Those cut price SIP air filters

[graduate_owner]

Hi everyone.
In a previous thread I mentioned I was buying 2 SIP air filters from ebay. Well they came today, so I plugged them in to see that they worked, and they seem fine. The only thing is they are marked as 750 Watt whereas the picture on ebay shows 1000 Watt, but for £25 each, I'm not complaining.

Buying these has made me think about the whole dust issue, so I've decided to complete the dust extraction set up, getting blast gates etc sorted, and making a shroud for my mitre saw which spews out enormous amounts of dust. My shed floor and surfaces always have layers of sawdust on them, and I don't yet have a stationary sander. So it's get some more dust extraction kit, then have a really good clean up, and away to go.

I also have a magazine article on making your own fine dust extractor using vacuum cleaner motors, and I'm thinking that may be the answer to dust collection from my intended sander. I have collected about 5 vacuum cleaners so far - all working but rejects from their homes for various reasons (broken wheels etc). I use one with my portable belt sander and one with my band saw. The rest I'm thinking to dismantle. I was wondering whether to fit a commercial fine dust filter after the usual cloth filters to ensure really fine dust is trapped - not the big, pricey ones though - Not much point saving money by making a dust collector then shelling out £250 for a filter.

The only other thing then will be a dust collection chute for the lathes, but I don't yet know what to use to power this. I was wondering if an ordinary extractor fan fitted into the window with some ducting to the lathe would do. I have a 9" fan in the shed at the moment, so I'm thinking of some sort of ducting to go with that. The dust that goes outside will not affect anyone else (nearest neighbour is hundreds of yards away).

Does anyone have any experience of extractor fans for dust removal? I don't want to set things up and then find it was doomed to be a complete waste of time from the start. Any opinions?

K

 

[Baldhead]

Mine came about the same time, I haven't opened it yet.

BH

 

[graduate_owner]

I wonder if a car's air filter would be any good for fine dust?

K

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The big problem with your dust going out through an extractor is that your workshop heat goes with it.

 

[Grahamshed]

I have brought a bigisn 750 cubic meters an hour extractor fan just to try and get rid of ome of the airborne dust that the microclene doesn't get and the improvement in the air quality in the workshop is quite noticeable. I was also concerned about losing heat in the winter so I have mounted it in a piece of plywood that fits into the window frame when the window is open.
Not sure if I will use it in the winter yet. I will see how it goes.

 

[Myfordman]

Beware vacuum cleaner motors. They are nowhere near continuously rated - possibly no more than 10minutes at a time.

 

[No skills]

I have considered the salvaged hoover path for some dust extraction for a little while but have decided against it, especially considering a basic extractor can be had on evilbay for less than a ton (around the 140 mark gets you something with an induction motor that will be a fair bit quieter).

FWIW

 

[Baldhead]

Hi everyone.
In a previous thread I mentioned I was buying 2 SIP air filters from ebay. Well they came today, so I plugged them in to see that they worked, and they seem fine. The only thing is they are marked as 750 Watt whereas the picture on ebay shows 1000 Watt, but for £25 each, I'm not complaining.

K

graduate_owner

The right-up about the said they were 100w and this is one of the pictures of the one on eBay showing they are 75w.

BH

 

[graduate_owner]

Regarding my earlier posts -
1. apparently car air filters can filter down to 1 micron, but these are the oil bath ones which are claimed to be able to filter out finer dust than the normal,ones, so I guess the normal ones would not be up to the job.

2. vacuum cleaner motors apparently would burn out rapidly without the howling gale going through them to keep them cool. Although I did connect one of mine to my Bosch multitool while sanding - it really got seriously hot because there was not enough breeze going through, but it didn't burn out. I may still have a go at this, but I am a bit concerned about the durability (and the noise), as has been pointed out.

3. The SIP /Microclene air filters I've just bought - there is no documentation in either package. That means no instruction manual, which isn't an issue, but also there's no guarantee card or mention of guarantee period. Also no mention of guarantee in the ebay advert. Just thought I'd mention that in case they advertise a new batch.

K

 

[=Adam=]

Could you post a link to these on ebay please?

 

[Baldhead]

Hi Adam

The seller has sold out.

BH

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I don't know if this is relevant but earlier this week I saw a program that drew attention to fake Stil chainsaws that were being sold over here, (linked back to a branch of the Mafia). They had several safety hazard issues and were not fit for purpose. I appreciate the safety issues of an air filter may not be so obvious in the first place but if these filters were fakes who is to say to what level they are filtering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf-unuPGifM

As I say I don't know if the filters are actually fakes but it did make me think.

Regards Mick

 

[Mike.C]

Hi

I don't know if this is relevant but earlier this week I saw a program that drew attention to fake Stil chainsaws that were being sold over here, (linked back to a branch of the Mafia). They had several safety hazard issues and were not fit for purpose. I appreciate the safety issues of an air filter may not be so obvious in the first place but if these filters were fakes who is to say to what level they are filtering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf-unuPGifM

As I say I don't know if the filters are actually fakes but it did make me think.

Regards Mick

Strange one this
£25 on ebay,
£318 on http://www.amazon.co.uk/SIP-T1000-Air-F ... B009ZOUFWU
£120 on http://www.twwholesale.co.uk/product.php/sn/SIP06899
£183 on http://www.goodtimber.com/cgi-bin/build/brands/OSI.html
and SIP themselves want £27 alone for replacement filter for the T1000 http://www.sipuk.co.uk/workshop-sip/sip ... ilter.html

You may have got a bargain but if as graduate_owner says that there is no documentation with the item I would at least give SIP a ring and give them the serial number to see if they are genuine. It could be that this guy bought a job lot of bankrupt stock. Sorry I am not trying to put a dampener on your purchase, just looking out for fellow members.

Cheers

Mike

 

[graduate_owner]

They certainly could be fake units, I think I'll contact SIP with the serial number as suggested just to check. The units state 'made for SIP by Microclene' but that could quite easily be copied from original units, just as the rest of the nameplate and labels.

It's a scary thought when you think you are buying decent stuff (like those fake deWalt drills a while ago) and you really end up with Chinese rubbish. Even worse of course when the items lack safety features as well.

K

 

[Mike.C]

They certainly could be fake units, I think I'll contact SIP with the serial number as suggested just to check. The units state 'made for SIP by Microclene' but that could quite easily be copied from original units, just as the rest of the nameplate and labels.

It's a scary thought when you think you are buying decent stuff (like those fake deWalt drills a while ago) and you really end up with Chinese rubbish. Even worse of course when the items lack safety features as well.

K

It could also be that the ebay ones are older models because if you look at the pictures, they are slightly different, the ebay one having "Trade" on it and the vents are different. And although the ebay model claims to be suitable for a 75 cubic metre workshop, the ones in the link state they will clear 750 cubic metres.

Cheers

Mike

 

[Halo Jones]

and SIP themselves want £27 alone for replacement filter for the T1000

This is just a case of you will pay what you will pay. All the other sites want about £6 for the replacement microclene equivalents.

The only paperwork in my box was instruction to check the filter every month. Anything bought "as new" will automatically have a 1 year gurantee (assuming it is genuine!). I have had mine nearly 6 months now and it is still quiet and going strong. I am just glad I didn't spend several hundred pounds on it!

 

[graduate_owner]

Well I've looked for a serial number but there's nothing, so it's going to be a case of use it anyway and see how it goes. I'm not looking on the dark side.

K

 

[Baldhead]

and SIP themselves want £27 alone for replacement filter for the T1000

Anything bought "as new" will automatically have a 1 year gurantee (assuming it is genuine!).

I have contacted SIP, they are genuine SIP extractors.
Guarantee period is 1 month, this is from the seller.

HTH

Baldhead

 

[imageel]

As far as I can tell if, as per the other thread regarding these SIP filters being equivalent to the Microlene MC780 - Halo Jones comment https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/workshop-air-filter-t72222.html then

http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/Health___Safety/Dust_Extraction/Microclene/microclene.html

shows that replacement filters are only £5.95, although VAT and p&p more than doubles that unless you are ordering other stuff at the same time.
Still miles cheaper than the SIP part,

Ed

 

[Baldhead]

I bought one of these filters and have checked with SIP to make sure they are not cheap copies.

SIP have confirmed they are genuine although they are old stock, I also contacted the seller to point out the mistakes in the description, however he is still listing them as 100w instead of 75w.

Regarding the guarantee, the seller guarantees the units for 1 month, SIP do not guarantee these, should a unit fail after 1 month then the only recourse is to use the 'Sale of Goods Act' and or 'Distance Selling Regs', but due to the price (£29.99) it's probably not worth the hassle.

If anyone is interested the seller has list these on eBay again.

HTH

By the way I have nothing to do with the seller.

Baldhead