Thread: Fix-a-Roo's New Workshop

Welcome NRue. Love your shed.

Originally Posted by NRue

Dust Extraction:
Thinking about running 100mm PVC pipe to all the machines with automatic blast gates at each junction to machines along the main line - would appreciate some advice here (have watched countless youtube videos and am a little confused on the best approach)

The current state of DC these days for a shed of your size is to
Locate Dust collector outside a shed - as well as getting rid of the noise, most DCs leak at some stage and you never know when it happens and just fills you shed with fine dust
Use a minimum of 150 mm (not 100mm) ducting to all your machines - 100 mm ducting just does not carry enough air.
Open up all dust ports on machines to make full use of the 150 mm ducting.

In terms of dust collection, forget youtube, there are way too many headless bunnies running round there that haven't got a clue what they are doing. You simply cannot use your eyes to make decisions about wood dust control.

Someone that does know what he is talking about is Bill Pentz - look here: Dust Collection Research - Home
Plus we have our very own Dust forum where you will get heaps of ideas that work and some have been tested with dust particle meters.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f200

thanks so much, this was just the advice I was hoping to get. One of the reasons I chose the Laguna P-Flux was that it uses a Hepa Filter (not a bag) which I am hoping will mean a cleaner work environment - also thinking of putting in air filtration as well

Originally Posted by NRue

thanks so much, this was just the advice I was hoping to get. One of the reasons I chose the Laguna P-Flux was that it uses a Hepa Filter (not a bag) which I am hoping will mean a cleaner work environment - also thinking of putting in air filtration as well

I would still locate the DC outside, then you can remove your HEPA filter completely as what gets past the cyclone will be a tiny fraction of the total dust and will be invisible. Then you will never have to clean a filter and you will get improved air flow and dust collection.

To add to what Bob said if you do use 6" ducting and open the machine ports to accommodate the extra airflow there would be no need for air filtration boxes hung from the ceiling because virtually nothing would escape to be filtered. A couple vent fans at the top of the shed exhausting outside would be better than the filtration box. If you did put the DC outside and pulled the HEPA filter from it, the filter could be used in a self built filtration box of your own making if you really felt you had to have one.

Nice shed. My shop is 60% as big and I'll admit to a little space envy.

Pete

Thanks Pete. Just to clarify what you and Bob said, when you talk about opening the machine ports, are you guys saying I shouldn't put blast gates in but run the whole system open all the time? For vent fans are you referring to whirlybirds or powered vents?

Noel

no, opening the machine ports means turning the 100mm typical opening into something that will accept the 150mm connector instead.

Originally Posted by poundy

no, opening the machine ports means turning the 100mm typical opening into something that will accept the 150mm connector instead.

Just to be clear here, (although its a better than nothing option as a first step) it's not just adapting the typical 100 mm size machine ports to 150 mm ducting using some kind of ducting adapter but actually opening up the ports on the machines themselves.

This may even mean getting out an angle grinder and cutting holes in machinery, "Well I'm not going to do that!" is a common response and I can understand that especially on new machines which are still under warranty. However there are often ways and means to get around this on some machines. It is sometimes possible to remove an entire machine cabinet panel and replace it with another (even on made out of MDF) with a 150 mm port cut into it.

Dust capture from Mitre saws is improved by extraction direct from the saw AND surrounding the back of the saw from behind with a half cabinet and attaching the cabinet to a 150 mm duct.

Bandsaw just have to have the air flow robbing gratings removed from their ports and have 2 or 3x 100mm ducts sucking at the same time on teh machine

NRue, Look around on the dust forum and you will get heaps of ideas.
Here's one to while away an hour or two on.
Improving machine cabinet dust ports

You will still need blast gates.

Welcome to the forum Noel.

awesome thanks Bob appreciate you taking the time to guide me down the right road

thank you

Welcome. If it was me I would insulate and line the shed and have all wiring on top of the lining sheet material, in conduit so that it would be easy to alter the wiring anytime in the future.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Hi all...its been a while since I have posted an update, work and life has gotten in the way but I thought it was high time I shared some updated pics of the workshop. I have just completed a small extension as space was getting a bit tight after the addition of some new machines. I still haven't finished fitting out the space, work has been incredibly busy and conflicting projects have limited my time but I am slowly getting there. Happy to answer any questions anyone may have that is currently embarking on a new shed build / upgrade based on my experiences over the last 3 years...

Hope everyone is staying safe!

Cheers

Noel

IMG_20210805_120317.jpgIMG_20210805_120329.jpgIMG_20210815_175008.jpgIMG_20210821_170602.jpgIMG_20210821_170612.jpgIMG_20210821_170623.jpgIMG_20210821_170634.jpg

Looks fantastic. Envious.

I'm in a double car garage with limited ceiling height. Dream of a shed I don't have to move stuff around constantly / trip over bits of project

thanks its been a long journey will be glad when its finally done... I know what that's like - working out of a double garage is hard work, I hated having to pack up to make room for the cars at the end of the work day