When did you last wash the filter bag on your extractor?

[cambournepete]

If like me, the answer is "never", then I urge you to do so.
Finally washed mine yesterday and now my chip collector works like new.
I couldn't believe what an improvement it made!
I did it by hand - several rinses and then a little soap and more rinsing - so SWMBO doesn't need to worry about the washing machine
I shall certainly wash it more than once every 12 (approx) years from now on...

 

[Lons]

Thanks for the tip Pete
Mine's at least the same age as yours - never crossed my mind.

Was that a "wake up in the middle of the night eureka" thought?

:-k Wonder if I can persuade the missus do do mine at the weekend

Bob

 

[Chems]

Washed the RSDE one before I sold it. My chip extractor has a cartridge, and I beat that often.

 

[cambournepete]

Was that a "wake up in the middle of the night eureka" thought?

More of a mid-evening "how full's that plastic bag getting? Oh, that'll restrict the air flow, blimey the filter bag looks dirty I wonder if it's worth cleaning" moment.

 

[jack]

i have just acquired one 2nd hand,, although in great nic,, my thoughts wereof washing it,, worse half can't complain about it in washing machine, as that where i clean my paint rollers,, in a rinse cycle , they come out great.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I rurn mine inside out a vac it makes loads on difference, but I might try washing it. Did you do it in the sink? of would the bath be a better place?

Pete

 

[cambournepete]

I used the wash basin in the downstairs loo - it was big enough and saved taking a dusty bag upstairs.

 

[Lons]

worse half can't complain about it in washing machine, as that where i clean my paint rollers,, in a rinse cycle , they come out great.

:-k And you're still alive ! and she hasn't left you yet ?

I wouldn't get away with that :lol:

Bob

 

[CHJ]

Just remember that as the airflow improves the fine dust filter factor reduces somewhat, especially if using a soap or detergent with anti static additives.

May not be a factor dependant upon your personal protection and location of the extractor (outside the shop for instance)

 

[ondablade]

Hi Pete, sorry to be a pain and bring this up (i'm sounding like a preacher) - but per GHJ the price of washing almost all standard bags seems to be that it leaves them recirculating most of the fines back into the air in your workshop.

The story seems to be that they rely heavily on cake build up to season them, and that until that happens they blow dust everywhere. http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/DCBasics.cfm When washed or beaten they get worse, as it reportedly opens up the pores and causes other subtler problems.

Most bags are anyway far too coarse to filter properly (to any medically useful standard), because if they are fine enough to catch the dangerous invisible dust then (being of small area) they blind too quickly without a cyclone or whatever means of prior dust separation.

On the other hand most small bag filter units rely on this open weave to shift enough air to function even lift chips properly, never mind capture fine dust at machines. i.e. you've a choice of either not moving enough air to do the job, or recirculating the fines into the shop....

 

[Steve Maskery]

I've no wish to rain on your parade, but I believe that manufacturers do not recommend washing as it destroys the electrostatic characteristics of the bag which are an important factor in its filtration operation.

Having said that, mine is filthy and I might do just that...
S

 

[cambournepete]

Good points about recirculating the dust - my extractor is outside my garage in a purpose designed mini-shed within my garden shed, with separate door to the outside and ventilation though the floor

 

[rjb]

Hi,

I vacuum my filters occasionally and they seem to keep working ok, but I was wondering if I should replace them. I have an Airshield and a Camvac and I believe the manufacturers recommend replacing the filters frequently, but they're not cheap and it seems like an unnecessary expense all the while they appear to be working ok. The airshield has a flowmeter to check airflow is sufficient and this appears ok after more than a year of frequent use with mdf etc. I'd be interested to know what others think..

Richard.

 

[ondablade]

Good going Pete. I've no background in this area, i'm just reporting what's come up as a result of my digging about while planning my own dust system.

One of the problems with this topic seems to be that so much of what has been regarded as standard (even good) practice in the field of woodworking dust collection seems actually to have been highly dubious from a health point of view.

The situation is worsened by the fact that the unlike in industry hobby and DIY systems are largely unregulated, with the result (as in the case of most DIY woodworking equipment) that misleading claims abound.

The focus historically has been chip collection (i.e. keeping the workplace tidy), but unfortunately it seems this needs far less air flow than does maintaining a large enough low pressure volume around the point where the dust is produced to capture it. (i.e. at the cutting edge/machine hood)

One reason we have such difficulty in perceiving that there is a problem is (a) that the dangerous dust particles are invisible. The smallest particle we can see is around 40 microns. The dangerous (respirable) variety that get past our defences are it seems between 10 and a fraction of a micron in size.

It's also the case:
(b) that barring allergy issues it usually takes years of exposure for symptoms to develop.

Here's a link from a Penn State University training programme on respirable dust safety for the coal mining industry that sets out the story on small particles: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... clnk&gl=ie

There's more on Bill Pentz's site, the same perspectives seem from web searches to be set out in woodwork and other industry safety programmes in Europe and the UK as well.

No lights, shiny surfaces, mirrors or the like make the small particles visible. The only method of testing filter function and air quality in this regard that i've seen is a dust particle counter. Bill Pentz' page and/or the Clear Vue cyclones site mentions one made by Dylos that has recently brought the price of these instruments within range of the DIY guy.