF for creating dust, something made from dust must just return to dust when cut.

I agree, it's nasty stuff compared to wood, you need much better extraction, masks and vacuum down to a finer micron, the dust has a way of getting everywhere.

 

[Inspector]

Found the link I mentioned in post 5 about seeing dust in strong light. https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/mdhs/pdfs/mdhs82-2.pdf

Pete

 

[MikeJhn]

I am glad for my Trend Powershield Pro, even wore it in Lidil's during the height of the pandemic, the only problem is the shield is not far enough off my face to allow me to smoke whilst wearing it.

 

[Keith 66]

Here you go, Woodworking health topics – Inhaling wood dust, Somewhere in there is how to use a tyndal dust lamp, A powerful rechargeable searchlight, slide projector or a good high intensity torch will serve as well.