Bench Grinder Dust Collection?

[Bob Winkler]

I'm getting ready to purchase a 6" or 8" bench grinder, mainly for quick sharpening of my HSS turning tools. I have a slow speed wheel (Delta) which I'll keep because it works pretty well for honing flatter work (chisels, etc). I'll probably outfit the grinder with the nice white Norton wheel and a Veritas tool rest.

Some of the units I've been considering have a dust collection port out the back. This is new to me. My concern is that those flying sparks of hot metal may not be compatible with the sawdust already in the shop vac or DC bags. Would I have to use a dedicated vac for the grinder? I wonder if it's really worth the trouble. The thought of hot metal particles in any bag just doesn't sit well with me.

My experience (as you can tell) with working metal is minimal, so any comment would be appreciated.

Bob

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I have never seen a grinder with a dust port. I would NOT hook up a DC to a grinder... all that nice dry sawdust would just be asking for a smoldering fire... that would flare up after you leave the shop. I am wondering if the port is really to direct the sparks and hot metal away from you?

[Bob Winkler]

They call it an "exhaust port". It is 2 1/2". It can barely be seen in the attached pic.

[Jim Becker]

In metal working (and jewelry) there are sometimes special dust collection systems to reclaim expensive materals for recycling. Some grinders have the "exhaust port" referenced for this reason or "just because". (My Tradesman grinder has the ports...which I've closed off with foil tape...and my Delta does not)

In a woodworking environment, one should NEVER hook up a grinder to a dust collection system unless you truly want to destroy your shop/home via fire! Further, be careful of what is behind your grinder whether it has the ports or not. Sparks fly when you are grinding metal...

[Chris DeHut]

As you guessed, connecting that grinder to your woodworking dust collection is asking for trouble. In our shop, we do not connect the port to anything, we just let the grinding dust pass through the port and onto the floor.

In metal working companies, they use a special type of "dust collector" to gather the material, but in a home shop it would probably be too expensive to consider.

Chris DeHut

[Steven Wilson]

There are DC units made for grinders and buffers. They tend to be a pricey for woodworking shops. For about $2K you can get a nice Baldor 8" grinder and DC setup from http://www.midaco-corp.com/products_sub.asp?CategoryID=6&CategoryName=Grinder+Guard+%2F+Grit%2DGrabber+Dust +Collector .

[Tyler Howell]

I built a water bath similar to the sheet rock sanding filter system you can get at the borg to catch FOD while buffing metal parts for the boat. Works great and catches all the disintegrating parts from the 3M buffing wheels.
Shop VAC provides the suck.

[Erik Rudd]

I just rubberband an old used sock over the port on the back of my grinder. It catches all of the grinding wheel and metal particles without having them fly all over the place and I've never had one catch on fire. I've also seen people hook up pvc pipe onto the port with a drop down to a 5gal bucket partly filled with water.


Erik