Venting fine dust to atmosphere?

[Water-Mark]

So next toy for the shop is an extraction/collection system.
I'm pretty sure what the plan is (barring ducting size) and how it's going together but i'm unsure on what the rules or regs are if i fit my extractor and cyclone in a unit and then extract the exhaust to the out side.

If my collector claims filtration of .5 microns will the resulting exhausted dust cover my neighbours car?
Is it going to be a problem venting in a suburban area, or is this dust going to vanish into the air?

Many thanks.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

The whole point of a cyclone is that it separates fine from coarse particles, fine being bagged and coarse into a bin or container of some sort. It would be defeating the object, venting a cyclone outside, though I suppose you could vent the coarse stuff outside and keep the fine stuff bagged. The big objection to exhausting outside is, during winter, you are effectively venting all your lovely warm air from your workshop. I would use a cyclone, keep it all inside and bag as appropriate, keeping the workshop warm! Heating the workshop only to waste it outside is less economical than bagging the waste so self defeating.

Mike.

 

[Water-Mark]

Hi, thanks for the reply.
So if i use a cyclone i'll get no fine dust out of the vacuum exhaust at all?

 

[PAC1]

Hi, thanks for the reply.
So if i use a cyclone i'll get no fine dust out of the vacuum exhaust at all?

No anything smaller than .5 micron will not be collected. But that is pretty fine so any dust should blow away in the wind

 

[wallace]

I suppose it depends on how good your cyclone and extractor work, ideally if it separated all the small nasty stuff you would be fine exhausting into your workshop. I had a 2hp extractor onto a big thein baffle with 6" ducting venting outside and it worked really good.

 

[dzj]

In the warmer months, I redirect the fine particles outside. No dust settling anywhere.
I assume the particles are smaller than the dust that's out there in the first place.
No complaints from the neighbours either.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

If you are going to duct outside, then just duct outside. A cyclone would be redundant, so would a filter, so a Thein baffle also redundant. Just link the hose to the impeller inlet and a hose straight outside, from the exhaust. Cyclones and Thein baffles only keep the filter from clogging with fine dust, but why filter anything if you are ducting outside? Filtering, cyclonic separation, etc. is only needed if you are reintroducing the exhaust air back into the workspace. Be prepared for a mountain of chips from your planer thicknesser, though. What to do with these?

Mike.

 

[Myfordman]

If you do decide to run a cyclone and vent it outside. keep a very careful eye on the level in the waste collection bin. Once full the blower will dump dust, shavings and all outside which depending on the location of the vent, could prove embarrassing!

MM