Keep Dust Out of House - Real World Experiences

[John Nordyke]

Morning, All

I have a modest assortment of power tools - lathe, cabinet saw, chop saw, jointer, planer, disc sander. I also have a 2hp dust collector/cyclone-in-a-trash-can system to hook to individual machines as I use them, as well as a Jet wall-hung dust collector/circulator.

I've always had a detached shop in the past, but getting ready to move where my shop will be on the lower level of the home, a converted garage space. I'm sure this is a common arrangement for Creek members, so I am wondering - as a practical matter, can I really keep ALL dust from intruding into the living spaces? Would it take truly extraordinary measures to accomplish this?

Thanks in advance for your input and experiences.

[Randy Red Bemont]

I have always had basement workshops. You can keep the dust at bay pretty good (not 100%) if you use dust collection with your equipment and run an air filtration unit like a JDS religiously. I also used my air compressor to blow off any dust on me before leaving the workshop and walking through the house.

Also, don't forget about HVAC. If you're going to use the house system you could pump your dust throughout the house. You should have your own separate unit.

I will be building a new workshop and house soon but this time I am building a detached workshop but I will continue to do all the steps listed above.

Red

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Red...good dust collection combined with reducing or eliminating "transport" for dust to other areas is about the best you can do.

[Ryan Jones]

Get a garage heater like a modine hot dawg or just a mr. heater. Dust collector + air filtration + change of clothes/apron will help a lot. Also double doors.. one from mud room to garage, one from mud room to house. Always keep one door closed. 97% out of house.

[Prashun Patel]

are you able to vent your dust collector outside? That is the best way to remove dust - even at the expense of losing heat, IMHO.

I would upgrade your preseparator (if it's one of the cheaper lid-style separators) to a Thien or Super Dust Deputy separator.

The price of ambient air cleaners has really come down; there are a couple 'cheap' ones available for under $200. My Powertec is quiet. They're so cheap, you can (as I have) consider buying more than 1 and locate them appropriately.

Box fans with filter furnaces are also a cheap, and remarkably effective way to reduce traveling dust - especially when doing something like sanding; just have one in front of where you work.


I would also not overlook the brute force method of using a leaf blower with the doors open.

[Larry Edgerton]

Filter on return air.

[Charles Lent]

My shops have all been in basements, except for one that was in a detached garage. When I moved here, I vowed to have a shop that was not even connected to the house. Sawdust getting up into the house from the basement was always a big problem, even when I took many steps to try keeping it from getting there.

Another significant problem for me was her interruptions for relatively un-important things. When I was in the basement, my wife always seemed to need me for help making decisions, or to just talk about whatever was on her mind. In my detached shop she has to walk about 60' and maybe put her coat on in order to see me. She can still reach me via the cell phone or before that the intercom any time she needs to talk to me, but this distance of separation has eliminated all but the most significant reasons for her to interrupt me. Life is now good, and I can keep my mind on my project, instead of helping her decide whether we have hamburgers, soup, or hot dogs, or something else for dinner (I don't care, and never do care what is on the table at meal time, just as long as it's there, or we have agreed ahead of time to go out for dinner. I don't need three or more interruptions to help her decide which one she puts on the table. I won't go into the many other reasons for these interruptions because I'm certain that you all have them too, but having a detached shop is well worth it for this as well as keeping the saw dust and noise out of the house.

Charley

[Prashun Patel]

So what's for dinner tonight?

[Larry Frank]

There is an advantage to a garage that was attached to the house. My building rules require that an attached garage be sheathed in thicker drywall and completely sealed off. This also prevents dust from getting into the house.

My shop is in a converted garage and it works well. There is a heat duct but now return air duct. My biggest problem is trying not to track dust into the house.

[John Nordyke]

Thanks, all

[Robert Engel]

If your air handler is in the garage, check to be sure it is completely sealed.

I've had A/C guys tell me this is a problem they see especially in old units.

I have a 3' exhaust fan blowing out a window which can clear the air in my shop in about 20 minutes.

[Lee Schierer]

Filter on return air.

My shop uses the same heat and cooling as the rest of our house. I made filter boxes that mount in front of each air return in the shop that hold MERV 11 or higher standard sized air filters. I've had these filters in place for over 15 years and there is no noticeable dust in any of the ducts leading back to the central system. The only sawdust that I get in the house comes from what stick on my clothes or shoes or gets brought in by our long haired cat who loves to explore every nook and cranny of my shop every time I open the door.

[Ole Anderson]

Have had a shop in my basement for years. Currently running a dust collector as well as an ambient air cleaner. Dustiest place in my house outside of the shop? My bathroom. I finally decided it must be from my electric shaver.

[glenn bradley]

My shop is in an attached garage with an ordinary "outside" solid core door for access. I did add some simple weather stripping more to keep the house regulated than for dust control. I have no problems just using my DC, my shop vac for powered hand tools and general shop clean up. I do find that one of these (http://www.houzz.com/photos/38348813/Boot-Scraper-Coco-Mat-tropical-doormats)can really knock down the amount that gets traipsed in.

[Garth Almgren]

Have had a shop in my basement for years. Currently running a dust collector as well as an ambient air cleaner. Dustiest place in my house outside of the shop? My bathroom. I finally decided it must be from my electric shaver.
Toilet paper gives off a lot of dust as well.

[Martin Wasner]

My real world experience?

My shop is twelve miles from my house. I still drag an impressive amount of dust home with me.

[Rod Sheridan]

I have a shop in the basement of a townhouse.

I have an Oneida cyclone with HEPA filter, and use a Dylos particle monitor.

The biggest issue is to ensure that your machinery is set up for dust collection properly. That means that almost all your machines will fail unless they're Euro type machines which are built and tested to a standard.

The good news is that you can drastically improve your machines, for example a table saw needs over blade collection, there are lots of overarm guards available for that.

Other machines such as band saws ( the worst machine in my shop) can use some help, perhaps even a cardboard or wood hood would greatly improve things.

Never sweep or blow dust off with compressed air, that just puts it back in the air, always vacuum, either with your vacuum, or for hand tool shavings I use one of those vacuum wands for a 4" hose connected to the cyclone.

For hand held machines, I really only have sanders, and I converted to a Festool sander and vacuum, astounding dust collection and my hand doesn't go numb.

With a bit of work you can stop the tracking of dust, and the spread through the air, and enjoy a climate controlled shop..............Regards, Rod.

[Jerome Sidley]

Get a dog and no one will notice a little wood dust.

[michael langman]

I vacuum myself off with a small shop vac with an extra fine filter inside, before I leave the basement work shop.

I also vac my hair when necessary.

[Peter Aeschliman]

Get a dog and no one will notice a little wood dust.

So true!! Haha

[John Nordyke]

I appreciate all the input. Thanks. Now considering adding a dog or cat, covered in toilet paper, as a portable dust gathering supplement.