More on dust extraction

[skeetstar]

Folks apols if this is getting boring, there seems to be a plethora of dust threads at the mo.

I am a hobby carpenter, my workshop is brick built garage. I try to do most work with hand tools, but I do use a cross cut saw, jigsaw and router, as well as sanders, when the need arises. Of late I have been sanding down reclaimed floor boards to make a desk. I try to do all my sanding outdoors, and I wear a mask, with filter cartridges. I reckon I work with timber a day a week on average, and use power tools for 60 mins max during the day.

Anyway, when sanding the reclaimed boards outdoors, the exhaust port on the sander looked as if it was emitting smoke, so thick was the dirt and wood dust coming off the boards. Even though I wore my mask, my beard (which adorns my attractively rugged features) won't allow a good seal and there was plenty of dust inside the mask, and that gave me cause to seriously reflect on how much value the mask actually was.

Two questions: would you folks recommend you that I use dust extraction? (Think I know the answer)
And do folks think something like the recorded dx1000 would a good solution, it would have to be nomadic in that it would have to be connected and disconnected regularly from my different tools.

Comments welcome.

 

[PAC1]

With those sort of fine dust emitting tools I would go for a power tool vacuum machine with power tool take off such as the Bosch, Makita, Festool, Nilfisk etc high powered vacuum extractor and would probably get one rated class M rather than L. A bit more than the DX 1000 but ithey are designed for the tools.

 

[sunnybob]

Any mask is better than no mask. even 50% protection is better than zero. But 50% wont save your lungs, thats for sure.

If you can always work outside when its messy, and your dust isnt causing danger to others nearby (next to a school playground for instance) get yourself a battery powered full face self contained system like the trend airshield pro.

Other than that, you need to buy a DECENT extraction system.

 

[John15]

Your beard may not be allowing your mask to get a good seal.

John

 

[skeetstar]

Folks, thanks for responses.

Yep beard won't help with seal on face but I don't think shape and size of mask helps much either.

Looked at M class vacs was surprised at the difference in price between them and the L class... still don't want anything that would initiate lung problems so will bite the bullet. Looked at the usual suspects. Festool and Makita most expensive, De Walt and Bosch about the cheapest. Was thinking I might go for the Bosch.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/bosch-gas-35 ... tor-503843

Anyone got a view as to whether this is a good machine?

Also I have a variety of tools that allow extraction, mostly Festool, (I Know, why don't I get the Festool vac?) and Makita. Will I have to buy a heap of adapters to make the Bosch attach to various tools?

Any input, as usual, much valued.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Given your usage profile, is very little time while actually at risk but it's high risk when it occurs, I'm inclined to think a powered respirator would be more portable and more flexible

Certainly comparable if not better on price. Down side would be it won't help with tools that need extraction at source to function properly like the Domino

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

But forgot to mention that they do generally cope with beards

 

[PAC1]

If you do go down the Bosch route, I have several of their extractors but not that one. The hose does attach to Festool very well and of you take the rubber end connector off will attach to Dewalt. I do not have any Makita so cannot comment

 

[Jacob]

I've got a Trend T30 http://www.trenddirectuk.com/t31a-class ... actor.html
It's really good with hand electric tools - sander etc and doubles up as a vacuum cleaner.

 

[shed9]

I'm also of the bearded variety and use a 3M 7500 type mask with really good results in that I never get obvious dust on the inside. I appreciate some will get through but it's worked out better than others I have used. The 7500 is a down port so it doesn't mist up eye protection either.

That said I do use source extraction (Festool variety) whenever I can. I would get yourself a suitable extractor and adapt / buy any additional requirements to fit your tools as you go along - I suspect you should be good with most branded vacs though.

 

[PAC1]

I have two of these http://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/bosch-g ... Gwodal4L0g

 

[skeetstar]

Folks, thanks for all the comments. The benefit of your experience is really useful.
I thought about the mask, it'd probably solve the beard problem but won't stop dust getting on my clothes and coating the surfaces in the workshop, to be churned up later when I move timber, tools etc.

So I reckon I will go with the Vac extractor. Should allow me to work inside in the winter, and keep the garage relatively clean.Good to hear that the Bosch interface will suit Festool, though I'll probably just end up getting whatever they have in stock providing, as someone said, it is one of the branded ones.

Thanks again, and really appreciate the input.

 

[MattRoberts]

I'm pretty conscious of dust, given that my shop consists of a single car garage, and I tend to keep the door closed to avoid annoying the neighbours.

I have a pretty cheap solution of a titan vac from Screwfix (the one with a power socket on it that starts the vac when you start your tool). I also have a dust commander cyclone attached. Whilst cyclones aren't great at catching very fine dust from sanders, I have the dust bag in the vac, as well as the vac's own filter, giving me three stages of dust filtration. It picks up the vast majority of dust from heavy sanding sessions, and my dust mask (trend air ace) will cover anything else. All of that my probably came to about £150.

 

[skeetstar]

Folks, just to close the loop, I bought a Bosch m class. Fits festool,no problem, need some adapters for my makita kit. Any ideas on where I could get some?

So far so good. Includes some domestic Hoover type accessories that will never get used, but real bugbear is that it doesn't even include a single bag to get you going! Overall quite pleased, and really like the technology that starts the vac when you start the tool, that is new to my experience.

 

[LancsRick]

Amazon and eBay have all manner of plastic adaptors that should suit your needs.

 

[PAC1]

I use these http://www.axminster.co.uk/numatic-step ... cer-610325 but I am sure they never used to be that much! Also the rubber end on your Bosch hose unscrews (I think the wrong way round). If you take the rubber piece off the plastic threaded piece fits some Dewalt kit just as a tight push fit. Not sure if that was by design or a happy accident.

 

[Shrubby]

To convert from a German standard hose to Makita I use two fittings, It's worth having both:
Makita 192349-3
Bosch 1 600 499 005

Matt

 

[RossJarvis]

Very few tools are actually any good attached to extraction systems, I'd say that only Mirka and Festool out of the common bunch are regularly any good as they are specifically designed for low dust levels. So for most cases use a mask. If you are a bearer of ornate facial hair it is unlikely you'll find any masks that'll work unless they are helmet type and enclose the head.

 

[skeetstar]

Thanks pac and shrubby, I'm sure I'll get something useable with that info. RJ, most of my dust making kit is festool, I have a makita cross cut saw, and given the way it sprays dust out of the exhaust port, I am pretty sure it will be ok with the vac.

Again, thanks all for input.