Dust collection ........

[Michael O'Neill]

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[FONT=tahoma, 'new york', times, serif]I am getting ready to start my plantation shutter project and the last tool left to acquirer is my dust collection system. I came across a Airfoxx 1550 cfm 3phase machine for $359.00 on Sears.com http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...&blockType=G11" they must be reselling for someone else", free shipping too. So on the outside this looks like a great deal but i cant find any info about how small this will filter down to. I went to Airfoxx'x website http://www.airfoxx.com/ and found some info but nothing on particulate size. So my question is does anyone have any experience with this brand? and if so pros, cons and whatnot. I really am interested in gathering all the dust at the source that I can. I spent years in the sandblasting and painting industry and am very sensitive to all things airborne. Im not sick, I just dont want to get sick you know!.. My wood-shop is 16x30 with a 10' ceiling and my metal shop is adjacent. In the summertime I can move my dust collection outside and hopefully improve air quality inside. However winter in KCMO can be brutal, my thoughts are to install the dust collector in the adjacent shop and install a filter wall between the two. Of course it will mean twice the area to heat. Is air that is filtered down to 5 microns good air to breath? 1 micron? better? of course particulates per cu-ft come into play, i dont want to over analyze it, but what is a safe level of exposure? None is the answer I think I want.... am I [/FONT]paranoid[FONT=tahoma, 'new york', times, serif] about this??? I plan on using a 700 cfm electrostatic filter in the wood-shop as well. Most of the dust generated here will be from my 20" planer and my sanding operation....... Red oak is the feed stalk...... If it was yours to start new with, how would you go about it... Money is a concern, but my health is more important. And of course farming out to someone else is not an option as it is a project that I want to do. [/FONT][FONT=tahoma, 'new york', times, serif] Thanks for your comments,[/FONT]
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[FONT=tahoma, 'new york', times, serif]Michael J. O'Neill[/FONT]
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[FONT=tahoma, 'new york', times, serif]Lake Lotawana, Missouri[/FONT]

[Chris Parks]

The best and only system is a cyclone with filtered exhaust, anything less is a health hazard. The big trick and most important part is too collect all you you can at the source of the dust. After you have installed the system you still won't get all the dust so then put in a filter that scrubs the air. Read Bill Pentz's site and try and understand what he is saying, several visits are required to absorb it all and to implement it all is a massive job in most instances.

[Michael O'Neill]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the info and pointing me in the right diredtion Mr Pentz's site is almost overwhelming, but full of the answers I am wanting. I'll start digesting and putting a plan togather...

Thanks again,

Michael

[Bruce C Garland]

I will second that. I am in the process of installing a clearvue cyclone that is based off of Bill's work. I had a 2 HP dual bag unit outside of my shop for several years and while it worked ok, it exhausted the cooled or heated air from the shop. With the clearvue I will have the unit external and the exhaust inside the shop with large cartridge filters. Then start to work on dust collection at each station, including the lathe. If the dust gets to the "air cleaner" it has already gotten to your lungs.

[Brent VanFossen]

Let me add my thanks for pointing out Bill Pentz's site. What a wealth of information that is.