Portable Ventilator/Extractor

[Aidex]

Hi Everyone!

It's been ages since I've been around and hope all is well with UKWorkshop and it's members!

I am really excited as this week I'm finally ordering (and hopefully getting!) my HVLP unit.

In preparation for this I was thinking of buying a portable blower/ventilator like this one:

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cam300- ... gLsM_D_BwE

I work in a front room of the house (until I build a garden workshop next year) and until then I'm thinking of using this for two main things:
1. To extract air while sawing, sanding, routing etc (in addition to at tool extraction)
2. To extract air and smells while spraying.

I know it's not ATEX rated and won't be using this with catalysed lacquers etc (although I've seen posts of decorators respraying kitchens in customers houses using AC lacquers and these same units :shock: ).

Before I splash out on this I was wondering if you thought it would be suitable for the above uses? Also, whether I could place a filter in front of the unit to pic up any wet mist (while spraying) to protect the machine (if so any recommendations gratefully received!!!). Do they do odour/fume filters too?

Looking forwards, I was wondering if I could use this as the fan/motor to run a small ducting system in my garden workshop something along these lines:
12" to 4" ducting - 4" cyclone - 4" ports on planer, thicknesser, etc? I'd exhaust to the outside so might be able to get away without any fine dust filters??? It's just that on spec it seems to move much more air than a lot of the chip collectors I've seen on the Axminster site.

As always, many thanks for all your help and advice...
Aidex

PS - I've read the posts on dust collection/extraction and that's what made me wonder if these could be used with the ducting, dust separation advice given there when I hopefully get my workshop built?

 

[MattRoberts]

It moves more air because that's exactly what it's designed to move - free flowing air. If you were to pollute that lovely free flowing air with a bunch of heavy chips and shavings, that small motor would likely splutter and die under the load

Not to mention that if your separator wasn't 100% efficient at separating chips and something got past it and into that impeller, it would probably shatter to bits.

I think you'd be better off looking at a proper chip extractor I'm afraid

No idea regarding the spraying side of things though - could be fine for that

 

[Aidex]

Haha. Sounds like a terrible idea all round! Although I might still get it to see if it helps clear the air from fine dust and spray mist.

Will definitely can this idea for dust extraction and look for a proper extractor when the time comes. Until then, any recommendations for a reasonably priced and powerful one (home workshop to incl bandsaw, small TS, router table, thicknesser/planer)? The area of the workshop will be about 30m2. An idea of realistic budget would probably help me listen at this stage (to start siphoning pennies without my wife noticing) :roll:

Many thanks again!!!

 

[MattRoberts]

More like a good idea but not feasible

If by your initial pay you're looking to use a separator and have ducting around your shop, I'd recommend a 2 or 3hp extractor. Axminster do the 2hp FM300 (£300) which is well rated and has the option of a fine dust filter. SIP do a 2hp or 3hp (£315) extractor too, or you can find a second hand extractor on ebay

 

[Aidex]

Many thanks Matt!

I'd definitely want to have a cyclone as part of the setup (I use a small one with the midi right now and am really happy with it).

Second hand is what I was hoping for ideally so thanks for that...I'll keep an eye out on eBay!

I don't think I'd have a need for it but out of interest, if you have single phase and are limited to 2-3hp collectors, is there any benefit to running 2+ collectors together. For example running 2 x 2hp collectors into a "Y" connector and then on to a cyclone, ducting, etc? Although I'd expect the air pressure to be the same would the volume of air moved be double a single machine (and so higher than a single 3hp collector) - albeit with a large power draw?

Thanks again!

 

[MattRoberts]

Unfortunately not - running extractors in parallel means that they will compete with each other for air. I read somewhere that you can run them in serial and get a small increase in airflow, but it's very inefficient.