Seasoning filters

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

Is it advisable to pre-season filters before putting new ones into service? If so, how would one go about it?

I am thinking with Nanos it is not needed but what about spun-bond?

[David Kumm]

You let time season the filters. Either the nano or the spun bond, but particularly the nano will come out of the chute delivering cleaner air than what you have in the house. The key is getting the dust into the system at the machine. As for the sanding dust, neither cyclone is made to separate fine dust, see the threads on that. Some will get to the filters so you want filters that can be blown out with air and are surface loading. Nano works pretty good in that regard. When I used spun bond filters my Dylos small particle count got to the sub 200 number which is as good or better than the house. The nano dropped to sub 100. When you use machines the numbers go up. Even with my 2000+ cfm system you can get to several thousand when working so leaving the DC on is a big deal. A dylos makes you never want to sweep again. Count goes to 10,000 pretty easily. Dave

[Rick Moyer]

So if sweeping sends the numbers skyrocketing, what does just walking around in the shop do to them? This goes back to your other thread, Cyrus, about the 0441 and the CV, too. I think you may be chasing something you won't be able to catch. I have somewhat re-thought my dust control. I have a 0440 cyclone and that seems to do a very good job for me, but there is always some procedure that will make dust that won't be collected by the cyclone; drilling, hand sanding something, misc. things like getting lumber off the rack, etc. I now feel that the best procedure for health is to wear a respirator all the time when working in the shop (I don't however), and run an air cleaner/scrubber. Unless you run the cyclone constantly with a few gates open to act like a scrubber, I don't think you can get an environment as clean as you would like. I know this isn't really answering your question directly. I just don't want to see you waste your time or money striving for something you may not be able to achieve.

[Jamie Buxton]

Seasoning filters? Never heard of it.
What are you thinking of doing? And, more importantly, what are you trying to get the filter to do better, and how does seasoning make that happen?

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

I asked this just out of curiosity.

Rick and David... thanks. I know that nothing gets it all. I will keep the respirator handy and possibly pi k up a dylos so I know exactly what is going on.

[David Kumm]

Seasoning filters? Never heard of it.
What are you thinking of doing? And, more importantly, what are you trying to get the filter to do better, and how does seasoning make that happen?

As filters are used a dust cake forms on the inside which up to a point actually improves the ability to capture small particles. The cake needs to be knocked off periodically but enough of it hangs on to still help the separation. A seasoned filter cleans better but increases the pressure drop and reduces the cfm at the machine so while the filters get better, the actual dust pulled into the air might be reduced. That is why you must know whether a system curve was generated with new or seasoned filters. Must use new as that gives better numbers. Dave

[Rick Moyer]

Post your Dylos results if you get one. I wish I had purchased one way back when. Still thinking about it but missed the group discount and am now not wanting to spend for one.

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

I will once everything is up and running.

[John Hays]

Seasoning filters is quick and easy... just let your drum over-fill once or twice.:p But seriously, I just did that last week by accident and it wasn't pretty.

From what I understand about it, David is right. It's a catch-22 and there's not much you can do to sway the results in your favor.

Truth be told, everyone would love to have a dust free shop, but it just isn't going to happen, no matter how much brain power or money we're able throw at it. Admittedly, some people's systems are better than others, but even the guy with just a shop-vac is doing something, which is better than nothing... and that's exactly what it boils down to.

So I wouldn't worry about pre-seasoning anything, we're going to get what we get, whether we like it or not.