Computer in Workshop?

[Steven]

I have been thinking in putting a PC in the small workshop I have (12'x12'). I have just received a touch screen that got me thinking about it again and as I do not need a keyboard or mouse it seems to make better sense now.

Does anyone have experience on how the sawdust and chips effect it? The idea was to use it to view WIP's, youtube, PDF files etc instead of printing them off and keep running into the house to remind myself of things.

 

[grandads_shed]

the dust will settle in the monitor and could block the cooling fans in the pc..

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

If it was me doing it I would look at low powered PCs using passive cooling or watercooling (you can use large resoviours to keep the water cool by sheer volume).

In saying this you might get away with an older low powered PC as they survive years of dust from teh house building up sawdust (as long as you keep the heat down) should be no different.

Ryan

 

[Steven]

As I expected, I will be using some of my old PC parts the CPU has a small slow fan more passive than anything, cleaning the display should not be an issue and being a touch screen should be almost self cleaning. I will need to air dust the PSU once in a while.

 

[whacky]

I have a garage PC and with a little care it runs fines. I use it to listen to the radio, watch stuff on Youtube and the odd live stream footie match.

I bought an oversized case and have it just clipped on with the screws removed so i can just wiz the hover round it once a week. The monitor seems fine, it's always dusty but no real issue.

Just clean it once a week and it will be fine

 

[thomvic]

We used to have several PC's in very dusty environments at work. They were all contained in positive air pressure cabinets so that dust was blown away from the vents - not drawn in. There was never a problem cause by dust. A wooden cabinet with a fan drawing in filtered air would serve the same purpose I reckon.

Richard

 

[SVB]

Have you considered one of these keyboards - dust should not be a problem for it!

8)

Available here:
http://www.paramountzone.com/bluetoothkeyboard.htm

S

 

[9fingers]

I've a laptop in the workshop which is connected to my solar power system (the panels are on the workshop roof) It has been there for three months and always on as it is the ftp server for the solar data logger. The lid is normally closed but gets opened up for the odd bit of wood related surfing and a quick glance at emails etc.
It is set up in a low power mode and the fan rarely runs as the processor is only ticking over so I think this might be the key to having had no dust related problems (or any other for that matter).

Bob

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

If the fan isn't turning often the dust will build up to a point when then fan does need to cool the CPU, it can't turn.

Any how I wouldn't worry to much about it. If you have a compressor just blow air through it once a month on a low pressure. I have mine in the office so its behind a closed door really.

 

[Chems]

My mate has this laptop in his workshop, going all the time and its old and the fans always running to keep up and he's a full time joiner cabinet maker and his workshop is very dusty despite a huge range of Festools. I had it a few months ago to do some work on and other than been epicly grubby it had no internal ill effects from the dust. If you open up any computer they are rammed full of normal dust anyhow.

 

[Steven]

Thanks for the response, I have an idea how to pull clean air in from the room next to the workshop.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

As long as you open up the case and blow out the dust it should be fine, my computer seems to get full of talc an its in the bedroom, I thing you would have more problems with a Cd/DVD drive and dust best to take it out before you put it in the workshop.

Pete

 

[Steven]

As this will be on my home network and touch screen I plan to be CD rom free and no keyboard and mouse. Even better the screen comes in a steel case, this should give me space to put the main board etc inside. The PSU at the moment is too large to fit, I will have a look for a more compact style soon.

I have stripped down a old laptop to make a 15" digital photo frame in the past so the same idea should work with this screen and case.

I will try and put some filter on the inlets to keep out the wood chips and clean air and a good hover to keep the dust down.

I will try and post some pics when I get this going.

 

[NorthernWoodMan]

I have 2 computers in my workshop. I cover them when not in use or doing very dirty work. A cleaning with a can of compressed air now and again keeps it running.

 

[Scouse]

I don't make much dust, but I periodically pop the side off my pc under the workbench and use a vacuum cleaner to carefully suck out any bits which may have found there way in. Just have to be careful not to knock any of the electrickery inside.

 

[Benchwayze]

Have you considered one of these keyboards - dust should not be a problem for it!

8)

Available here:
http://www.paramountzone.com/bluetoothkeyboard.htm

S

Reminds me I need a sexy light for my keyboard. But red? Um-mm No I don't think so. I know it's good for night vision, but with a PC screen glaring in my face! Hey! Hang on.... So, maybe a mirror, directing the glare downwards... or maybe.. errr,..

Humm Still thinking then!
John :mrgreen:

 

[Eric The Viking]

In conventional PCs, the fan for the power supply (PSU) pulls air out of the unit, meaning it gets in via all the little cracks and gaps, etc. This is not good for things like CD/DVD drives etc. and the power supply itself.

If you're careful, you can open the PSU and re-mount the fan the other way round, so it sucks in. If you then organise a filter outside the case (J-cloths are pretty good for this, the bigger area the better), you can keep a slight positive pressure inside the case, stopping dust getting in through all the little gaps.

I did this successfully years ago with a video edit suite in Nepal - the airborne dust was in danger of knackering the video heads and tapes. PCs in comparison are far less vulnerable, apart from DVD, tape and floppy disk drives. As long as the dust isn't conductive, or highly static-charged they'll work for ages in inches of the stuff without problems, provided they continue to be adequately cooled.

We used to keep parrots as pets, free-flying around the house. The first time I opened my PC case after the first one arrived, I had a bit of a shock: Charlie used to sit on my shoulder whilst I worked and preen herself. The PC case was about 1/2" deep in fluffy grey feathers. After that I got into the habit of hoovering the PC out every six months or so. Apart from one screeching parrot during the process*, there were no other side effects.

Cheers,

E.

*Hoovers are, apparently, seen to be competition for parroty affection. Charlie always used to yell her head off whenever we were using the hoover, which wasn't fun when she was sitting about 2" from your ear!

 

[Steven]

I spent time over the week end putting version 1 of the PC in the workshop. Very pleased with the results, I plan to rearrange the shop when I get my bench drill and band saw soon I hope.

I striped out an old PC loaded it up to confirm it was still working and stripped out what I did not want CD rom, floppy drive, keyboard, mouse etc. and made sure the stripped out power switch and led lights still worked. Roughed it out inside the display case to confirm that it would fit before I fixed it out to the back of the display case. I would have fixed in the speakers but this was pushing for space and they would have been pointing the wrong way.

I put pig tails in for the Network cable, sound and I also have the power switch and LED's hanging from the bottom at the moment, I plan to have these fixed to the side of the case when the shop has been arranged or when I give it a good clean. And I will have a look at the dust at this point and use filters and rearrange fans as required.

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

Look on fleabay, and get a touchscreen or "touchscreen kit" for your monitor.