Advice on a purchase - $450

[Hunter Locke]

I understand there are TONS of ways to spend $450. But, my wife (and I) are concerned about my lack of adequate dust collection and so I am going to invest in a respirator. I showed her the trend air shield pro and she wants me to spend the whole $450 on that.


While i want it, I ALSO am considering that with around that same $450, I could get a standard 3M respirator and a LN jack plane and block plane I've been wanting.

Thoughts?

[thomas hsieh]

For $450 , I would get the Jet Air Filter box AND 3m respirator.

[Hunter Locke]

For $450 , I would get the Jet Air Filter box AND 3m respirator.

I'm working in a small one car garage, is that system effective with the garage door open and/or closed?

Thanks that's a great idea.

[thomas hsieh]

I'm working in a small one car garage, is that system effective with the garage door open and/or closed?

Yes, it is better than not having one.

[Dan Hintz]

Maybe this will help you out...
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...PRICE-DROP!%29

[Mike Heidrick]

How are you collecting dust at the tools? and from the air in the shop.

[Jim Matthews]

A HEPA rated vacuum cleaner, and a full face (nose and mouth covered) mask that traps sub-micron level particles should be sufficient.

The best solution is to catch the dust, before it's airborne.
The smallest particles - which you cannot see - are the ones that do serious
damage to your lungs over the years.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Facepiece-R...500+respirator

Unless you're running a power tool for hours in an enclosed space, basic interventions like these should be adequate.

(Leave the vacuum running a little while after the power tool stops, to catch suspended dust.)

http://www.familyhandyman.com/worksh...ust-collection

[Phil Barrett]

You don't say what kind of tools you use so it's a little hard to give advice.

Personally, I'd invest in a dust collection system where you could place the DC outside of the workspace. This means that you aren't fighting recirculation and don't necessarily need a super fine filter. Maybe build a small enclosure outside your garage. The bonus is that it moves out a big noise source. Remember that collecting the dust at the source is best. Easier said than done sometimes, though. I'd also look at the tools that generate the worst dust - sanding is a huge one. Planers and Jointer not so much. Saws, kind of in the middle. I haven't yet built it but a downdraft sanding table is in my plans. That's what I worry about the most.

As to the air filter units. You can calculate the number of times they "turn over" the air based on CFM and room volume. I'm not convinced they actually work that well for the really small stuff and it does take a while to clear even the visible particles. Better to get the particles at the source.

By the way, you already have the best possible mechanism now - your garage door. that and a fan will clear your air way faster than anything else.

[Ryan Mooney]

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Facepiece-R...500+respirator

For the price these are really nice. They seal around your face well, are easy to breath with it on and aren't very heavy. Do get the 7500 series linked to here which has the silicon seal instead of the 7400 which didn't sit as well on my face when I tried it. Add a set of P100 filters to your order.

I have the Trend and personally don't like to use it as much and prefer the 3M. The reason being that the Trend seems quite top heavy (others don't seem to find it as such so YMMV), needs a battery charge (at what always seems like the wrong time - although it does last amazingly well - more my fault for not plugging it in at the end of the day all the time). This isn't to say that the Trend isn't a nice piece of kit - it is and others like it a lot. However if I knew then what I know now I'd never have spent the $$'s on it.

Its also worth noting that no respirator solves the problem since you still have dust on your clothes/hair/etc.. when you exit the shop so you need to change and shower to be dust free (this isn't a bad idea anyway for household harmony ) and the shop will still have dust all over the place unless you start removing it at the source better with some sort of DC.

For my $'s I'd look at the 3M and a dust collection unit of some sort (possibly used, although I've been getting by with the HF unit modded with a Thien top hat and a wynn filter - personally didn't like the looks of the HF cloth bag but if you could vent outside you could also get more airflow and skip the cost of the filter upgrade)

I still think the 3M 7500 is good money spent even with a DC though because there are times/places where you're going to have a really hard time containing the dust no matter what your DC setup is (especially at this price point) and you can add vapor filters to it as well if you need them later for painting or similar.

Oh and store the mask someplace clean otherwise you'll end up with dust settling inside of it and get a snootfull when you put it on (don't ask how I know .. ).

[Hunter Locke]

Great advice everyone. I appreciate it.

As to my tools, my big dust generators are dewalt planer, contractor saw, RO sander, jig saw, etc.

I move every year or two right now, so I've been putting off a jointer since it's a monster to move.


I just ordered the dust hood for my planer, and will be modifying my saw for better dust collection. I'll also be getting some type of dust collector for these purposes, as well as the 3M 7500 and possibly the air circulator as well.


Moving makes large dedicated machines "difficult", but then again, I could just go all Festool on you folks...


Thanks!!

[Hunter Locke]

Maybe this will help you out... http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...PRICE-DROP!%29

Darn, looks like it sold.

[Ronald Blue]

After the fact but I love the Trend Air Shield Pro. It provides pressurized filtered air and serves as eye and face protection as well. I don't find it heavy but I am used to having a hard hat on 8 plus hours a day so maybe that's why. It also doesn't fog up and I find the battery life to be excellent. It's $369 on Amazon. As others have said you do need dust collection to so you are moving in the right direction. Many like the Harbor Freight DC for under $200. I think it's a 1-1/2 hp. Good luck.

[John TenEyck]

Personally, if you are a hobbiest woodworker w/o any serious respiratory issues I would consider that solution complete overkill. I worked in an industry with a serious health concern related to fine particles. The standard protocol for those working in any environment exceeding some 8 hour time waited average exposure was a half face respirator with the appropriate filters. I think your wife is a saint for wanting you to be safe, but I'd assure her a half face respirator is more than adequate and spend the rest of the money on point of generation dust collection.

BTW, there's no reason not to have a jointer. They need not be large or heavy. There are several small, portable jointers available that do an adequate. An even better solution is to find a used Inca J/P. I've had one for over 25 years. It weighs about 75 lbs removed from it's wooden stand, and I've taken it several job sites over the years. Small in size, it still does big work with it's 10-1/4" width. It would be a perfect fit for someone like you who frequently moves. With it's 1.5 HP motor it runs on 115V, too.

John

[Myk Rian]

Dust collector with a 1 micron filter is the first thing I would/did get.

[Hunter Locke]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I decided on the following.

- 3M 7500 half face respirator and filters

- Rikon 3 speed air cleaner currently on sale on amazon/woodcraft

- Harbor Freight 70 gal 2HP dust collector with: Thien Baffle and WynnEnv 0.5 micron filter upgrade.


Thanks folks.