Dust Collection

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have a question. How many use a Dust Collector while turning? Just curious because I have been looking at a hood for the lathe and thinking about hooking my lathe up. Would it be worth it? Right now I use a fan when sanding.

[Jim Ketron]

I use one while sanding. Mine does not pick up much while turning.

[Bill Stevener]

Hi Bernie,

I use the dust collector when sanding. It gets some of the chips, not much. Prefilter system is a cyclone collector, trash can type. From there all dust is exhausted out of the shop, via a pipe through the wall. I have learned to by pass the filter system. The filters only filter so much and then become a dust pump.

I use a large window fan in the summer months.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Fred Floyd]

I have an Oneida system. Recently added a drop for the lathe. It's a 5" drop that is split into a 3" and a 4" The 4" is at the bottom of a home made box on the back side. Additionally, I have a 3" attached to a piece of flexible ducting that can be placed at specific spots.

When turning, I get about 40% when turning in reverse because the chips go that way. In forward, it is much less. The big chips are not really dangerous to health as 100% end up on the ground or wherever they fall.

When sanding, I run a filter system in addition to the Oneida and my powered respirator. I nearly always turn in reverse and I feel that I'm capturing 95% of the sanding dust.

[Andy Hoyt]

I don't like shavings going into my DC.

Too easy to clog; and I really hate dealing with clogs.

But it is rigged to capture dust from sanding.

Also have a big fan to blow stuff away from me.

[Earl Eyre]

For sanding. Used to do the window fan thing and while that helped the dust still filled the room (and my lungs) on the way to the window. The dust collector pretty much gets it all. Not for chips, though. You can see my recent post on the 22nd for my setup.

[Pat Salter]

I don't have a dust collection system, I just use my shop vac with the hose tied to the ways while sanding.
Andy, yeah, I could see where the chips would clog up the pipes fast. I keep a flat shovel near the lathe to pick up most of the stuff when I'm doing some rough turning.:D

[Bob Noles]

Bernie,

Go over to HF and order your gulp/hoof there. Much cheaper and exactly the same as the one offered by PSI for 3 times the price. I use mine for sanding only on the lathe. I also got my Trend Air Shield in this week and dispite reading a few adverse posts, it seems to be a good item to have. I feel so much safer and can breathe so much easier now while wearing it.

[Dave Wimmer]

Sanding only here too. DC is pretty usless for chips.

[John Hart]

I use a dust pan and a broom....sometimes.:o

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks for the info. I figured it probably wouldn't do much good with the big chips. I will get a drop over to it for sanding. I use a fan with a respirator mask when sanding. Fan just keeps the dust in the air. When weather permits I open the overhead door. I appreciate your thoughts.

[Mac McAtee]

I turn mostly pens. I bought a clear plastic dust collection hood from the local Rockler store. It has a 4" hose connection. I use it for everything, turning, sanding and fume collection if I must use CA glue on a blank.

The down side is that I have to hang on to everything that gets near that pen blank. It sucks sandpaper out of my hands. If a blank blows up, there is no getting the pieces back and gluing it back together. I dropped a small accelerator pump spray bottle and it is gone up the pipe, I haven't found it in the dust tank yet so I think it is living in a dead space in the duct work, got to take some of it apart to find it. I have had pen bushings sucked out of my hand, the brass nut and washer that goes on the end of the pen turning arbor, whole pen blanks, rags and a 6" rule all vanish up the pipe. Oh yes, I was turning a small bowl, paper clip holder actually from a burl that I got off a pine tree limb. It was still solid wood and about the size of a tennis ball. It went up the pipe and talk about making a racket when it hit the cyclone! Shut down the DC system, opened the dust tank and it was laying there on top of the sawdust.

Dang, now there is a good idea----I am going to send a tennis ball up the pipe from my lathe and see if it knocks the accelerator spray bottle loose from where it is hiding and I don't have to take the piping apart. Worst case is I take it apart anyway to get the tennis ball and the bottle out.

[Robert McGowen]

I have not had a problem with chip collection clogging up the DC. I purchased, though I am sure you could make something, a dust collector designed for a contractor style table saw. ($19.95 at woodcraft) It has a 4" chute on it. I mounted it under and forward of the lathe. It catches about 95% of the chips that come off the lathe when turning. This goes to a garbage can with a "cyclone" style top. Hardly any of the chips ever reach the DC itself and the garbage can is easily emptied.
I have a seperate 2" line with a hard plastic nozzle that I just lay up next to the lathe when sanding to suck up the dust.

[Jim Becker]

Bernie...you really can't make a dust/chip collector work well while turning, especially since most of it comes towards "the operator". Every movement you make directs the chips in a different direction, too. It is effective for sanding however.

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

What do you guys think of the harbor freight 2 hp DC? I have been wanting to get 1 for the shop for a while now. I just did up a bunch of black walnut and I feel like it! I wear a dust mask when sanding but i'm sure the dust stays airborne for a while after I take it off! Being winter and all I'm in the shop with all the doors shut and the heat on so it's really confined! I have already have ordered a ceiling hanging type air cleaner from Woodturningz and expect it here sometime soon, but I might as well do it proper! As Bill G says protection is cheap compared to an Iron lung!

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/45300-45399/45378.gif

[Bernie Weishapl]

Kurt I have the HF DC. It works well for me. I have it hooked to my bandsaw, jointer and table saw with gates. Since I only use it for one machine at a time it does just fine. I got the Wynn Filter conversion for it. I bought the 35A filter which is 80/20 polyester/paper for about $100 including shipping. That made a big difference. It says it filters to .5 micron.

[Joe Melton]

Timely subject, as I just returned from Woodcraft and Home Depot with fittings for my system.
I'm wondering about the ground wire. Why is is necessary and where does one position it?
Thanks,
Joe

[Dennis Peacock]

Bernie...you really can't make a dust/chip collector work well while turning, especially since most of it comes towards "the operator". Every movement you make directs the chips in a different direction, too. It is effective for sanding however.

Jim,

You and I sure do think alike. Yea....what Jim said!! :rolleyes: :)

[Dennis Peacock]

Timely subject, as I just returned from Woodcraft and Home Depot with fittings for my system.
I'm wondering about the ground wire. Why is is necessary and where does one position it?
Thanks,
Joe

Joe,

I don't have one and don't plan on installing one either. I've got the Pentz 5HP cyclone. I've TRIED to get a static discharge off my piping and just can't do it. Not even when I feed it 10 gallons of sawdust at one time. You can feel it build....but I don't think as a hobbiest, that I'll ever have enough "stuff" to make it have a static discharge. I've tried this several times, and just haven't been able to make it happen.

I'd forget about it....but if it makes you feel better? Install one.

All this is just my experience and thoughts on the subject.

[Steven Wilson]

I use my DC while sanding, it's useless while making chips.

[Dick Strauss]

Joe,
My buddy's planer does develop enough of a charge to zap anyone who touches the tubing while the planer is in use. I think it is more of a problem at the tubing bends since most material hits the outside of the bend. It's not enough to be harmful, it just kind of surprises you if you aren't expecting it. It's not like touching a lawn mower plug but closer to get a good carpet shock.

[Joe Melton]

So, do you just run a bare copper wire alongside the dc tubing, and connect it somewhere on the dc itself to ground the system? I assume I can just tape it, at 3 or 4' intervals, to the sewer piping I am using. I wear a pretty fancy hearing aid and am not supposed to get shocked, as it can harm the aid.
Thanks,
Joe

[Earl Eyre]

The recommended way is to actually wrap the plastic pipe with a bare wire in a spiral fashion from the dust collector to the tool and attach it on both ends to the metal body of the machine. That way any build up along the whole system will be discharged. Some people actually run a bare wire inside the pipe but I'm not sure that's necessary and I have heard complaints about the wire causing the pipe to plug up.

Earl

[Mac McAtee]

I wear a dust mask when sanding but i'm sure the dust stays airborne for a while after I take it off! Being winter and all I'm in the shop with all the doors shut and the heat on so it's really confined!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/45300-45399/45378.gif

I would be very concerned about a dust explosion in the conditions you discribe. I hope the heat doesn't involve an open flame or a pilot light in a gas water heater.

[Mac McAtee]

So, do you just run a bare copper wire alongside the dc tubing, and connect it somewhere on the dc itself to ground the system? I assume I can just tape it, at 3 or 4' intervals, to the sewer piping I am using. I wear a pretty fancy hearing aid and am not supposed to get shocked, as it can harm the aid.
Thanks,
Joe
I installed 6" and 4" PVC light weight piping. Bought a few rolls of hanger strap. That is the 3/4" wide metal strapping with holes every inch along it. It is cheap. Bought a box of 100 self tapping sheet metal screws 3/8" long. I then ran the hanger strap longway on every run of pipe. Put a screw through a hole in the hanger strap with the point sticking about 1/4" or less inside the pipe, at the fittings only about 1/8" sticks inside. Put a screw every 6", it just takes a few seconds to drive one with a drill motor. The hanger strap is grounded at the dust collector blower, the green wire that goes to the shop electrical ground completes the circut. You just make sure that each run of pipe strap touches the next run so you have a complete connection to that ground.

The strap collects static electricity on the outside of the pipe and the tips of the screws collect static electricity inside the pipe. You want to change the run of pipe you just unscrew the strapping make your change and screw it back down.

[Joe Melton]

Thanks a lot for the great advice, guys.
Joe

[Bob Opsitos]

Kurt, I have one and for what I paid I like it. I've recently added a Wynn canister, for better filtering. If you look at one, make sure you wait till it's on sale and then roll in with the 20% coupons. Done that way you can pick it up for around ~$130.

Once you upgrade bags, cost wise, you might be better served with a Delta that comes with 1 or 5 mic bags. Of course if you like the cartridge filter you end up cheaper than the avalaible cartridge units from the bigger mfgrs. Not the best build quality but serviceable.

Bob