What is really the best way to try and collect dust for my lathe?

[Joshua Dinerstein]

Ok. So I figure this could be a topic with a few wildly different answers but I wanted to see what those here might recommend. I finally have the new shop up and running and after a few nights this last week the baffle is into my HF dual-bag DC with a 4mil plastic bag on the bottom and a cannister filter on top. So now I am down to the part of getting something on or near the lathe to start the process of actually collecting the dust. A long awaited step I must say! I bought the DC 3 years ago and turned it on for real for the first time 2 days ago. (I can be a little slow getting around to things... :)

So I started pouring over the forums here, and a few other websites, and I found some interesting things:

1- Bob Hamilton's videos on YouTube show his setup as just a flexible pipe bare end bungy/stretchy strapped to the back side of his lathe ways and honestly this seems to work well enough for him.

2- There are hoods for the end of the flexible pipe runs, things like the "Big Gulp", that are $15 - $20 depending on where you look. These basic element have to be attached to something to stay in place but give you a bit more area to start pulling dust laden air in with.

3- These simple flared hoods are also available on desktop and floor stands. Woodcraft has a number of these. One is a yellow and black arrangement that fits the coloring of my mustard lathe and so that appeals a bit more than it probably should.

4- I have a seen also on YouTube a video showing something pretty similar in design to the OneWay big square dust hood. The author there made it out of wood and put an attic fan in the middle of it. I will be using my dust collector rather than an attic fan but it is an interest size and shape. It wraps around the head stock and tail stock and give you a big area to work inside of it. My intention if going this route would be to build not buy at over $500 for the Oneway version.

5- In watching one of Raffan's videos he shows his own setup and it appears to be a white PVC manifold arrangement where he has 2 round open pipes coming down from overhead and one coming up from below around the front to catch the dust when bowl sanding.

As with all things in wood turning there seem to be a great many answer to one seemingly simple question. Trial and error I am sure would eventually lead me to a working answer. And while I am OK with that SWMBO aka LOML is really really worried about sawdust getting on things as it did in the last garage before we got married. (I have to admit it was a 1/4" thick on top of flat surfaces and was really really really not good in the last house.) So i can't blame her. But it means I need to short-circuit this process and arrive at something that works and works well on the first try. Or I just might not get a second try in the near future. *sigh*

My plan had been to go down to the local home improvement store and get some 4" sewer and drain (S&D) pipe and make a manifold similar to what I saw in Raffan's workshop. Seemed like it would be "cheap enough" and if it works would be nice enough. I was just going to go flex pipe from the DC to the end of the plastic manifold. Then I was going to build a very simple 2x4 base and riser to hold it up. This would give it some movement and adjustment flexibility when and if needed. But I started thinking about the even lower cost Bob Hamilton approach and well I manage to start over thinking things again.

So I came here to ask what you guys had found to be a good working idea so that I can try and get this done and finally get back to turning again.

Thanks!
Joshua

[curtis rosche]

take a bowl or a HF that became a funnel (went through to far on the bottom) and attach it to your hose. its cheaper. or go to yard sales and get a bunch of blinds or curtians. then you can unclose yourself dost and chips will hit them and stop.

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Joshua, the cheapest, easiest, most effective thing is to install a 20" box fan right through the wall behind your lathe. In your situation, this might not be possible, but it sure works for me. The only downside (for me) is the loss of heat in the winter.

[George Morris]

Joshua,I Approach this question from 3 ways.First is to wear a respirator or mask to eliminate breathing in the fine dust that is missed by a 2: dust collection system one that collects the most dust the better!

Last I use strategically placed sower curtains to keep the large shavings in one area. Good luck with your quest! Some people even have shop shoes that they change into before turning!

I guess the answer is a personal one. Good luck! G

[William Payer]

Joshua,

I have tried using flex tubing right up to the piece. It was just difficult to anchor it quickly ---got real frustrating.
I then went to the PM accessory for dust collection on a 3520 . While it works very well for spindles, it is really cumbersome to use when turning bowls. Just can't seem to get it close enough without it hanpering access by the tool post and gouges. But for spindles and some sanding, it works ery , very well. A bit pricey too ($95 list, about $65-70 on the street)

I now use that Woodcraft stand /big gulp style hood. It works nicely for bowl turning, is quick and easy to reposition, and it not as long as the PM to be as cumbersome, so it restricts turning activities a lot less. Its the best I've found so far...

[Wally Dickerman]

I have the large hood and stand that Woodcraft sells. It's moveable so I can easily move it from the inboard bed to the outboard bed on my lathe. I can move it in real close when I need to. I like it very much.

I recommend that you invest in one of the overhead dust filter systems that hangs from the ceiling. This collects the dust that is so fine that you can't see it. It seems to fill that air and is so light that it gathers on the top shelves. It's surprising how often the filters are loaded with dust, which means that it does a necessary job.

Wally

[Cody Colston]

I made a wooden articulated arm that is attached to the wall behind my lathe. A 4" DC flex hose with a short piece of 4" PVC with one end cut at a 30 degree angle is atached to the end of the articulated arm. I bolted it to the PVC with a short carriage bolt to minimize obstructing the opening.

I can adjust the articulated arm to place the PVC end as close to the turned piece as possible and pretty much anywhere along the length of the lathe.

It works great for collecting the sanding dust and even works well when I blow out the cuttings/dust from inside while hollowing a piece. The only drawback is that it will steal my sandpaper when hand sanding if I don't keep a good grip on it. ;)

[David Walser]

Joshua,

I have the same dust collector you do and think it represents a good value. (It's not a good as a cyclone w/ a 3hp 220v motor, but that's another topic.) I bought it with the intention of running duct work to each of my stationary machines. Unfortunately, the dust collector's not nearly powerful enough for that. What I've ended up doing is running a short flex hose connection to a garbage can with a "separator lid" on top (acts like a cyclone to separate the heavier stuff from the fine dust). Attached to the separator lid is one of Rockler's "dust right" expandable hoses. The combination allows me to reach most of my shop -- one tool at a time -- without needing to move the dust collector closer. The combo seems to provide enough air movement to be effective at dust collection.

I think the separator lid is essential for use with the lathe. HF's dust collector has a metal screen in front of the impeller to keep large items from damaging the impeller's blades. Your lathe's shavings will quickly clog this screen and you'll spend a lot of time taking the hose off the dust collector to clean the screen. Since I've used the separator lid I've filled up the garbage can a couple of times with shavings and the poly bag on the dust collector is still basically empty.

To answer your specific question: You can make a bracket to hold the end of your flex hose in position. Mine consists of a piece of scrap plywood with a couple of rare earth magnets, a wire coat hanger, and a twist tie. (This is really high tech stuff!) I used a Forstner bit to set the two magnets flush with surface of the plywood and drilled a small hole in the top edge of the plywood. I made a loop out of the wire coat hanger and put both ends of the hanger into the hole in the plywood secured with epoxy. To use, I place the plywood bracket along the back side of my lathe in a convenient spot and run the flex hose through the wire loop. I secure the flex hose in place by "closing the loop" with the twist tie. The wire coat hanger has enough stiffness that it holds the flex hose in place when I bend the wire to aim the flex hose where I want it. I used to use a large hood on the end of the flex hose, but I found that was more of a bother than it was worth. Without the hood, I can get the hose itself closer to the turning than I could with the hood. That seems to be more effective for dust collecting. (YMMV.)

One last thing. My approach works well for items being turned over the ways of the lathe. If you slide the headstock of your PM down to the end, there might not be anything for the rare earth magnets to hold on to. In such a case, one of the stands that holds a hood might be the way to go.

[JerHall]

As shown in this link: http://docs.google.com/View?docID=d4b7vjd_16gt28wf&revision=_latest
Mine goes to a cyclone collector system. Finally got rid of the bags and filters and just exit thru an eve vent to the outside. The vast majority of the dust goes down the cyclone into my container. I was surprised how little goes outside. No bother at all. In fact I can see no evidence of it. My dust collector now sucks in a very good way, no filter cleaning, and I don't really seem to be bothered that much in the winter with pumping out warm air. Also much quieter. So as a result I really use my collector now, even when hand sanding, I just sit in front of the lamp shade, and have a little fan blow across my face toward the collector. Don't really need to use a mask, but often do.

[Dan Forman]

I set up my cyclone system well before I got my lathe, so I borrow the 4" flex hose from the bandsaw, and bungee it to the tool rest when sanding. I can watch the dust flow right into it, and it seems to get all or most of it. I only use it for sanding, just let chips fall to the floor and clean them up later. I wear a respirator when turning or sanding. If the wood is really wet, and not producing any dust, I may forgo the respirator.

Dan

[Joshua Dinerstein]

Some clarification. I wrote that message early today and I realized in reading the replies that I didn't make my question clear enough.

I am going to be using the dust collector that I have. I bought it some years ago. So the question wasn't a generic what should I use??? kind of thing.

But rather what I was asking was what type of input is the best kind to use? Is just the simple open end of a single 4" pipe enough? Or is using some of the S&D pipe to make a multiple entry manifold a better idea? Or 3rd is one of these overall wrapping surrounds like the Oneway option a better idea. So it is just the input point at the lathe that I am trying to figure out how to get the best pickup of dust from.

Anyone have any comments on that...

Joshua

[Richard Madison]

Joshua, Keep in mind that velocity moves material, not just flowrate. If you have 1,000 cfm entering a 4" diameter hose it will do a pretty decent job of collecting any dust in the close vicinity of the hose entrance. The same 1,000 cfm entering a 2 square foot hood will have a much lower velocity and will probably do a much less satisfactory job of collecting nearby dust. You might be best served with your 4" hose or maybe same with only a slightly larger collector box, and a good system to easily position it and move it to the best spot for each job. Think I saw a couple good suggestions for that above.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

Joshua, Keep in mind that velocity moves material, not just flowrate. If you have 1,000 cfm entering a 4" diameter hose it will do a pretty decent job of collecting any dust in the close vicinity of the hose entrance. The same 1,000 cfm entering a 2 square foot hood will have a much lower velocity and will probably do a much less satisfactory job of collecting nearby dust. You might be best served with your 4" hose or maybe same with only a slightly larger collector box, and a good system to easily position it and move it to the best spot for each job. Think I saw a couple good suggestions for that above.
Yeah that is what I wondered about. Good solid entry into 1 or maybe 2 hoses and then a larger box. That is what the local Woodcraft guys recommended. A largish box covering the whole area. I was unconvinced it would even draw anything in.

Unless I get some more answers I think I will go with the rigid pvc pipe manifold. I like the idea of it being well located behind the what I am working on with a chance to move it back and forth as needed.

Thanks,
Joshua

[Michael Mills]

Hi Joshua,
This is what I use. It is a floor vent for a home AC/Heat system. About six bucks at Lowe’s or HD. The hardware cloth is to keep bits of sandpaper from being sucked in. I glued magnets to one side of the vent for holding it to the lathe. It will also stay attached to my tool rest when I am sanding in reverse and want it in a higher position. The vent is about 6" X 12".
Mike

[Reed Gray]

The perfect set up would be a commercial paint booth. A hose, even from the best dust collector will get a lot of dust, but not more than about 70 to 80%. The hose is much more effective on spindles than on bowls. That still leaves a lot to go up your nose, and around the shop. Having a vent of hood of some sort will get a lot more of the dust. Take the 20 inch fan and put sides on it to make a big funnel, and it will get a lot more dust. The more enclosed the piece you are sanding, the more dust you will collect. Power sanding will throw out more dust than hand sanding.

robo hippy

[Richard Madison]

There's an interesting idea. Not sure if this is what you meant, Reed, but a 20" fan with converging nozzle on the back side, tapered to connect to the 4" DC hose should make a pretty effective dust gathering arrangement. I use just the fan with an A/C filter in front of it, set just behind the lathe spindle. Only semi-effective, but cheap. My small DC is back in the corner, connected to three other closely spaced machines. Probably too far away to run a line to the lathe.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

The perfect set up would be a commercial paint booth. A hose, even from the best dust collector will get a lot of dust, but not more than about 70 to 80%. The hose is much more effective on spindles than on bowls. That still leaves a lot to go up your nose, and around the shop. Having a vent of hood of some sort will get a lot more of the dust. Take the 20 inch fan and put sides on it to make a big funnel, and it will get a lot more dust. The more enclosed the piece you are sanding, the more dust you will collect. Power sanding will throw out more dust than hand sanding.

robo hippy
Reed,

An interesting idea. I had been thinking about a fan behind me facing the work piece to keep the dust flowing that direction. But I think that perhaps that would work better with a hood behind the workpiece instead of just some raw pipe ends. I took some snap shots from the Raffan video that I was going to post up here to show what i had seen but I was running late this morning and left them home when I came into work. So I guess it will have to wait.

Joshua

[Reed Gray]

If you want to collect the dust, then have the fan blowing behind you. This method is best with flow through ventialtion in your shop, as in open doors on both ends. If you want to collect the dust, then you need to make a funnel of some sort. You wouldn't want to narrow down the outlet, but make a hood over the intake area. Hmmm.... How to say this without pictures. An open fan will draw air from a half sphere area behind the fan/intake area. If you take cardboard and make the funnel bigger on the intake area, it enclosed the piece being sanded more, so your feet/minute will remain the same, but is moving through a smaller area. I took a 55 gallon white plastic food grade barrel, and modified it for sanding bowls. I have about 4 sq. feet of open area to sand from, and a 1700 fpm. dust collector. I don't have to wear a dust mask. Tried and checked after sanding black walnut for 6 hours. A little dust falls on the floor, and some on my shirt and arms, but nothing on my glasses or up my nose. I can't turn inside it, but then I turn green to final thickness, let them all dry, then do a whole bunch of sanding at once.

Oneway does have a hood for bowls that I saw on their web site, but I didn't even want to see how much it cost.

robo hippy

[jason lambert]

I have a friend he uses maybe an 8" fan on a arm to blow the dust away from him. I don't think it is a great solution but is way better than nothing and is simple and quiet.

i like the floor vent idea.

[Gary Chester]

My collection arrangement is very similar to JerHall's link. I didn't use a lampshade, just 6" PVC all the way to a 2hp Griz cyclone that I adjust to within a couple of inches of the turning. No dust escapes!

It's fun, when sanding the top of the turning while in reverse, to watch all sawdust flow in a stream into the pvc... just like in a wind tunnel when testing the areodynamic's of a car.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

I took a 55 gallon white plastic food grade barrel, and modified it for sanding bowls. I have about 4 sq. feet of open area to sand from, and a 1700 fpm. dust collector. I don't have to wear a dust mask. Tried and checked after sanding black walnut for 6 hours. A little dust falls on the floor, and some on my shirt and arms, but nothing on my glasses or up my nose. I can't turn inside it, but then I turn green to final thickness, let them all dry, then do a whole bunch of sanding at once.
Reed,

Would you be willing to snap a quick pic of your 55 gallon barrel arrangement? I would really like to see what you did to make it all work.

Thanks,
Joshua

[Jerry Pittman]

Joshua,
Here is what I have come up with after numerous less than satisfactory attempts.
The 1st picture shows the X, Y, Z axis, plus rotate, mount on the wall.
The 2nd one is the hood that I pull up to the lathe; it has a screen to keep sandpaper and chips from getting into my piping.
The 3rd and 4th pics are of the piping to tie into my dust collector. I use it mainly for sanding but the screening keeps the curlies from clogging my DC so I can use it while turning.
BTW, I also use a respirator with P100 cartridges, a JDS air filter on the ceiling of the turning area and the turning area is closed off from the rest of the shop by a visqueen "wall"

[George Van]

If you want to collect the dust, then have the fan blowing behind you. This method is best with flow through ventialtion in your shop, as in open doors on both ends. If you want to collect the dust, then you need to make a funnel of some sort. You wouldn't want to narrow down the outlet, but make a hood over the intake area. Hmmm.... How to say this without pictures. An open fan will draw air from a half sphere area behind the fan/intake area. If you take cardboard and make the funnel bigger on the intake area, it enclosed the piece being sanded more, so your feet/minute will remain the same, but is moving through a smaller area. I took a 55 gallon white plastic food grade barrel, and modified it for sanding bowls. I have about 4 sq. feet of open area to sand from, and a 1700 fpm. dust collector. I don't have to wear a dust mask. Tried and checked after sanding black walnut for 6 hours. A little dust falls on the floor, and some on my shirt and arms, but nothing on my glasses or up my nose. I can't turn inside it, but then I turn green to final thickness, let them all dry, then do a whole bunch of sanding at once.

Oneway does have a hood for bowls that I saw on their web site, but I didn't even want to see how much it cost.

robo hippy

Reed, does your vacuum hose connect to the end or the side of the barrel? This would help my visualization of your set-up.

[Reed Gray]

The dust hose connects at the back of the barrel, right behind where the bowls are. I have it above center. This helps keep oil rags, and paper and other related things from being sucked up the hose. I cut a hole with a jig saw, used a piece of pipe with some flanges bent out away from the sides, and screwed it to the plastic, and used some hot melt glue to seal it.

I really need my daughters help in taking pictures and getting them posted here.

robo hippy

[Steve Harder]

And I've bought a better quality (not fuzzy) furnace filter that fits the intake face of a 20" fan. And I position the fan just behind and below the vessel I'm sanding (hanging on strap from ceiling and bungied up to lathe bed). The fan sucks a lot of material directly onto the filter and I just shopvac the filter face as it loads up - which is pretty fast - does a good job of catching the dust at the source.

You need low velocity over a large area and the box fan does a good job of providing that.

I've got one of the bright green laserpens - I turn off the lights in shop and laser will show me how much dust is in air. I've checked before and after sanding - with fan with filter running it's not much worse after sanding.

[George Van]

Thanks Reed,

I have to try your idea, it should help my dust collection problem immensly.