Dylos meter/air acrubber Q's

[Rick Moyer]

I need some real world experience from those who have measured particle counts and have an air scrubber.

Here's my situation: I have a grizzly 2HP cyclone and have most of my equipment ports sized to take advantage of the cyclone, along with blast gates etc. Basically all the requisite stuff to catch the dust at the sources. Of course there are many things where this cannot be accomplished well (router,sanding, etc.) and I often where a respirator mask while doing these things.

I am considering an air filter/scrubber. I know I will still need to utilize the respirator, but I don't know to what extent an air filter will drop the particle counts to where I might be able to remove the respirator until I generate more dust particles. I am trying to decide if a scrubber is really beneficial or worthwhile, or should I just wear the respirator continually while in the shop (would prefer not to obviously). I don't feel it would be worthwile if it is just to clean the air after I leave the shop, but might be if I could remove the respirator in a reasonable short time. Thanks for your input!

[Bud Millis]

Rick,

I was in on the last Dylos buy as well. Here's what I found out. The air scrubber will work to reduce the small particles. Do not turn it on to do the task then shut it off. It was not designed to operate this way. The longer it is on, the cleaner the air becomes. Depending on what I'm doing in the shop, I'll turn it on and let it run, on a timer, for up to 6 hrs after I leave the shop. I still use the respirator quite frequently. It's the small particles < (less than) .05 microns that can make it down to the smallest of airways and cause long term issues. It may seem redundant, but the more protection you have the better you will be.

Everybody is different. What may effect one person may not effect another. It's hard to say. Most of the damage done to the lungs is done over a long period of time. You may not see the true effect for 10, 20, 30 years or more. By then, its to late.

[Alan Lightstone]

Another one in the last Dylos buy. I was amazed at the impact of my Jet Air Cleaner. As Bud said, you have to keep it on for a while after using tools, but I've seen it raise dangerous particle counts down to impressively low ones in a matter of minutes. The biggest offender, by far, for generating sawdust is the SCMS, or the table saw when you can't use the overhead dust collector. I have the 5HP Oneida cyclone, FWIW.

I usually set my timer for 2 hours, and the levels are down to baseline or lower before then.

I still use a respirator ALL the time I am generating sawdust.

[Rod Sheridan]

Rick, I also bought a particle counter on the last group buy and found that with the shop unused for a couple of days the particle count is around 500.

If I run the cyclone for 5 to 10 minutes, the particle count drops dramatically, to around 125 to 150.

I don't have an air cleaner, as the cyclone has a good filter.

The trick for me is to leave the cyclone running while I change operations or setup and to leave it running for 15 minutes after I leave the shop. I added a timer to the stop function on the cyclone starter so I don't have to go back into the basement to turn it off.

Regards, Rod.

[Kent A Bathurst]

........with the shop unused for a couple of days the particle count is around 500.

If I run the cyclone for 5 to 10 minutes, the particle count drops dramatically, to around 125 to 150.

I don't have an air cleaner, as the cyclone has a good filter.

Now THAT was an eye-opener, Rod. What filters are you running?

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Kent, I don't know the model number however it is the Oneida HEPA filter for the refit of my Oneida cyclone.

I have a 1.5 HP component model which had an internal cartridge system. It was a pain to clean, to say the least, so I bought the refit kit from Oneida which had all the pieces to convert my cyclone to the external filter............Regards, Rod.

[Alan Lightstone]

Last week I was rip cutting 50 pieces of cedar, and couldn't use the overhead dust collector, just the cyclone. That, plus a bunch of cuts with the SCMS, and I had large particle counts over 15,000 (respirators were worn by all). Within about 10 minutes, the particle count was about 100. Within an hour, it was below 50.

After I purchased my cyclone, I wondered if I had wasted money on my air cleaner. After I purchased the Dylos, there is no way I would ever get rid of my air cleaner.

Knowledge is power.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Alan, what happens if you leave the cyclone running for a while without the air cleaner?

Regards, Rod.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Hi Kent, I don't know the model number however it is the Oneida HEPA filter for the refit of my Oneida cyclone.

I have a 1.5 HP component model which had an internal cartridge system. It was a pain to clean, to say the least, so I bought the refit kit from Oneida which had all the pieces to convert my cyclone to the external filter............Regards, Rod.

Rod - thanks as always for the response. That is easily enough info for me to figure it all out.

Kent

[Rick Moyer]

Last week I was rip cutting 50 pieces of cedar, and couldn't use the overhead dust collector, just the cyclone. That, plus a bunch of cuts with the SCMS, and I had large particle counts over 15,000 (respirators were worn by all). Within about 10 minutes, the particle count was about 100. Within an hour, it was below 50.

After I purchased my cyclone, I wondered if I had wasted money on my air cleaner. After I purchased the Dylos, there is no way I would ever get rid of my air cleaner.

Knowledge is power.

Hi Alan, what happens if you leave the cyclone running for a while without the air cleaner?

Regards, Rod.

Rick, I also bought a particle counter on the last group buy and found that with the shop unused for a couple of days the particle count is around 500.

If I run the cyclone for 5 to 10 minutes, the particle count drops dramatically, to around 125 to 150.

I don't have an air cleaner, as the cyclone has a good filter.

The trick for me is to leave the cyclone running while I change operations or setup and to leave it running for 15 minutes after I leave the shop. I added a timer to the stop function on the cyclone starter so I don't have to go back into the basement to turn it off.

Regards, Rod.

See this is what I am wondering. If the cyclone pulls the particle count down that much that quickly, then I question the value of the air cleaner. Of course some procedures don't involve the cyclone running, but I could always turn on the cyclone for a while. Obviously both would be best, but I need to determine the need vs. cost vs. effectiveness. Unfortunately I'm still unsure?!!

[David Kumm]

Rick, The question keeps getting more complicated. The best hepa DC filter will also reduce the cfm available meaning you need a larger unit. A 3-5 hp DC takes a lot of power so one or even two cleaners is more efficient. A small collector in a small shop with a good filter serves the same purpose but that won't work in a larger environment. Since getting the dylos I run the cleaner far more than I used to. Dave

[Alan Lightstone]

Hi Alan, what happens if you leave the cyclone running for a while without the air cleaner?

Regards, Rod.

The numbers go down also. Keeping both on worked faster in lowering the levels. I did keep an extra 4" DC port open behind the SCMS, so it was sucking a good deal of air from near the source of the sawdust. Not 100% positive, but I think the air cleaner works better after the fact than the cyclone.

Clearly dust collection at the source is vital. An air cleaner is not a substitute for dust collection.

[Alan Lightstone]

Rick, The question keeps getting more complicated.

All good questions do.

[mreza Salav]

After checking the air quality with the Dylos meter I learned that my (home-made) air cleaner is one of the best tools in my shop.
I have it on all the time I'm in the shop until about an hour after I leave. I put two layers of furnace filters (each layer consisting of 2 filters).
The outer one is cheaper and the second one is very good quality. I found with this running the particle count is usually below 50-100 or so (with a few sudden spikes
if I am using the CMS), even if I am using ROS (connected to a shopvac of course). Having a good quality filter on a cyclone might do the job but
why keep a 3-5HP motor running when a 1/4HP (or smaller) one can do the job and the filters are much cheaper to change? (plus the cost of electricity).

[Alan Lightstone]

I put an activated carbon impregnated filter on my Jet air cleaner. This way, when I'm finishing I get some removal of organic compounds too. I figure it can't hurt, and seems to help a little.