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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 07-20-2014, 12:40 AM
MTDuke MTDuke is offline
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Dust Collection System

In the next few days I plan on posting some pics of my shop in progress for feedback. Its modest, like many I cannot at this point in life build what I really want.....but I am doing my best. Being the consummate reader and researcher by profession, so many questions have answers for the taking (balancing) that I need not ask many basics.

However.....

I am wiring my "shop" for an external air compressor and dust collection system. The air compressor I have figured out mostly, but dust collection I am at a loss. I have two dedicated circuits wired for each device, 240 on a 30 amp breaker for the dust collection system (10/2) and 240 50 amp for the compressor (6/3).

My main "shop" is a building that is 14x24 and I am doing my best not to have redundant tools. I think that my main need for dust collection will be one main grinder (TW-90 I am thinking now) but I will have other tools that would benefit from dust collection if I plumbed duct.

Given this, is there any grand wisdom at Knife Network about dust collection systems given my power capacity or limitations as it were? I am a "buy once, cry once" kinda guy so I want something that works well, is expandable, and just might be overkill. The woodworking forums are full of confusion on this topic and unusually I have not hit upon a good solution at this point as there are many options out there.

I live in Montana and this particular area will be sealed up tighter than a squirrel sphincter (just for you Ray) much of the year. The smithy is adjacent.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.
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  #2  
Old 07-20-2014, 08:38 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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I bought a 2hp Grizzly dust collection system when I built my second shop. Grizzly has everything in the world including books on the subject of dust collectors, I wouldn't even consider buying a dust collector anywhere else - it is that comprehensive.

At first, I ducted my grinder, all four of my buffers, my wood saw, and my 6x48 grinder. Each station had gates so I could apply the suction to only the device being used at the moment. All the ducting had copper wire running through it to ground static charges, there was even a Cyclone heavy particle collector in the system. Heck, I even had a radio control switch so that the collector could be turned on from anywhere in the shop.

It worked, but it turned out to be a lot more trouble than it was worth to me. When I built my third (and final shop) I hooked the collector to my grinder only, a nice simple installation. That works great. For the other machines, I use a Shop Vac and clean up after I use them. Its a little messier but much easier to use and maintain and actually does a better job. So, my advice would be to get at least a 2 hp collector from Grizzly and connect it to your grinder and maybe to your wood saw when you have one........


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Old 07-20-2014, 09:29 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Let me add further that you may end up doing as I do and not even using the dust collector when you are grinding metal. Even though the Cyclone particle collector prevents hot metal from reaching the dust bag (where it could easily cause a fire) the hot metal sparks tend to melt the plastic collection hoses and other parts. Doesn't happen fast but it did eat through mine.

Grinding metal doesn't really put 'metal dust' in the air anyway, its the pulverized silicon from the belts that are the big problem. Since I can still smell the silicon dust easily when the collector is running I know the collector is not catching all of it since it gets thrown in all kinds of directions anyway. So, I don't use the collector when grinding metal but I do wear a respirator.

I guess the bottom line is give up any idea you may have about a dust free shop unless you can spend at least half your shop time cleaning up ...


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Last edited by Ray Rogers; 07-20-2014 at 09:37 AM.
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Old 07-20-2014, 02:34 PM
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Fulmaduro Fulmaduro is offline
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I do like Ray does and vacuum the dust and particulate up from my machines after use. Exception being my grinder, and that is all outside on a cart due to ancient timber house and fire protection safety.

I do have a Oneida Dust Deputy cyclone attached to one of my ShopVac's that I roll right to messes on a cart. It is a wonderful device and keeps 99% of all the dust and dirt in the 5 gallon bucket the cyclone is attached to and NOT in my ShopVac! End result is I never have to clean or replace filters on my ShopVac's. Actually have 3 of them. Smallest is a 6 gallon and largest a 20 gallon industrial.

I rely on my respirator to keep the dust out of my lungs and use it anytime I am creating dust in or out of the house. Good luck!

Tony Z
Kansas City, MO


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Old 07-20-2014, 10:44 PM
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DanCom DanCom is offline
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I too dreamed of having a huge CFM dust collection system with ducting, gates and remote control. I have since gave up on the idea of having a shop as clean as an operating theatre. The facts exist, it can get very dry here, my road and driveway are gravel and pollen, dust and everything else is blowing around. I like natural light and like to keep the big doors open when I can.

I have a similar scheme to Tony. I have an add-on cyclonic separator on a 5 gallon bucket on a Shop-Vac and that works amazingly. I also have a few old but reliable shop vacs dispersed amongst the major pieces, sanders, grinders and buffers. When doing the sanding, cutting wood and grinding steel, my respirator is the first line of protection and I keep it on while I use the vacs to clean up.

One inexpensive thing to consider is an air filtration unit. I made one with a 450CFM fan and mounted it on the ceiling (where the garage door opener plugs in) It moves a lot of air and traps the fine airborne stuff. I made mine so it takes common 16x25" furnace filters that are cheap and easy to find. A little bit noisy, but I leave it on for a while after sanding or running the table saw and it really helps clear the air. Wooden box + fan + furnace filter and away you go.

Good luck!

Dan
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Old 07-21-2014, 09:50 AM
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Fulmaduro Fulmaduro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanCom View Post

One inexpensive thing to consider is an air filtration unit. I made one with a 450CFM fan and mounted it on the ceiling (where the garage door opener plugs in) It moves a lot of air and traps the fine airborne stuff. I made mine so it takes common 16x25" furnace filters that are cheap and easy to find. A little bit noisy, but I leave it on for a while after sanding or running the table saw and it really helps clear the air. Wooden box + fan + furnace filter and away you go.
Dan, sounds pretty cool. Do you have a pic of it you can post? Much thanks!

Tony Z
Kansas City, MO


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Old 07-21-2014, 12:14 PM
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DanCom DanCom is offline
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Tony,

I don't have a pic right now as I am at working out of town. I got the idea from a Lumberjocks article...
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/41748


Can be made as fancy as you like, timers, axial fans, squirrel cage blower, double filters, etc.

Regards,

Dan


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Old 07-21-2014, 01:32 PM
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Fulmaduro Fulmaduro is offline
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Dan, that is great. Much appreciated!

Tony Z
Kansas City, MO


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  #9  
Old 07-21-2014, 04:23 PM
MTDuke MTDuke is offline
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Great input guys. Given my limited space, it makes sense to look at a Grizzly unit for the grinder (piped in from outside) and a roaming shop vac. I am going to look into the air filtration idea, my ceilings are not too high though so I will have to see what makes sense. I'll post some pics of my shop build soon and solicit advice for things I have not thought of. Wade.
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