Shop Air Filtration

[Lamar Wright]

Hello Turners, I have a small basement (12x15) shop and when I was turning just pens I did not need anything more than my Jet dust collector with a bag and a 5 micron top filter. Now that I'm turning bowls, plates, platters ect. I am generating a lot more fine dust mainly on kiln dried wood. I have decided to invest in a air filtration system and I'm looking at a Jet 1000cfm system or a Wen 3410 air system with 300,350 and 400cfm. Both systems have high marks on reviews. Both systems have 3 speed settings with remote and timer. The Jet is $377.00 and the Wen is $122.00.

In your opinion with my shop size witch system do you think would serve me best? In advance, I appreciate all your valued opinions and will consider each and everyone of them. Happy turning!

 

[Bernie Hrytzak]

You should look into dust collection rather than air filtration, as air filter systems swirl the air around while you work and you breathe it in as it is cleaning. I have a dust cleaner ceiling mounted and it gets turned on when I leave the shop. The dust collector is on whenever I turn dry wood, and especially during sanding. I also wear a respirator when sanding.
Ckeck out : https://www.oneida-air.com/
Dust collector should be 1 micron or less capability.
Personal dust protection in keeping your lungs healthy should be a top priority in the shop.

 

[Owen Lowe]

I have a slightly smaller basement turnery, maybe 10x12. It’s a room that can be closed to the rest of the basement. Eliminating as much fine dust is the goal as we have other living space activities in the basement. I agree with Bernie that a 1 micron filter on your dust collector would be your first step. As a second step add an air filtration unit. I have a JDS unit that appears to be like this current model: http://jdstools.com/product/air-tech-hp-2/.

Using both seems to do the job pretty well though there is some dust that settles on the shelves in the main part of the basement.

 

[Andy Chen]

I 100% agree with Bernie, Lamar. You are between the work and the filter and your lungs do the filtration first! I have a home-made cyclone dust collector (Wood Magazine, November 1997) and there is a 6" x 12" dust port directly behind the turning piece. I also wear a 3M Airstream AS-400 which has a HEPA filter (0.3 micrometer filter) and a face shield. It is obscenely expensive but how much are your lungs worth? I have recently learned about a similar product, JSP Power Cap (http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/Health___Safety/Respirators/respirators.html) that costs much less and is a one-piece unit (as opposed to the AS-400's separate battery pack). However, it uses British (or European) safety standards. I don't know what the particle exclusion rating is.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I agree with Bernie and Andy. Don't let your lungs be the first stage of filtration in cleaning the air. Five microns is rather useless as far as your health is concerned. The hazardous dust is too fine to be seen .. less than one micron. I also use a 3M Airstream AS400 and my lungs thank me for it.

A ceiling mounted air cleaner is too far from the source to be of any real value other than helping to keep the shop clean. You really need to collect the dust within a few inches of the source.

 

[john lucas]

If you click on that add for the tool post repirator you will see how to keep shavings off your clothes, don't wear any.

 

[Bill Boehme]

If you click on that add for the tool post repirator you will see how to keep shavings off your clothes, don't wear any.

I don't know, John ... I roll my lathe outside on the driveway when I turn.

 

[Lamar Wright]

If you click on that add for the tool post repirator you will see how to keep shavings off your clothes, don't wear any.

lol !!

 

[Lamar Wright]

I went back and checked the air filtration on my jet dust collector and the top filter filters to 1.5 micron not 5. Mine is the type that has the turn handle on top of the filter. I forgot to mention my personal respirator, it is a North 7700 Series Half Mask and is NIOSH/MSHA approved and protects against dusts, mists,and vapors to less than 1 micron. The type that has the easy replaceable filters and cartridges. It also has replaceable inhale and exhale valves. Do you wear your masks when turning as well as sanding?

 

[Bill Boehme]

has the easy replaceable filters and cartridges. It also has replaceable inhale and exhale valves. Do you wear your masks when turning as well as sanding?

Dust gets generated when turning so wear your mask whenever you're generating dust.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Dust gets generated when turning so wear your mask whenever you're generating dust.

Thanks Bill, I'll be sure to put on my mask and shield when I,m at the lathe or any other dust making machine.

 

[Richard Coers]

You are way ahead of the game to collect the dust at the source. Letting it float around the shop and then try to catch it is extremely difficult. You are breathing it on the way to the filter, and it's settling out on everything else on the way to the filter as well. Those things don't suck the dust from a great distance. First spend your money on shrouding. Add a couple more pickup points that can be moved around the work to collect it right off the sandpaper. It's my opinion you get what you pay for. I'd question the air flow data on the cheap unit. Because who measures it, right?

 

[Lamar Wright]

You are way ahead of the game to collect the dust at the source. Letting it float around the shop and then try to catch it is extremely difficult. You are breathing it on the way to the filter, and it's settling out on everything else on the way to the filter as well. Those things don't suck the dust from a great distance. First spend your money on shrouding. Add a couple more pickup points that can be moved around the work to collect it right off the sandpaper. It's my opinion you get what you pay for. I'd question the air flow data on the cheap unit. Because who measures it, right?

Good thought Richard, thanks so much. Happy Turning!

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I agree with most comments. Use the DC at the point of generation and personal protection ,I use the trend airshield. Now where I disagree. The air filtration unit is to clean the air of dust , and you WILL have some no matter what other methods you use, that is missed by other methods. Why in the world would you want to wait till you leave the shop to turn on air filtration? My shop is 24 X 36 and I recently added a Jet 1000 and love it.

 

[Richard Coers]

[QUOTE="Gerald Lawrence, post: 127048, member: 20956". Now where I disagree. The air filtration unit is to clean the air of dust , and you WILL have some no matter what other methods you use, that is missed by other methods. Why in the world would you want to wait till you leave the shop to turn on air filtration? My shop is 24 X 36 and I recently added a Jet 1000 and love it.[/QUOTE]

What isn't mentioned about these ceiling mounted air filters, is that they knock about as much dust out of the air as they collect. For an experiment, just hang a box fan from the ceiling. You will get an air flow that forces the fine dust out of suspension. Of course you will get dust in the bags of the commercial filter, but I'm not sure what percentage. Before you could buy these units, I made a similar system from a box fan with a wooden box on the back. It held two furnace filters in a V configuration. It did a wonderful job of removing air borne dust. Of course from the air flow and a couple of filters.

 

[Bernie Hrytzak]

I agree with most comments. Use the DC at the point of generation and personal protection ,I use the trend airshield. Now where I disagree. The air filtration unit is to clean the air of dust , and you WILL have some no matter what other methods you use, that is missed by other methods. Why in the world would you want to wait till you leave the shop to turn on air filtration? My shop is 24 X 36 and I recently added a Jet 1000 and love it.

Because if you turn on the filtration unit while in the shop without wearing a mask, your lungs and the filtration unit will be both cleaning the airborne dust at the same time.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Like Bill Boehme stated, when ever you are creating dust whether turning, sanding, or what ever you should be wearing your personal protection mask. I agree with Gerald Lawrence that the air filtration system is just another step in cleaning the air in your shop.

 

[William Rogers]

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Because if you turn on the filtration unit while in the shop without wearing a mask, your lungs and the filtration unit will be both cleaning the airborne dust at the same time.

Bernie, I guess I don't agree/ understand your reasoning regarding the air filtration unit. I have mine on while in the shop. Just walking through the shop you stir up dust. So if you don't turn it on only you will be cleaning the air? My filtration unit is mounted about 10' (ceiling is 12'). It's not stirring up new dust, only getting what is already in the air. I see no reason not to use it while in the shop. I agree with others about collection at the source, but while turning impossible to do effectively. I have a big gulp I can position that I run while turning and sanding. I use the N95 masks. No doubt the Trend is better, but this is what I use. Th big gulp does great for sanding but not a whole lot when turning, but I still run it. I have a 3hp cyclone and I am fortunate to be able to vent outside so no loss due to filter clogging. I will build a second air filtration system using a furnace blower when I make some time to do that. I think the air filtration systems are an added benefit, but not meant to be a prime collection unit.
Ok just had a 3.8 earthquake! I guess I'll go to the shop and turn the filtration on to collect the stirred up dust.

 

[Bernie Hrytzak]

H


Bernie, I guess I don't agree/ understand your reasoning regarding the air filtration unit. I have mine on while in the shop. Just walking through the shop you stir up dust. So if you don't turn it on only you will be cleaning the air? My filtration unit is mounted about 10' (ceiling is 12'). It's not stirring up new dust, only getting what is already in the air. I see no reason not to use it while in the shop. I agree with others about collection at the source, but while turning impossible to do effectively. I have a big gulp I can position that I run while turning and sanding. I use the N95 masks. No doubt the Trend is better, but this is what I use. Th big gulp does great for sanding but not a whole lot when turning, but I still run it. I have a 3hp cyclone and I am fortunate to be able to vent outside so no loss due to filter clogging. I will build a second air filtration system using a furnace blower when I make some time to do that. I think the air filtration systems are an added benefit, but not meant to be a prime collection unit.
Ok just had a 3.8 earthquake! I guess I'll go to the shop and turn the filtration on to collect the stirred up dust.

I wear a mask while raising a lot of dust turning or sanding, along with the dust collector going as well. After I am finished that stage, I like to turn on the air filtration system to remove dust that might settle on surfaces, rather than continue wearing a mask, I simply leave the area for 2 hours to do something else. While turning, I might have the following machines on : lathe , vacuum pump , dust collector. radio, so avoiding one extra noise maker such as the General Air Purifier by leaving it off until later. And.... then the phone rings! This is what works for me.

 

[John Torchick]

You don't need a filtration system. Just breathe deeply whenever you are in the shop. Shuffle your feet to help stir up the dust. Eventually, all the dust will disappear. Make sure you have a good pulmonologist on call.
I use a Shop Vac which doesn't do a great job with the Dust Deputy. I would love to have a DC but space and $$$ limit me greatly. The SV will get a decent portion of the dust on the BS, TS outlet in the back but not at the blade, and DP. Not good for chips off the lathe as it doesn't have the suction needed. I do make it a point to regularly vacuum the floor and my power tools. I need to clean off some shelves that need it rather badly.
I do turn on a box fan with furnace filter- surprising how much dust it does remove.

 

[Regis Galbach]

You don't need a filtration system. Just breathe deeply whenever you are in the shop. Shuffle your feet to help stir up the dust. Eventually, all the dust will disappear. Make sure you have a good pulmonologist on call.
I use a Shop Vac which doesn't do a great job with the Dust Deputy. I would love to have a DC but space and $$$ limit me greatly. The SV will get a decent portion of the dust on the BS, TS outlet in the back but not at the blade, and DP. Not good for chips off the lathe as it doesn't have the suction needed. I do make it a point to regularly vacuum the floor and my power tools. I need to clean off some shelves that need it rather badly.
I do turn on a box fan with furnace filter- surprising how much dust it does remove.

This sounds like my small shop (about 8x18). And, I agree with you about the box fan and "good" quality furnace filter. Plus on the SV I have barrel to collect chips before the vac and HEPA filter. I do also always use an Eclipse filter mask from woodcraft..
Nevertheless, after all this discussion I'm thinking of getting one of the ceiling units (because no room on floor or wall) . And getting better dust mask system.

Thanks for all the tips here.
Regis

 

[Owen Lowe]

I agree with you about the box fan and "good" quality furnace filter.
...
Nevertheless, after all this discussion I'm thinking of getting one of the ceiling units (because no room on floor or wall) .

I would not equate a box fan and furnace filter (or two) with the air filtration units. Not saying it doesn’t filter the air, but to what degree does it capture super-fine dust? Kinda like putting a pillow case over the a shopvac’s exhaust and claiming it’s just like a hepa filter. The manufactured units are specifically rated for just this purpose.

 

[John Torchick]

Depends on the thread count of the pillow case. We once bought some sheets at a discount outlet store. After about three washings, you could read the newspaper through them.

 

[Lamar Wright]

This sounds like my small shop (about 8x18). And, I agree with you about the box fan and "good" quality furnace filter. Plus on the SV I have barrel to collect chips before the vac and HEPA filter. I do also always use an Eclipse filter mask from woodcraft..
Nevertheless, after all this discussion I'm thinking of getting one of the ceiling units (because no room on floor or wall) . And getting better dust mask system.

Thanks for all the tips here.
Regis

Regis, look into the North 7700 series mask/respirator. It is for dust, mists, also harmful flumes. I use mine when I mix resin or using sanding sealer, thinners ect. I purchased a Wen air filter ceiling ceiling unit because my shop is also very small.

 

[egsiegel]

Hello Turners, I have a small basement (12x15) shop and when I was turning just pens I did not need anything more than my Jet dust collector with a bag and a 5 micron top filter. Now that I'm turning bowls, plates, platters ect. I am generating a lot more fine dust mainly on kiln dried wood. I have decided to invest in a air filtration system and I'm looking at a Jet 1000cfm system or a Wen 3410 air system with 300,350 and 400cfm. Both systems have high marks on reviews. Both systems have 3 speed settings with remote and timer. The Jet is $377.00 and the Wen is $122.00.

In your opinion with my shop size witch system do you think would serve me best? In advance, I appreciate all your valued opinions and will consider each and everyone of them. Happy turning!

I have the WEN...no complaints at all.

 

[Lamar Wright]

I have the WEN...no complaints at all.

Thanks egsiegel for your reply, mine suppose to arrive today.

 

[Odie]

I have many types of dust masks, including a 3M Airstream......but, for the past decade, or so, I've been using a Resp-o-rator almost exclusively. It has HEPA filters, and is efficient to 0.3 microns. You just won't find a more efficient means of keeping your body's air supply free of debris.......as well as convenient, lightweight, uncomplicated, and easy to use, as the Resp-o-rator.

.......but,

It doesn't come without some major drawbacks. The Resp-o-rator has been discussed many times, and quite a few woodturners just can't handle having the "scuba" mouthpiece in their mouth, plus the nose plugs are a real PITA.....mainly because dust gets between the spring clip and your nose, causing irritation. I have become used to "scuba diving" in my shop, and I've found that plugging my nose internally works much better for me. I'll have to admit that I wanted this to work pretty badly, because I create such a hazardous dusty environment in my shop. If my overall shop time was only occasional, that would be one thing.......but, these days, I'm working in my shop "full time". My health concerns have become a paramount consideration.....

Note: I have two replaceable mouthpieces that I change out to a clean one daily. One stays in a cleaning solution while the other is in use for the day. (As I look at this photo, the Resp-o-rator looks pretty cruddy.....but, only the mouthpiece is in your mouth. )

I now have a new Resp-o-rator, which my son is using, but here's the old one. It's been broken and cracked several times.....and repaired.....but, it's still every bit as efficient as a new one.

-----odie-----

 

[Lamar Wright]

Hello turners, I just installed the Wen air filtration system. I'm sure it will help in my small shop along with my personal air filter mask. You can see my personal mask hang on the wall below my ear protection. By the way, that is not blood you see on the floor and workbench it's wood stain! lol.

 

[AlanZ]

Lauren and I simply do not turn on our lathes until our respirator helmets (AirStream or VersaFlo) and dust collectors are turned on.
I also turn on ceiling mounted air filtration units to help with the dust that's kicked up into the air, either via our turning or by us walking around in the shavings/dust on the floor.

We do whatever we can to protect our lungs, eyesight, hearing, and other dainty bits of the anatomy.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Lauren and I simply do not turn on our lathes until our respirator helmets (AirStream or VersaFlo) and dust collectors are turned on.
I also turn on ceiling mounted air filtration units to help with the dust that's kicked up into the air, either via our turning or by us walking around in the shavings/dust on the floor.

We do whatever we can to protect our lungs, eyesight, hearing, and other dainty bits of the anatomy.

Thanks Alan, good advice. I'm looking into a respirator helmet. I have been using a North respirator but I like the idea of the whole face covered and fresh air pumped in.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

View attachment 23350 View attachment 23352 Hello turners, I just installed the Wen air filtration system. I'm sure it will help in my small shop along with my personal air filter mask. You can see my personal mask hang on the wall below my ear protection. By the way, that is not blood you see on the floor and workbench it's wood stain! lol.View attachment 23350 View attachment 23352

Lamar it looks like you centered your air cleaner. It gives better circulation when placed closer to a long wall.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Lamar it looks like you centered your air cleaner. It gives better circulation when placed closer to a long wall.

Hi Gerald, how is everything in Brandon....... Should the filter face out from the longest wall towards the center?

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Hi Gerald, how is everything in Brandon....... Should the filter face out from the longest wall towards the center?

Flow should be parallel to the longest wall and that will create a flow that will go around the entire shop. Not only does this put filtered air out to one end it makes the dusty air flow around the circle back to the filter intake. By the way long wall mount should be as near center as possible.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Flow should be parallel to the longest wall and that will create a flow that will go around the entire shop. Not only does this put filtered air out to one end it makes the dusty air flow around the circle back to the filter intake. By the way long wall mount should be as near center as possible.

Thanks Gerald, that makes a lot of since. Circlular airflow.

 

[Perry Hilbert]

All this talk about health and death because of dust. No body had dust collectors when I started 50 years ago. Wearing safety glasses was considered by some to be over precaution. I was raised around folks who smoked cigars and pipes in closed areas and had a job in a machine shop cleaning up and sweeping the floors, I found out years later there was asbestos everywhere there. I also heated my home with wood for 15 years and cut semi loads of wood over the years with a chain saw. So about age 60 I start losing my breath and coughing a lot. I never smoked in my life but can hack for 10 to 15 minutes every morning. I have been up and down the midAtlantic to doctors and specialists, had cat scans, x-rays, MRIs, lung function evaluations and all kinds of tests and all the docs tell me is they THINK, it is an allergy.. I can still bale hay and do farm work, but a coughing spell can come over me at any time and I have to stop whatever I am doing until it passes. I can no longer walk the half mile up the hill to the hay field without stopping to catch my breath. .I do have a few periods a year that it does not affect me as bad, mid fall and mid Spring. The rest of the year it is bad. So you would think, I have a sensitivity to dust. Nope. I can turn for hours and no problem.

So I can't tell you what caused my problem, but I can guarantee that you do not want it or anything like it.. Use all the precautions guys.

 

[Lamar Wright]

All this talk about health and death because of dust. No body had dust collectors when I started 50 years ago. Wearing safety glasses was considered by some to be over precaution. I was raised around folks who smoked cigars and pipes in closed areas and had a job in a machine shop cleaning up and sweeping the floors, I found out years later there was asbestos everywhere there. I also heated my home with wood for 15 years and cut semi loads of wood over the years with a chain saw. So about age 60 I start losing my breath and coughing a lot. I never smoked in my life but can hack for 10 to 15 minutes every morning. I have been up and down the midAtlantic to doctors and specialists, had cat scans, x-rays, MRIs, lung function evaluations and all kinds of tests and all the docs tell me is they THINK, it is an allergy.. I can still bale hay and do farm work, but a coughing spell can come over me at any time and I have to stop whatever I am doing until it passes. I can no longer walk the half mile up the hill to the hay field without stopping to catch my breath. .I do have a few periods a year that it does not affect me as bad, mid fall and mid Spring. The rest of the year it is bad. So you would think, I have a sensitivity to dust. Nope. I can turn for hours and no problem.

So I can't tell you what caused my problem, but I can guarantee that you do not want it or anything like it.. Use all the precautions guys.

Thank you Perry for your comments on your health problem with coughing. I can't agree more from what Perry said, use all the safety equipment available to us to help prevent health issues later on in life. Good luck to you Perry and I wish you many more years of turning.

 

[John Turpin]

One of the things that I've installed in my new turning room is a lathe-height exhaust fan. When everything is up and running, I'll have a 12" exhaust fan just behind the lathe that will draw a great deal of dust through the wall and then outside. I've got a dust system and filtration too, but that exhaust fan should take care of most of the lathe's sanding dust output.

 

[Lamar Wright]

One of the things that I've installed in my new turning room is a lathe-height exhaust fan. When everything is up and running, I'll have a 12" exhaust fan just behind the lathe that will draw a great deal of dust through the wall and then outside. I've got a dust system and filtration too, but that exhaust fan should take care of most of the lathe's sanding dust output.

I like that idea John, I use a 20" box fan with a filter that helps also with dust.