Lathe dust collection

[Mike Cruz]

So, what do YOU do for dust collection while turning? Okay, maybe that is a little unclear. My assumption is that there isn't much of anything you can do about the shavings that are ejected while turning, but while sanding, well, that's another issue.

How do you collect dust? Overhead hood? Behind the lathe hood? Mobile (swinging) hood? None at all (like getting covered from head to toe in dust)?

Pics are certainly welcome!

[Joe Herrmann]

I started to sand with oil and that pretty much eliminates any sanding dust. However, I noticed that I have a big oil streak on the ceiling and on the floor in front of my lathe so I'm going to switch to was as a lubricant. That should eliminate both the dust and any future streaks.

[Cody Colston]

I have a 4" PVC hood connected to 4" flex which is connected to a 6" trunk line which is connected to a 3 hp Oneida cyclone. The hood is mounted behind the lathe on a shop-made articulating arm for positioning anywhere along the lathe bed and as close to the work as needed.

Sanding dust is not a problem. ;)

[Roger Chandler]

Mike,

Dust collection is extremely important for your long term health. I have a "big gulp" dust hood behind my lathe connected to my dust collector, an overhead air cleaning unit just above my head near the lathe for ambient air cleaning, and use a Trend Airshield Pro as a respirator.

That is pretty much about all I can do to protect myself.

[Mike Cruz]

Roger, yeah, that's why I'm asking...;)

Cody, I'd love to see that! Got any pics?

I have a 6" port above the lathe that I plan to attach flex pipe to to do, I don't know...something with. Just can't figure out what yet. I also have a 6" port at the end of the lathe. Both port are on the same line, so I don't think running both at the same time is possible.

[Cody Colston]

Roger, yeah, that's why I'm asking...;)

Cody, I'd love to see that! Got any pics?

I have a 6" port above the lathe that I plan to attach flex pipe to to do, I don't know...something with. Just can't figure out what yet. I also have a 6" port at the end of the lathe. Both port are on the same line, so I don't think running both at the same time is possible.

I'll have to do some net searching to see if I have a pic posted somewhere...I'm out in the GoM at the present. :(

[Jim Silva]

As it just so happens (talk about timing), Woodturningonline.com just published my homemade articulated DC arm article. If you're interested it's at http://www.turnings.basketryetc.com/dc/dc-arm.htm

Sometime back I saw someone doing something similar with a light arm and figured it'd work for DC purposes.

Jim

[Jack Mincey]

One of the best tools I put in my shop was a 2 1/2 HP Dust Gorilla dust collector. I have a flexible 5" hose that I can adjust on a stand where I need it and it sucks up the sanding dust that is generated at the lathe and sometimes sandpaper and on rare occasion small HF's and Game Calls when I'm not careful. One of the HF's that made the trip through the system rolled around in the cone on the gorilla for over a minuted before it dropped into the dust barrel under it.
Jack

[Allen Neighbors]

As it just so happens (talk about timing), Woodturningonline.com just published my homemade articulated DC arm article. If you're interested it's at http://www.turnings.basketryetc.com/dc/dc-arm.htm
Sometime back I saw someone doing something similar with a light arm and figured it'd work for DC purposes.
Jim
Jim, that's a great tutorial. I'm going to copy it, to hold my control head on the off side of my Oneway 1640. I love it. My contraption isn't as handy as yours... thanks for the link!!


How do you collect dust? Overhead hood? Behind the lathe hood? Mobile (swinging) hood? None at all (like getting covered from head to toe in dust)?
Mike, I don't have a DC. But I am conscious of the problems of dust. I use a castored, floor mounted fan, that blows across my shoulder, and down, across the piece. I also have a ceiling mounted fan above and behind me, that blows the same direction. And the dust they blow away, is picked up by a large exhaust fan in the end of my shop (about 20 feet away) that takes it outside. I also have a ceiling mounted home-built air cleaner, that circulates the air in the shop through four filters.

[Jim Underwood]

It's very hard to collect the chips as they're spraying over your shoulder... bout the best you can do is knock them down with a curtain. Some folks use shower curtains. I plan to do that sometime... Saw a great system for this at the IWF. Kinda pricey though:
http://www.goffscurtainwalls.com/

I've also got a cyclone I plan to put up here in the... eh... sometime soon, I'll build "The Addition" to put my air compressor and cyclone in. Almost got the money saved up. Then the piping's going to all the machines, including the lathe.

The Trend Airshield Pro is taking care of all of it for now.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I just have the DC hose hanging from the bed. When I twist it around it comes within inches of the piece being sanded. Works pretty well.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I use the 4" DC hose and bungee cord it to the bed as close to the turning as possible. Not very fancy but works great for sanding!

[Mike Cruz]

Yeah, Allen, I suppose if you don't have a closed off shop (not air conditioning or heating) that would be a great option. Unfortunately, in my area, most of the time, you are doing one or the other...

[Mike Cruz]

Jim U., I'll be installing one of these contraptions (shower curtain type thing) this weekend or so. I'll post pics when I'm done. It cost minimal out of pocket. Litterally about $50 or so.

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks, Steve. I thought of that, too. I was just hoping for something cool, snazzy, and "ah-ha!". I hate "fooling" with bungies and things whenever I have to move around and stuff.

I really would love for folks to post pics of how they attach hoses and hoods etc. I seem to understand best when I can see.

So, do those who use a hose and bungie/clamp just use the hose, or do you use a hood with it?

[Scott Hackler]

I have a 4" hose bungie corded to the lathe bed and pulled up as close ot the piece as possible, when sanding or turning dusty dry wood. This is connected to a Craftsman shop dust collector sitting right beside the lathe. When turning green wood I dont use anything.

I also have a Jet whole shop filtration and when sanding or using any power tool it is definitely on. This was a present from my wife and a great addition to the shop. Expecially when you see how much crap is captured in the filter that could be in the lungs.

In a worse case, I also have a face mask ... but I hate wearing it. I will use it sometimes but I shoud have it on all the time.

[Mike Cruz]

Jim S., thanks for the pics and idea. That is somewhat what I was thinking of, for a hose coming in from the side at least. I toyed with the idea of some sort of swinging arm. My challenge is figuring how to get it completely out of the way when not in use (not turning). But, thanks, seriously! That gave me some ideas.

[Neil Strong]

6" flex duct just under toolrest, no hood, pulled by 2800cfm cyclone. Plus positive pressure filtered air helmet.

.....

[Ken Whitney]

I cut the bottom out of an 8" diameter plastic bowl, glued that to an adapter, and attached it to a 4" flex hose on the DC. Bungee corded to the headstock. It is pretty effective in getting the sanding dust.

It is 100% effective in getting the bigger chips as well, so long as I throw them into the bowl by hand. :)

[John Keeton]

Mike, I used to use the Big Gulp, but found it to get in the way. If it wasn't turned the right way, it seemed the dust collection suffered. I abandoned it, and simply used a long cable tie to secure my 4" flex to the base of the lathe. Seems to work great with my Oneida DC system.

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks, John. It seems that a lot of you guys just put the flex tube near where you need collection with some sort of tie down. Oh, and thanks for the pic, too!

I was thinking of some sort of overhead dropdown dust hood contraption because I can come from there. But I can also come from the end of the lathe, off the wall, and that seems like it might be better. I may have both, for options, but it looks like the primary way might be flex hose on some sort of arm like Jim S. constructed.

[David Woodruff]

I buy 6" flexible aluminum dryer hose from Home Depot , works great and can be twisted and turned to get right at the source.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Mike, My set up. I use a sit down bench and ran the drive belt out the head stock so there are no moving parts under the bench.

Fitted a Vac extraction directly under the mandrel connected to a chip collector fitted to a whole of house vac dedicated to this lathe.

Above the bench fixed a fan inside a cone direct outside through the roof for fine escape dust.

This VL100 lathe is only used for pens.

This works great for me.

Regards Peter.

[Roger Chandler]

Mike, I used to use the Big Gulp, but found it to get in the way. If it wasn't turned the right way, it seemed the dust collection suffered. I abandoned it, and simply used a long cable tie to secure my 4" flex to the base of the lathe. Seems to work great with my Oneida DC system.

Mike & John,

I made a good fix for the big gulp to be out of the way, or up close to the work, what ever would be required at the time. I made a sliding base and screwed the hood onto it, and then attached the base to a roller stand, with the roller taken off.

It is basically a tongue & grove set up that allows the inner portion [tongue 3"x12"] to slide inside the outer grooves [5"x12"] so the whole unit can be brought close, or pushed away depending on the diameter of the work piece, or how close you want to get to collect the dust from sanding or even for some cuts, the curlies as well.

It really works great. When I can find the time, I will see about getting a picture taken and posted. This is a really good solution and works well!

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks, Roger. And please, yes, pics, pics, pics.

[Mike Cruz]

Great idea! I'll look into that.

[Jim Silva]

Jim S., thanks for the pics and idea. That is somewhat what I was thinking of, for a hose coming in from the side at least. I toyed with the idea of some sort of swinging arm. My challenge is figuring how to get it completely out of the way when not in use (not turning). But, thanks, seriously! That gave me some ideas.

Cool, glad it helped.
Mine folds completely out of the way behind the headstock where I've got mine positioned or I can just open it out over the bed to get it out of the way but that'll vary depending on where it's mounted.

[neil mackay]

As I am in the process of building my shop. I will be fitting a PVC system 4" that will run along the top of one wall and droppers down about 4" long from there to each lathe in flexible ducting as well one to the band saw. The DC unit will be outside under cover.
Also a general extraction fan at one end along with vents to other end to allow all the fine particles to draw away to the out side. What falls on the floor will be shoveled up.

Its bit fancier than I was going to install. But these days I generally have a couple of grand kids in tow and two more on the way to boot.So the OHS factor goes up some.

[Reed Gray]

Fans to blow the dust away, well it works okay. I would give it a C grade.

Dust hose on a support or bungee corded to the lathe, better than fans, and okay for hand sanding, not so good for power sanding, no matter how much suction you have (I have a 3 hp Oneida, and 5 inch hose at my lathe). C+ grade.

Big gulp on a hose, there are a number of variations, but really opens up the collection area to get more dust. Maybe a B -.

Sanding hood, best option. I made mine out of a white plastic 55 gallon food grade barrel. I cut about 40% of the side out, and it sits in the ways of the lathe, and is for sanding only. Since the bowls are 60% enclosed, and I am standing in front of it, some dust gets on my hands/arms, some on my smock, and the rest goes into the dust collector. I don't need to wear a dust mask, and have tested it by sanding black walnut for half a day, and blowing my nose. Zero dust up my nose. Now, I need to buy some 4 X 8 sheet stock of the white plastic, and make a hood that I can leave up when turning as well. Haven't been really motivated to do this as 90% of what I turn is green.

robo hippy

[Jack Mincey]

Here is a picture of my set up. It doesn't look like much, but it works great. I mounted the galvanized pipe in an old out board tool rest stand so that I can move it where it is needed on either side of my lathe since I do outboard turning on most of my bowls this is a must.
Jack
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/IMG_2441.jpg

[Michael Mills]

Here is the setup I use. It is NOT in position right now for sanding, just to take a quick picture.
The connector is what attaches downspouts to underground 4" drainage line ($2 ?)
I just swing the banjo to the back and insert the collector. Cardboard is replaceable as you wish for your purposes; sometime like shown, sometimes short, sometimes flared.
You can mount it at the rear, in front, or sometimes with the headstock rotated mounted upside down in the banjo.
Hint, make your post extra long to get the spout as close as possible and insert hardware cloth in the throat to keep bit of paper from being sucked in.
Mike

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks for the pics, guys...you don't know how helpful that is. :o Sorry, not that your explanations are poor, but without the pics, I would have envisioned something completely different.

[Jim C Bradley]

Hi,

Here is the process I went through:

I tried the Big Gulp (Might have been a knock-off. It was given to me.). It helped a tiny bit...not enough to compensate for the awkwardness. It now rests in my attic.

Next I tried 6" flex DC hose. This was just the open end of a flex duct. It was held in place by a bracket I made. It was a big improvement. It was directly behind the turning.

However, most of the chips and dust seem to get thrown front and down so I made a bracket that held two 2 1/2 in, semi-flexable, DC hoses from Rockler. One was in the back at work level and one in the front down low. This was another improvement.

The reason for the 2 1/2 inchers was to increase the velocity of the air flow. Vacuums don't create vacuum...they just move air rappidly. So the smaller tube moves a given volume of air faster than the large.

Then I brought the rear 2 1/2 incher to the front. This created a very noticeable improvement and it is what I have been using. (I also, always use an N95 mask, faceshield and have a JDS general room filter. These were in use for all of the above.).

I just set up a new lathe on a new bench and the DC is attached and working. However, it is 10:45 pm and pics will have to wait until tomorrow. I am ordering a long radius el to replace the rather tight bend that is in the system...I am sure you can visualize that.

I noticed that the front unit was getting almost all of the action. That is the reason I brought the rear intake to join the front intake.

Enjoy,

Jim

Pics soon.

[Jim C Bradley]

Here Are the Promised Pics
161059
The first photo shows the clamp I made to hold the 2 .5 in DC wye. It is a flexible duct that stays in the position after being shaped. This duct is from Rockler. It is being held by clamps (instead of being screwed to the bench) because I am messing with finding the best location. This is a new bench, lathe and set-up. It feeds into 4 in flex until I get the exact location...then flex will be replaced with PVC.

The second pic is the same thing from further back to give you an idea of the overall flow of ducting.
161060
The third photo is a close-up of the front of the lathe showing the current location of the duct openings.
161061
Pic four is from further back. It also includes the older Delta I wish to sell.
161062
If there are any questions do not hesitate to ask. If you need photos from different angles, let me know.

Enjoy,

Jim

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks, Jim. Nope, no more pics needed. That explained it very well. Great set up. I suppose the best thing you can know when setting up your dust collection is knowing where your chips/dust fall/eject. Thanks, again.

[Mike Cruz]

Hey, Cody, back from the GoM yet? Still waiting on those pics...;)

[scott schmidt grasshopper]

I have a 2 way fan mounted in the wall behind the lathe.when turning noxious woods I run it at low speed in exghaust, to sand I put two dowels in the upper corners and then drape a vynil sheet ( 4 ft x 6ft )walmart,, over the dowels and have a 3 sided enclosure. a bottom of ridgid plastic gives even better suction. coverage is about spindle plus 6 " and I have a 2ft sq opening to work thru with it vynil I can move a portion if I need access/bigger pieces.

I have more vynil sheeting for shaving curtains and they are offset of each otherso you can walk passed one sidestep and then the second. it contains 80% of the shavings.

I dont have a/c or heat in my shop that I have to contain so this works well for me

[Roger Chandler]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=148080

I posted some pics about dust collection with the big gulp dust hood as you requested.

[David Hostetler]

Design is in progress, but the hood is done. I took a 12" wide floor register, with a 4" opening, did a little sheet metal tweaking, and formed it into the hood I wanted, it attaches with 4 large rare earth magnets directly to the lathe bed.

The ducting going to it is all that remains, I need to run my lines...

[Cody Colston]

Hey, Cody, back from the GoM yet? Still waiting on those pics...;)

Nope, I don't go home until Monday, 21. :(

[John Beaver]

My lathe (pm 3520b) has grooves along the base of the tool rest. I put bolts through a holder on the end of a 4" hose and slide those into either side of the tool rest. My lathe has a sliding head stock and I move it alot so this allows me to move the hose easily I will take pics if anyone wants them.

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks Roger! That is SO funny... You mentioned a sliding hood, and it gave me an idea for me to do. But mine came out WAY different than yours. See, lack of pics put a completely different picture in my head. I'll post some pics tomorrow or Friday. I don't have a dust hood...may yet, but not now. We'll see how it works without it. I have a 6" pipe going to it, so maybe I won't need one. Then again, unless stuff/dust goes riiiiight at it, it may not pick up enough. So, the hood may be necessary. Hey, John, you say you have one sitting in your attic? :rolleyes:

[John Spitters]

I have a 6" line drop down in behind the lathe, it swings out from against the wall towards the headstock of the lathe, the 6" pvc pipe also telescopes an additional 12" or so "like a trombone" to the end of this I fit on a cut-out 5 gallon bucket. Works extremely well ... also using a 3 hp Grizzly Cyclone.

John

[Roger Chandler]

I have a 6" line drop down in behind the lathe, it swings out from against the wall towards the headstock of the lathe, the 6" pvc pipe also telescopes an additional 12" or so "like a trombone" to the end of this I fit on a cut-out 5 gallon bucket. Works extremely well ... also using a 3 hp Grizzly Cyclone.

John


John,

That is a super idea! By the way, great lathe, nice longworth chuck and steady rest hanging on the wall there also. Very nice shop!

I could see a lot of dust being collected in that bucket hood. :)

[Mike Cruz]

Very nice, John! I love that. Again, I just completed mine (where were you yesterday? :rolleyes:) but I still may incorporate some of what you did. What I ended up doing is "the basics" and I will probably have to add some sort of hood to it. Yours looks like an inexpensive winner...

John, what are the chances of getting a close up pic of the 5 gallon bucket?

[Mike Cruz]

Yes, yes, yes...pics, pics, pics. Even though I made mine today, that doesn't mean that it will work! I may need a plan B... :o

[John Spitters]

Yes, yes, yes...pics, pics, pics. Even though I made mine today, that doesn't mean that it will work! I may need a plan B... :o


As requested here are a few more pics, to get a better idea of just how I built it.
I also just finished this cabinet for my turning tools, so I thought that I would include them as well.

John

[Mike Cruz]

I don't know, John, are those sharp edges on that bucket OSHA approved? :D

Thanks for the pics. I couldn't see in that first one you posted how you cut up a bucket to make hood. But those pics made it perfectly clear. One thing I love about that is that it almost makes the hood directional. Meaning that with the bottom of the bucket being flat, it seems like it would trap the dust nicely.

I take it that this is only for dust, and that chips aren't really caught...right?

If you don't mind, I think I may have to steal the bucket/hood idea and add it to what I did.

[John Spitters]

I don't know, John, are those sharp edges on that bucket OSHA approved? :D

Thanks for the pics. I couldn't see in that first one you posted how you cut up a bucket to make hood. But those pics made it perfectly clear. One thing I love about that is that it almost makes the hood directional. Meaning that with the bottom of the bucket being flat, it seems like it would trap the dust nicely.

I take it that this is only for dust, and that chips aren't really caught...right?

If you don't mind, I think I may have to steal the bucket/hood idea and add it to what I did.

Mike
Feel free to steal the idea, the whole purpose about these forums is to share ideas.
Yes this is only for catching the dust ... which it does very well btw, though if I wanted to it will catch a lot of the chips if I intentionally direct them to the bucket, but it's easier to just close in the curtains and let the chips fall to the floor and to sweep them up after. I purposely placed the lathe away from the wall so that it makes cleanup very easy.

Also when I put the bucket over the 6" pvc I just used PL premium to hold it in place.

John

[Michael Ginsberg]

I actually use my dust collector while turning and sanding. I find that a good bit of my shavings get sucked up as I turn. When turning the outside of my bowl, I use the hose in front of the lathe off at an angle. When I turn the inside, I close the front hose and open the Big Gulp behind the lathe bed. It saves me time sweeping. I also have a shower curtain behind me which keeps my shavings confined.

[Mike Cruz]

First, I would like to say thank you to everyone who gave their ideas. While it may, or may not look like I listened or incorporated what you may have said or suggested, there is NO WAY I would have come up with this without listening to what you all said. I still may add some sort of dust hood to it, but as for right now, I don't need it. I've started turning my second bowl (yeah!) and it works great for sanding...in my case, the purpose of it.

The contraption is made of 1" EMT pipe. One of the two parallel pipes is bent on a 90 degree angle (actually, just over/under...depending on how you look at it...90 degrees to account for the weight of what is on it). The other is long enough to allow the elbow to slide the length of the lathe. The two pipes are joined by a fully threaded bolt (with appropiate fender washers, lock washers, and nuts).

The elbow is mounted to a piece of 3/4" ply, with gobs of "Great Stuff" spray insulation around it to support it. Under the ply, there are two short pieces of metal closet rod that just so happen to be the perfect size to allow the EMT to travel inside the closet pipe smoothly. I mounted those closet pipe pipes with 1" galvanized two hole hold downs...again the perfect size for the closet pipe. The mount to the wall has the same idea as how the elbow slides down the EMT pipe...I mounted closet pipe to the wall, and slid the 1" EMT into it, allowing the whole contraption to swing. I made the length going down the wall long enough that I can lift the whole thing up and swing it over the lathe and up against the wall for storage if I want to. As you can tell, this took a lot of back and forthing at HD to find out what pieces would fit for what use.

In case you didn't notice, there is no blast gate on the elbow. The solution? I mounted a 6" cap on the wall with 3 screws. When not in use, I just disconnect the flex hose (with the short length of 6" pvc) from the elbow, and stick it into the cap on the wall.

[Roger Chandler]

Mike,

Pretty nice rig 'ya got there! I see what you mean that the image in your mind was totally different from what my words conveyed before we got the pics up! :D;)

Hey, your rig is good, and looks like it will do a fine job! Great work!

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks, Roger. Yeah, I knew yours was different before seeing your pics, but not THAT different. I mean, I wasn't using a dovetail slide, or even a dust hood, but your description for some reason put what I did into my head.

I think I might try to incorporate some sort of chip collection (as others have done) by putting something on the front of the lathe too. Obviously, both can't be running at the same time, but they would each have their uses...

[Paul Douglass]

I'll throw my simple set up in. I have several of the cheap adjustable roller stands (HF). I used one of the stands and post and made my DC holder. Very simple. Very adjustable.

[Roger Chandler]

I like it Paul! What ever works is what counts!

[Mike Cruz]

Paul, where did you get your hood? Looks like it came off a machine...

[Mike Peace]

Mine is a little like Paul's. It was harder to move when cleaning up so mounted it on an old office chair base I repurposed from someone's garbage at the curb. It does not adjust up and down so its only a temporaray solution.

[Paul Douglass]

Paul, where did you get your hood? Looks like it came off a machine...


Mike, I'm sorry but I can't remember where I bought that hood from. I've had it for a long time.

The curved piece of aluminum pipe came from an old cheap folding lawn chair. I remember that.