Thread: Workshop Layout Any Ideas Suggestions

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

groeneaj did you not have a Felder technician who set you up and instructed you how to configure and use the machine?

I live only 15 minutes from Felder HQ, maybe that has been in my favour.

I will take some photos.

The machines were delivered and set up by the technician. I honestly can't remember if they went through the set up of the bandsaw (it's been almost 5 years since I took delivery). They may have advised to have the blade running in the centre of the wheel? I spent a couple of hours at the start of the year adjusting and tuning everything up, but I still don't think it's running as well as it should.
I'll set it up like yours and see how I go.

What blade are you using?

I had a Makita re-saw bandsaw at one time and the wheel was approximately 1 1/4" wide and the blades that came with it were 1 1/2 and 2" wide. The teeth overhung the front of the wheel like your Feldor. I also used it for narrower blades and once under 1" they had to ride on the centreline of wheel or they wouldn't track. If you plan on playing with any narrow blades you will likely need to do the same. I don't know the saw is meant for anything other than re-saw work.

You're putting together a very nice playground set. I'm a little envious.

Pete

The electrician came tonight and connected all the machines to the power.

The bandsaw is quiet it only makes a noise on start up for a second as the motor gets up to speed and when the electrical brake kicks in to slow stop the blade which stops in about 3 seconds. I tried taking some quick cuts to the see how it handles. Here is what I got a strip that is exactly a uniform 1.3mm thick, nothing special just the first cut I made to see if I could make a thin cut.

IMG_5386.jpg


All of the machines are quiet enough so that I can have a conversation with the sparky while using any of the machines.

I ran a piece of un-plane-able Blackwood with fiddle back and extremely steep switchback grain the spiral cutter head just laughed at it shaved its ass smooth.

The dust extractor is effective, no dust escapes even on this Felder smallest dusty. I have ordered 12 meters of ducting at 400mm diameter it should arrive next week. I spoke to the Felder rep and he says my idea for modifying the dusty is a good idea and should work well. I will post an update.

I turned on the dusty and the combo and then closed the garage door. Inside the house, you can hear a sound like a vacuum cleaner running not bad, much less noisy than a circular saw or lawn mower you often hear coming from the neighbours.

It's night time and I will test the machines fully tomorrow - however, I must say I am impressed. I made the right choice.

That's great news about the sound levels which should give you peace of mind WRT the neighbours and you own hearing as well.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

I have ordered 12 meters of ducting at 400mm diameter it should arrive next week. I spoke to the Felder rep and he says my idea for modifying the dusty is a good idea and should work well. I will post an update. e.

400 mm ducting ??? - at that size the air speed will be too slow and the chips will fall out of suspension before they get to the DC!

The dust extractor is effective, no dust escapes even on this Felder smallest dusty.

Folks on these forums are making these sorts of claim without realising that the human eye simply cannot see dust that is less than ~10 microns in size..
So instead of saying "No dust" , all they can really say is "no visible dust" or "no chips" which is relatively unimportant in terms of health implications.

The only way they check is using a particle counter or report back in a few weeks time and tell us how much dust has settled out of the air onto surfaces. Remember it only takes a 16th of a soft drink container cap of dust to send an average DIY shed over the limit.

400mm ducting.. is that right, or do you mean 140mm?

Im primary going for the AF16, as it allows the polyester drum filter, that is M class (c category) to be installed instead of the cloth bag filter

I have no option to run it outside in my industrial unit, so its the better option for me ATM.

I made no claim that the dusty removes all particles down to 0.000000000000000000000001 microns. All I am saying is that there was no chips, dust or fragments to be found on the beds, the cutters or adjacent surfaces.

For me that is good enough I am want to make things not discuss particle physics.

Of course I not going to be putting 400mm ducting going to the dust extractor.

As people have mentioned the needle bag filter do not capture the super fine dust, this dust escapes the bag and fills the workshop. So the standard advice given is to build a cabinet to house the dusty and to run a large ducting from the cabinet to the outside of the workshop.

Source of Dust > 120mm ducting > dust extractor > neddle bag filter > cabinet > large ducting 400mm > outside workshop

So I thought about it and I came up with a simpler solution I remove the needle bag filter and connect 400mm ducting to where the needle bag filter was this will channel the fine dust via the displacement of air down the large 400mm ducting and out of the workshop.

Source of Dust > 120mm ducting > dust extractor > large 400mm ducting > outside workshop

I discussed the idea with the Felder engineer and he said that it will work. Again good enough for me.

Screen Shot 2017-06-02 at 9.00.27 pm.jpg

Thats a really good idea, i see were the 400mm comes into play, i can see that working.

Just make sure the neighbours washing is off the line when using the DC
Actually, I've been thinking along the same lines but passing it through a large box/collector between my shed and the brick fence. I'm still to try the Wok in the DC separator base which is supposed to reduce the dust going into the filter bag by keeping it in the lower plastic bag..

Lappa I think a small box on the end of the 400mm ducting may be a good idea.

I do not understand what you are saying here:

Originally Posted by Lappa

I'm still to try the Wok in the DC separator base which is supposed to reduce the dust going into the filter bag by keeping it in the lower plastic bag..

I would like to be proven wrong but I believe you still need a filter bag before or after the 400mm ducting. The reason is if you have ever been beside a dusty when a bag blows off you would see that almost everything being sucked into the machine will come out of the opening and almost nothing will go into the remaining bags. All the dust and chips will go out the 400mm duct with some of the chips settling in the duct and the rest of the dust blowing out the end. The upside is you won't have to empty your dusty bag very often.

Pete

Pete - In bed last night I was thinking about a similar thing.

I am thinking of keeping the filter bag in its place and then running the 400 mm large ducting over the outside - one inside the other. My reason is that it should reduce the quantity fine dust that escapes into the large ducting. But now it seems that it will do even more.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

I made no claim that the dusty removes all particles down to 0.000000000000000000000001 microns. All I am saying is that there was no chips, dust or fragments to be found on the beds, the cutters or adjacent surfaces.
For me that is good enough I am want to make things not discuss particle physics.

So lets call a spade a spade and not a trowel or a spatula
It's not particle physics, its just a common misconception about wood dust that needs to be addressed.
What is seen is not what is thought to occur and what is seen has minimal health effects.

If you are not concerned about fine dust why are you bothering with the 400 mm ducting.

Your proposal to put a 400 mm duct over the top of the bag largely misses the point about capturing dust that always emanates from conventional bag type DCs.

The only time period over which ducting over the top bag will do anything useful is while the top bag is being conditioned - this can take anywhere from hours to days depending on the activity, frequency, wood dust load and type of wood. If the filter is made properly as it should be, it will build up dust inside itself and semi seal the filter from losing fine dust. If you only do a few short cuts here and there it will take days to achieve bag conditioning. Meanwhile fine dust gets though the filter and into the shed. The way to rapidly condition the filter is to put a bucket or two of sawdust in the bottom bag and put the DC outside and run it continuously for an hour or two. This will swirl the duct in the bottom bag and generate large amounts of fine dust which will rapidly condition the top bag.

Dust collectors leak from everywhere on the pressurised side of the DC. The filter and collection bag clamps will leak no matter how well made or sealed they are. The collection bag has chips swirling around in it and over time will wear holes in that bag. This is why its better to put the whole DC outside or inside an enclosure and vent that outside.

If you slide the ducting over the bag is there room between the bag and the duct for the air to pass by on its way to the outside? Otherwise it would act like a plug. You might end up having to make a box to put the bag section or the whole dusty in anyway with the big ducting going outside. It will make it quieter in the workshop if that's any kind of inducement.

Pete

Originally Posted by QC Inspector

If you slide the ducting over the bag is there room between the bag and the duct for the air to pass by on its way to the outside? Otherwise it would act like a plug. You might end up having to make a box to put the bag section or the whole dusty in anyway with the big ducting going outside. It will make it quieter in the workshop if that's any kind of inducement.

Good point about the 400mm ducting acting like a plug. There needs to be at least 50 mm clearance all the way around the outside of the filter to allow for air flow.