Thread: Dust Extractor Experiance

Simon,

It's good netiquette to search the forum(s) for answers before posting a question

eg. see http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=12260

And there are many other posts too.

in my small 17x8 workshop I use 1 shopvac for table saw,
1 shopvac for RAS,
1 hanging bag type which is used for planer thick and bandsaw.
Also use hanging microclene filter fore airborne dust. may sound a lot but the two shop vacs are built under the benches and dont get in the way.
The microclene really works well.
beejay1

Simon, you'll get a better response if you post your question in the correct forum. having said that, I agree with rsser, do a search and you'll be have enough reading material for the rest of this year.

Sorry folks - seem to have touched a nerve.

Hands must be thinking faster than brain!

I will have a trawl around and come back if there are specific issues.

Best regards
Simon.

We forgive you, you're a Pom afterall, so you can't help it.

Cheers.

And we're just ex-cons; specific issues with a 5 minute timeframe we can just about handle ;-)

You're right Simon, you do seem to have touched a nerve. I don't know what the "correct forum" is for your question. If it's Hand Tools and Machinery then all the threads in Woodturning forum that have very specific questions about chisels and lathes (which are hand tools and machinery) should get the same treatment. For some reason they don't. I think dust extraction is germaine to the entire area of woodworking so I think General Woodworking is just as good as Hand Tools and Machinery.

Maybe it's about time we had a forum dedicated to Dust Extraction. Failing that, there are 261 threads containing the words "dust extraction" or "cyclone" so if you have got a few hours you can trawl through them.

You are right about the twin bag system. I have a 1HP unit and it tends to blow some of the very fine dust through the bag and it would also tend to blow away any dust which settled on the outside of the bag. A more powerful unit in a small workshop would probably tend to blow the very fine dust back at you, which defeats the purpose of having it in the first place. You could enclose the unit in a corner of your workshop and install a cheap exhaust fan to vent the dust to the outside.
Like most people who buy one of these units I am keen to convert it to a cyclone but it's all about finding the time. Some of the pictures of cyclones people have built would tend to indicate that you don't need mechanical knowledge or a great deal of money.
Take a look at this thread. It mentions the venting of dust to outside and the use of water to control the dust. If my last trip back to England is anything to go by, you don't have any water restrictions there so it's an option for you to think about.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=11453

Could run it into the downpipes today, no water restriction problems :mad:

OK, now that we've established all of the above:

Originally Posted by Simon-UK

Could I ask what your experiance has been with dust extractions systems.

Simon, I have a 1200 cfm unit with a plastic bag on the bottom and a filter on the top, usually connected to one machine at a time but if ever I finish the ducting it will hopefully power that system. You don't need anywhere near that for one machine directly connected. I also have an air filter which I run pretty much all the time.

From what I can see there are two basic types and everying after that seems to be variations on a theme: There is the fully enclosed 'bin' style extractor and then there is the 'twin bag' type with the rubbish bag on the bottom and a filter(?) on the top.

The twin bag filter does not filter down to a point where your lungs are protected. There are plenty of sites with information ; Bill Pentz's will give you everthing you need to know, plus enough to send you off in a cyclone building flurry.

My question is this. In a small workshop, (1 lathe, 1 bandsaw & 1 12" sander - all in use 1 at a time only) what are the issues to consider when making the choice. Does the twin bag type end up collecting dust on the outside when not in use and then launching it in the air when the top bag re-fills as it is turned on?

I would never use a bag filter, and even the pleated ones really need to be used with some care in a confined space, but they are better than nothing.

(I know I have ignored cyclone based units. I have assumed they are intended for larger workshops / professional set-ups. I may be wrong!!:confused: )

There are plenty of threads on this forum which detail mini cyclones powered by vacuum cleaners. At the end of the day, if you want clean air, as opposed to just chip collection, you may consider building one of the appropriate scale for your dust collector, (details for construction are available free on the Pentz site.


Regards,

P

Originally Posted by rsser

Simon,

It's good netiquette to search the forum(s) for answers before posting a question

eg. see http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=12260

And there are many other posts too.

Hi RSSR

This is a discussion forum not an online library. By all means if Simon wishes to search then go for it. If he wishes to chat then chat away!!!. There are far more views on a subject other than those in the archives.

cheers

dazzler

Originally Posted by dazzler

Hi RSSR

This is a discussion forum not an online library. By all means if Simon wishes to search then go for it. If he wishes to chat then chat away!!!. There are far more views on a subject other than those in the archives.

cheers

dazzler

Dazzler, you haven't been on the forum for very long so you may not understand that there are certain questions that have been asked many many times, and have received good and thorough discussion. The purpose of directing a newbie to a search is so that they can have the benefit of the already lengthy disscussions on a given subject, and then ask for clarification on any particular point.
Then again you may not agree with this point, that is your right, then again you could always appoint yourself as the newbie "chat contact" and see how many times you are asked the same questions. Then you can tell us how long it takes you to start directing newcomers to the vast amount of information stored within this forum.

OK, soapbox put away. (For the time being)

Originally Posted by adrian

If my last trip back to England is anything to go by, you don't have any water restrictions there so it's an option for you to think about.

contrary to popular australian opinion water restrictions are regularly imposed in the UK during summer. Remember that the population of the uk is large on a small island so a little rain has to go a long way.

living in the london area it was illegal to use a hosepipe or sprinklers to water a garden for several summers in succession.

The local water company was reportedly using helicopters to identify anyone with a suspiciously green lawn and dobbing in your water hog neighbours was just as popular an occupation there as it is here. In extreme cases householders have been reduced to obtaining all household water from standpipes at the end of the road as the water company will cut off supply to homes to ensure that people can't waste it.

melbourne's stage 2 water restrictions are totally pathetic in comparison.

I've always found an informed question gets a more useful response, and reading prior posts helps to frame your question well so you don't have to come back and ask another one.

There are other net vehicles if people just want to chat.

An informed question can be both a heads-up to newbies ('hey, there are issues here I wasn't aware of') and a challenge to the more experienced ('hey, pple are doing different things to cope with the same problem; now I wonder why and whether their solution might be better than mine').

Well

definately a nerves been hit. I may be new to this forum however I have probably been surfing longer than most.

Heres the thing....on other forums the forum nazis slowly take over until it becomes a club simply for them where others are not really wanted. I would hate for that to happen here.

The thing is if it is so tiresome to left click on a link then dont bother. Save the 3 kilojoules and move on. Its not like simon was tricking anyone and then surprising them with the content.

It was plain for all to see that he was asking about dust extraction. If the subject is too upsetting, your time is to valuable or you are just sick to death of it then move on. This is 1.3 seconds of your life to read the title and another 2 or so to decide so live and let live.

I am rather passionate about this (obviously) as no one forces anyone to
A) view the thread or
B) respond

Sorry to be harsh about this but it is only an issue to those who make it one and they can simply show there annoyance by not reading it.

Welcome Simon!

I'm free to ask anything you want.......do you own a vw?

dazzler