Looking at an exhaust system for a Speedy 300 80w. Anybody have set up ideas that you could share? Thought about 4" hole through the wall with a 650 cfm blower attached to the outside wall, direct vent. Thanks, Mike
Looking at an exhaust system for a Speedy 300 80w. Anybody have set up ideas that you could share? Thought about 4" hole through the wall with a 650 cfm blower attached to the outside wall, direct vent. Thanks, Mike
Read this here, it has a ton of good info, http://www.sawmillcreek.org/entry.ph...nit-for-lt-200
Thanks Bryan, Read the article on the trash can/extraction system. Is that great or what? Mike
Its pretty good there are a couple of other ones out there. I have to upgrade mine to a 6" but that is very doable.
Hey Mike
Your best bet is to stick with your original idea of venting your machine outside and above your roof line if possible.
Google "Laser Exhaust Fans" - Tons of options - Several Are on amazon, so if it doesn't work returns are simple.
We currently use a vacuum pump and blast gates to vent all our lasers with one Vacuum (Kinda Expense But Works Amazing )
Home made filters are not very effective and not designed for constant use - Commercial Filters are expensive and have a high upkeep cost.
Below is a Cheaper option that was included when we purchased our laser machines - They worked well but are kinda noise.
http://www.lightobject.com/Exhaust-F...ine-P1070.aspx
3X Camfive 1200 48" x 24" 100watt Tube
Zcorp 450 3d Printer
Laguna Smartshop 2 - 4x8 ATC
There have been dozens of threads on this subject. A search will turn up some very good options.
Mike Null
St. Louis Laser, Inc.
Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
Gravograph IS400
Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
Dye Sublimation
CorelDraw X5, X7
Really?! I didn't get that memo; what's the basis for that assertion? Are you saying that the home made filter system I have been using for the last several years doesn't actually remove virtually all of the odor of cutting acrylic, nor remove the smoke and dust from engraving wood and powder coated steel, and doesn't really work on a daily basis for hours on end? Hmmmm, then this PM2.5/PM10 meter I have must be faulty...
I doubt if your particle meter can measure toxic gases, and not all have odors. Vent outside if you can, even after filtering.
Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10
Best Advice to OP Vent Outside
Last edited by Robert Bonenfant; 11-25-2017 at 11:43 AM.
3X Camfive 1200 48" x 24" 100watt Tube
Zcorp 450 3d Printer
Laguna Smartshop 2 - 4x8 ATC
As far as "toxic gases", that one only meters HCHO and TVOCs and I have a couple of other meters for other gases but the particulates was my main concern. The closest thing to toxic gases I create is the noxious vapor from cutting acrylic, but that isn't a big part of what I do (with the filter, the acrylic odor only becomes noticeable if cutting for maybe 20-30 minutes, so I usually don't cut acrylic for more than about 15 minutes at a time). Engraving powder coated steel, cutting and engraving wood, all create a fair bit of smoke and dust which I definitely don't want to breathe.
I started out venting outside but began investigating filtration/recycling air when the winter fuel bills skyrocketed, and now my studio is in the basement of a building with no easy ducting access to the exterior without a run to an exterior wall, boring through concrete, digging up to the surface,and then running a stack up the side of the building. So I use a self-built filtration system with multiple prefilters for larger particulates, 8" bed of activated charcoal for odors, and a big HEPA filter for the fine particulates.
Depending on what I'm doing, how often and quickly I pop the lid open after a job stops, and whether I continue running the filtration unit between jobs, the meter sometimes indicates that the air gets cleaner than it was before I started engraving, but it never gets significantly worse. I've seen PM2.5 and 10 levels up to about 25 when not running the filter but normally they run in the 2-4 range and, when filtering, 1-6 seems pretty typical (a bit higher sometimes when I cut smokey wood and pop the lid open too fast after the job ends).
I agree that venting outside sidesteps the potential health problems, but wantonly polluting the great outdoors and overtaxing your HVAC system to deal with high turnover of make-up air isn't your only feasible alternative to expensive commercial filtration systems.
Glen, did you buy or build your filtration unit, if you built it, do did you follow Dan Hintz's design?
I built mine with my own basic design. Functionally similar to Dan's but totally different implementation and types of filters.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...06#post2204306
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...09#post2542909
I have considered something close to your design. How often have you had to change out your activated carbon?
Glen,
We had a commercial Filter on our first laser and the cost for filters and replacement elements for one machine was insane (We Currently run 4 lasers full time). If your engraving you might be ok but we cut none stop, mostly MDF, plywood and acrylic.
If you cant cut acrylic constantly for 30 minutes than I wouldn't call a home built filter effective - Maybe they work for a few applications but that's not efficient in my book. I know first hand MDF is one the most widely used wood product on the market and it kills filters. Most of our filters wouldn't even last a day without cleaning or replacing them. Trying cutting MDF for a full shift of 8 hours and check your air quality then.
Last edited by Robert Bonenfant; 11-28-2017 at 6:21 PM.
3X Camfive 1200 48" x 24" 100watt Tube
Zcorp 450 3d Printer
Laguna Smartshop 2 - 4x8 ATC
I think I went a year before the first change, but only about 3 months the 2nd time because I was cutting a lot of smoky ply and not checking the prefilters. I started to cut some acrylic and the odor came right through so I finally checked the filters and found the prefilters were gross and the charcoal was coated with resins. The most recent change was about 7.5 months, used maybe 85-90 percent of the time for engraving and the rest for cutting acrylic and ply. I didn't really need to change it just then, but knew it was a good time and would be a nuisance to do later when I had a bunch of ply to cut.