Laser Engraver Exhaust Questions

[Robert Bonenfant]

Working on Setting up my Laser Cutter in my Garage and I've ran into a problem.
Wheres the best place to vent the machine, I was thinking of running it out the back wall and running a vent to my roof.
I have neighbors on both sides of me (Houses are close about 12 feet or so).
Has anyone used a air scrubber. Link to rockler below
http://www.rockler.com/f1020pg-air-purifier-for-laser-engraver-cutter
I would be cutting 1/4 plywood only - Smells like a fire place
Would i need to change the filters monthly? Yearly ?
I would be using the machine about 10 - 20 hours a week on Projects.
I currently moving my laser from my warehouse to my house to use it more often on small projects.

Any help would be grateful before i go and waste more money.

Might give this a shot
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?194013-Homer-Bucket-Air-Scrubber

[David Somers]

Robert,

Here is a link to a post Dan Hintz started in which he described how he built his own air filter for a very reasonable cost and without a great deal of time and effort. It is well documented. See if that helps you with the air scrubber part of your question. His design seemed to be pretty effective and about as low cost as you could get. Commercial filters tend to be pretty expensive to purchase, and once bought the replacement filtration elements can be ruinous unless you have a solid business to support the costs.

If you have houses on either side of you can you run out the garage door, or the wall to either side of the door? Just trying to avoid going out the roof unless you have to. I have always looked at putting a hole in a roof needlessly as about as smart as jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. <grin> Unless you are experienced at it I would probably get a roofer or Stove installer to do that for you.

Where is your summer prevailing wind from? Can you use that to help you distribute the exhaust? It wont matter as much in the winter because folks have their windows closed.

And, have you talked to the neighbors about the smoke at all? It may be that they arent worried about it, especially if they have wood stoves in the neighborhood and are used to it.



Filter changes would depend on your frequency of use and they particles you are putting out. Smoke is likely to clog a filter quickly.



http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?143725-DIY-air-filtration-unit-for-lt-200&highlight=Test (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?143725-DIY-air-filtration-unit-for-lt-200&highlight=Test)

[Bert Kemp]

You could always run it thru the back wall then use stove pipe up the outer wall to get it above the neighbors. Just an option,save a lot of time and money for a scrbber and filters:D

[Kev Williams]

For what it's worth, for 13 year's I've vented 2 machines from my basement stairwell, under the iron hand railing and into (what can loosely be referred to ;) ) a flowerbed, right on the ground. From 50' away any smells are faint or non-existent. My office is directly above the vents, smells are faint. Never hurt the Holly bush that was there.

In contrast, my BIL engraves cedar boxes every night with his laser, which he originally vented above his roof line. Even though I can't think of many better smells that burning cedar, he had neighbors complain that the smoke was entering thru their swamp coolers at night in the summer.

Only complaint I've ever has was when one of my blower's motor bearings started squealing and a neighbor behind me complained about the noise. I asked about smells, he said he's never smelled anything...