Dust Extraction for School Workshop

[Chris Parker]

Can anyone recomend a contact for getting a fixed dust extraction system put in our school workshop?

It is a small workshop:

Two lathes
Table saw
Bandsaw
Thicknesser
Two disc sanders
Drop saw
etc

We currently have those twin bag systems attached to each machine and they are next to useless! More dust seems to come out of them when you switch them on compared to what you are about to make.

Any suggestions/recomendations. Having not set up such a system before, I have no idea where to begin.

Yours in learning with and through wood,

Chris
:confused:

[craigb]

Chris,

You need Mr Dust Extraction himself Wayne Davey. :)

Try his site:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/waynedavy/

or do a search using the word "cyclone" on this forum or the hand tool and machinery forum.


Cheers
Craig

[Rocker]

If you get the two cloth bags of your dust collectors replaced by a pleated cartidge filter and a plastic dust-collecting lower bag, you will find that your dust collectors work far better. I have a 1 hp Jet dust collector, eqipped with a pleated cartridge which has a revolving brush to dislodge the dust from the inside of the cartridge filter. It works brilliantly. But if you have the funds to install a ducted system complete with cyclone, that may be the way to go.

[echnidna]

Even a cyclone won't trap all the dust.
Commercial joinery shops generally have their dust extractors and exhausts outside the main building thus avoiding major dust problems in the workshop.

[DarrylF]

Chris,

Ideally you need to build a ducted system, preferably locating the dust extractor(s) outside the workshop itself. The best systems will not trap all the dust, and ideally less noise is always better.

Pleated cartidges with plastic bottom bags will make a world of difference to the DC's you have - if you do nothing else, do that.

This is the best site I've found for design & setup info:
http://cnets.net/~eclectic/woodworking/cyclone/DC4Dummies.cfm

Also definitely worth having a look at: http://www.airhand.com/designing.asp - they have some good, useful, clear info on designing a ducting system.

Not sure I believe all the hype about cyclones to be honest :) My Jet DC1100CK with cartridge filter does an absolutely brilliant job, and all it took was set it up & plug it in.

[Daniel]

Chris

The school I work at has a fairly good dust extraction system but still not perfect, so I would get some professional design advice before making the big plunge on the budget.

Actually I was thinking of adding a secondary system, maybe a smaller cyclone or the drum/bag combination which would allow me to attach the smaller items like disc sanders, routers ect.

The reason for the secondary system is because the main system makes a lots of noise when running, this might be worth considering as well.

I have attached some photo's of the system at work. Not many secondary schools in Victoria would have this sort of gear. Sorry about the shot of the cyclone, that is the best I have at the moment.

Daniel

[Grue]

Hi Chris,

If you are in a Govt. School they are required to provide a dust system and there's a whole lot of Workcover related stuff going on about dust collection, and Illnesses from dust. The Department would be required to fix the problem, not the schools budget

Daniel's great pics are how most? Govt schools are set up. They even have a standard system for demountables.

If you're with a private school, Darryl's given you the good oil.

Grue

[soundman]

check out filtration fabrics (as they are known in brisbane) in your state they do ducting & all sorts of stuff they also make needle felt replacement bags.

or the woodman group in your state. they love to sell ducting systems to schools $$$$.