Dust extraction

[Jamie Copeland]

Hi folks

I'm considering buying a Record Power air conditioner for use in my small workshop. Currently I have a Trend air shield and I clean up after each session with a numatic vacuum. I'm worried about the fine dust that's still around, but I'm not convinced that dust extractors are much use. Atleast an air conditioner like this would continue to work after I'm out of the workshop.

Does anyone have any opinion on this or better suggestions as to how to reduce fine dust from killing me?!

Jamie

 

[Finial]

It probably wont kill you. If you don't want to breathe dust, the only really effective thing is extraction at source with a sufficiently powerful extractor and fine filter. You are right that an inadequate extractor will not keep all the dust out of the air. A good breathing mask will protect you to some extent, but only while you are wearing it. An air cleaner reduces the airborne dust, but so does an extractor left running, and you have to breathe the dust that hasn't yet been filtered. Often the air you breathe will be the dustiest in the workshop because you are close to the source.
Terry

 

[Jamie Copeland]

Thanks Terry

What do you use yourself?

 

[Finial]

I'm a turner and use a 2HP extractor with a 7" line to the lathe and a HEPA filter cartridge. It gets just about everything from small turnings, including a lot of the chips. You need the point of dust formation to be within the zone of effective suction, which is small even with a powerful unit. If I'm turning larger items I wear an Airstream helmet too. I don't use an air cleaner because the extractor does the same job while it's running. And an air cleaner is slow to filter all the dust out of the air so you breathe it anyway.

I have the extractor ducted also to some other machines. If the machines are designed to facilitate dust extraction (mine aren't, and lathes are the worst) an extractor can work well for them. You want one with the maximum air flow (check the figures), and a good filter.

An effective extractor stops the dust getting in the workshop air in the first place so should be the preferred option.

You can easily be exposed to quite high dust concentrations when woodturning because you stand right where the dust is produced. But the industrial exposure limit is set at a level that is unlikely to cause harm to most people exposed for 8 hours a day, which few home workers will be. That's why I said it probably won't kill you.

Terry