Hello world!

[Anonymous]

Just thaught I had better introduce myself. I joined this forum very recently after visiting a few times. My main hobby is of course woodwork, however I do not earn my living at it.
I do all my 'work' in my garage which I have converted into a workshop after evicting the car and the better halfs garden tools.
My projects started with making longcase clocks but due to family demand have expanded into furniture, the latest being a console table in oak for my son and his wife.
One problem I would like some help with is how to control workshop dust, this is driving me mad. I have a chip extractor on the planer and sawbench, a small ducted system for other tools using a 4 micron filter vacuum and a large workshop dust filter (which shakes the garage roof alarmingly at full belt) But still the dust accumulates on all surfaces at an alarming rate.
I appreciate that doing everything with hand tools would be one way to reduce this but I reckon that I would probably never get any further project finished!

 

[kafkaian]

The concern is made ever more urgent when you're forced to work with mdf like I've had to in the past.

Am I correct in asserting that the US have banned this material and therefore we should be concerned about chemicals apparent in airborne particles of mdf?

 

[MooreToolsPlease]

Welcome to the forum Fredem
Have you looked at the air filters in the axminster catalogue?
From what I gather they are mounted up high and collect the fine dust floating about the place.

 

[Colin C]

The concern is made ever more urgent when you're forced to work with mdf like I've had to in the past.

Am I correct in asserting that the US have banned this material and therefore we should be concerned about chemicals apparent in airborne particles of mdf?

Hi All

MDF has not been band in the US but I think it is only used in some things ( I could be wrong on this but if I am we will soon find out )

You should be concerned about the dust from it as it is not very nice at all for your lungs 8-[

 

[Waka]

Welcome to the forum.

It would be nice if you could post sme pic's of your work, we all like to see what others are making.

 

[Bean]

fredem
welcome

It may be fine dust escaping through the fairly course filter (4 micron)
I used to have this problem until I swapped to a 0.5 micron filter, I also use a workshop air filter also 0.5 micron mounted in the roof, which seems to do the trick

 

[Paul.J]

Welcome Fredem.
Fredem wrote
Am I correct in asserting that the US have banned this material
When we first starting using MDF about 15 years ago we were told that it was banned in some parts of the states due to the chemicals in it that could cause cancer. :?:
I just know that it had the same irritating effect on me as some hardwoods do.
If you do use the stuff get as much extraction on it and cover yourself up as much as you can.It lies around for weeks,gets everywhere :roll:
Paul.J.

 

[PowerTool]

Hello and welcome

Redcar ? - I used to work in Lord Street,some years ago.
And as for dust,I would go along with the advice for 0.5 micron extraction,and the Axminster catalogue.

Andrew

 

[Chris Knight]

Hi Fredem,

Welcome to the forum. There's a ton of dusty info here. Use the search facility and try searching for "dust" and "*burgess" - use the search all words option

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Fredem

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[syntec4]

Hello Fredem,
Welcome to the forum. We would all love to see some pictures of the workshop. Do you have a digital camera? Or a scanner

Cheers
Lee.

 

[lurker]

This might put you mind at ease about MDF (or not!).

There WAS a scare some years ago -it was due to the chemicals rather than the dust. Unless you work with MDF all day every day there is no appreciable cancer risk. Thats not to say you should not take steps to avoid breathing the stuff.

If you look here:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/woodindx.htm

There are a number of free downloads about various wookwork related safety issues here

COSHH and the woodworking industries is about wood dusts.

To cut a long story short the worrying ones are fine dusts (respirable) as they get deep into the lungs - the others you just swallow (or gob up!!).
There are a few hazardous ones but they mainly are irritants (remove irratant and no further injury) or sensitisers (long term these can cause occupational ashma) rather than chronic poisons.

I'm a H&S professional, and when surveying workshops a simple test is that if horizontal surfaces at head height, are noticablely dust laden within one working day then action needs taking. Bear in mind I'm assuming people working in these conditions are putting in a 40 hour week. Less exposure less hazard.

 

[kafkaian]

Thanks lurker. However, I've always done my mdf cutting outside and won't take the risk

 

[Anonymous]

fredem
welcome

It may be fine dust escaping through the fairly course filter (4 micron)
I used to have this problem until I swapped to a 0.5 micron filter, I also use a workshop air filter also 0.5 micron mounted in the roof, which seems to do the trick

Thanks for the reply, it seems I got my filter size wrong in my post. My air filter is a Perform and the 4 micron is the secondary filter, the primary filter is 1 micron, and it does collect a lot dust. The manual says flow 900+ cu mtrs/hour. but I still have loads of problems with stray dust

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks to all for the welcome. I will try and post some photos if I can work out how. Can anyone tell me, do I start another topic with them or just carry on in this thread?

 

[DomValente]

Hi Fredem and welcome.

Best to start a new thread and read Alfs thread at the beginning of General Chat to find out how.

Dom