Will Aluminum dust damage my cyclone?

[Dan Case LR]

Let me start by saying that I already know not to collect hot (or cold) metal shavings with my DC.

That said, I'm fabricating a couple of aluminum pieces and needed to sand a couple ragged edges on my disk sander. I did this with the cyclone turned OFF and the blast gate to the sander CLOSED, prepared to open the system and vacuum out the aluminum dust. Then I got to thinking--will a small quantity of cold, fine aluminum dust damage the cyclone? I certainly wouldn't want to do it all the time, but can I safely suck that dust into my DC system?

I have an opinion, but on rare occasions my opinions turn out to be wrong, so I thought I'd poll the DC braintrust.

Thanks!

D.

[Frank Pratt]

I can't see why it would be a problem. As long as you are sucking it up cold, like you've done.

[John Donofrio]

I can't see why it would be a problem. As long as you are sucking it up cold, like you've done.

I agree with Frank and would do the same under these circumstances.

[Rod Sheridan]

Aluminum being sanded can be a real fire/explosion hazard..............Regards, Rod.

[John Donofrio]

Aluminum being sanded can be a real fire/explosion hazard..............Regards, Rod.

In the quantity Dan is talking about? Really?

[Ole Anderson]

When I was making barefoot waterski booms in my shop (over 2000 of them), I did a lot of sanding of the aluminum on my 6" belt sander and I would spin the 2" and 1.5" pipe sections and run a belt sander over it to give them a brushed finish. I generated barrels of sweepings and never had a problem in 15 years. Yes we used respirators. I am still knocking the black dust fines off pipes and wires in the joist spaces. Sure wish I had at least an ambient cleaner back then. Occasionally I need to cut a piece of aluminum, and have no qualms of turning on my DC for the miter saw while cutting, I have even used the table saw to rip aluminum plate.

[Phil Thien]

Sanding aluminum is okay, you don't want to take a grinding wheel to it, especially if it has ground iron, that is a recipe for Thermite.