Air Filtration Units..?

[Zac Altman]

My friend recently bought a laser which is good for me because it means that I can now use one more often. She is an artist and will be using it for various art related projects, so there will be a variety of materials...but not rubber.

She is in an isolated studio and doesnt have access to the outside, so she needs an air filtration unit. The laser is only small (16"x12" i think) and so what do I (well she, but I am helping her find one) have to look for when buying an air filtration unit? Really, what makes one filtration unit better than another?

Im looking at companies like BOFA, Purex, Laserex. Any comments on these.

[George Beck]

I got mine from Quarto. Here is a kink
http://www.laserfumeextractor.com/la...r-products.htm
George

[George Beck]

I meant Quatro.
oppps

[R. A. Mitchell]

I have a Purex. Noise and odors bothering neighbors was the main concern that lead me to this machine.

I spent a lot of time researching filtration systems, and the thing that bothered me most was that the systems that are marketed for laser engraving machines have lower CFM rates than manufacturers recommend. I struggled for a long time between overbuying a much more expensive machine that had the rated CFM, and getting the one that was "designed" for my machine. Ultimately, I went with a Purex that was marketed for my machine.

I've been happy so far. When I cut acrylic, there is less of an odor using the filtration system than when I was venting outside. I have cut a fair amount of Rowmark and wood, and they, too, are handled well by the filter. I'm usually running it at full bore, which is a little more than half of what the laser mfgr recommends. I also clean my machine pretty frequently. I'm also getting good life out of my filters. Of course, I'm not running it all of the time, either. At this point, 3 hours a day is pretty heavy for me, although I have had days running wood jobs that were 3 times that long.

[George Brown]

I too looked at the commercial units, and the ones that gave the rated flow rate were much too expensive. I built my own. It gives me the rated capacity, cost under $1000, and seems to be working very well, no smell when cutting wood or acrylic.

[Doug Bergstrom]

We use clean air systems Duster 2000. Works for both our laser and solvent printers. These units are not cheap. I would look into the laser manufacturers recommendation. I have seen some of these small laser units at the shows now that have a system that sits right underneath them. It looks like part of laser cabinet. They were really quiet and worked well.

[Randy Walker]

George I too an looking at building my own air filtration unit (I have a well euiped wood shop). Could you give me/us some pointers on what you did. What kind of fan did you use and what did you use for filtration. How big is it and is it mobil. How did you connect it to your laser and is it vented into the room. How noisy is it. What I am planning is a basic plywood cabinent and a 1hp fan from a dust collecter about 800cfm. Im not sure what to do about filtration.

[George Brown]

George I too an looking at building my own air filtration unit (I have a well euiped wood shop). Could you give me/us some pointers on what you did. What kind of fan did you use and what did you use for filtration. How big is it and is it mobil. How did you connect it to your laser and is it vented into the room. How noisy is it. What I am planning is a basic plywood cabinent and a 1hp fan from a dust collecter about 800cfm. Im not sure what to do about filtration.

I had a delta 1.5 hp dust collector that I did not use, so it was converted to supplying the suction for the air filter. Two four in lines from the laser to the plenum of the filter, air enters at 90 degrees to the filters. First set of filters is a cheapie from HD just to get the scraps of paper and bulk stuff stopped. Then immediately after is a better quality furnace air handling filter. After that is a HEPA filter followed by a 2 inch bed of activated carbon filter.

It is noisy, but so is the air compressor for the air assist. I wear hearing protection. The laser itself is quite noisy also.

The filter size is 20 x 20 inches. It is vented back into the room. Too expensive to heat that much air during the winter. And during the summer, would draw in too much humid air.

I might replace the prefilters with a Honneywell electronic filter, but have to convince myself to spend $400 on it.

It is portable, sort of. Very heavy but on wheels. It is made of mdf which gives it a lot of weight, but mdf is cheap and being on wheels, the weight is not much of a problem.

I get about 600 linear feet per minute of air through the laser. As the prefilters get filled, it drops, then I change them. With the electronic one, I would not get a drop in air flow and I could just wash them instead of replacing it.

Hope this helps.

[Mike Mackenzie]

Zac,

I would recommend one of these they cost about 1000.00 but work very well.

http://cemlasers.com/Product-F1000C-...Unit_42_8.aspx

[Dan Hintz]

Mike,

Are you sure about that recommendation? It uses 2"/2.5" ports and flow 100 CFM per port @ 3".

EDIT: Nevermind, I just noticed it's a fairly small bed system Zac is trying to keep clean.

[Dan Hintz]

George,

That is exactly what I have planned, and it's good to know someone else has already blazed the DIY field. I have gone round and round with several vendors trying to find an appropriate system that also includes and electrostatic precipitator (that last part is the toughest). The last guy I spoke with was trying to convince me I needed a 3-phase motor with some massive precipitator... to the tune of $7k.

I have the 1HP HF blower ($100), a custom-hacked furnace filter setup ($40), and I'm looking at one of those Honeywell (or similar) precipitators ($500), a HEPA filter ($100?), and an activated carbon bed ($100?). I intend to put it on a wheeled cart, like you, but I haven't decided what I'll make it out of yet. All in all, it should set me back a little more than $1k, and although it may not look as pretty, at least it will do exactly what I want and cost a lot less.

Where do you pick up your bulk carbon?

[George Brown]

Where do you pick up your bulk carbon?

If I told you that, I'ld have to kill you.

General Carbon Corp
33 Paterson St
Paterson, NJ 07501
973-523-2223

GC C30 activated carbon

ps. I have 25# of carbon in my filter, bought a 50# bag.




HEPA filter from
Wynn Environmental Sales
211 Camars Drive
Warwick, PA 18974
215-442-9443
www.wynnenv.com

24241299W

very helpful people

[Randy Walker]

Thank you George it helps a lot and sounds very much like what I had in mind. Could you point me toward a rescource for a HEPA filter and some activated carbon. I am not ready to pony up $400 for an electronic filter. At $2 bucks each at the BORG furnace filters will get me through my first 20 years.

[Randy Walker]

ooops! looks like Dan beat me to the carbon and HEPA filter questions.