Shop made air filters

[Charles Wilson]

Does anyone have any plans for a shop made air filter that can be hung from the ceiling or place on a cart?

Chuck

[Prashun Patel]

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f81/homemade-air-filter-12780/

When I subscribed to ShopNotes, they sent a 'Small Shop Projects' book which had something similar to the above, except they put a 3rd filter on the outlet side as well.

Basically, you'll need a squirrel cage blower, 3 pleated filters and a 4x4 sheet of 3/4" plywood. Works great.

A 'poor mans' air filter is to take a $20 box fan and strap a furnace filter to the intake. This is way less efficient than a real air filter, but at $20 ea, you can set up 3 or 4 of them at points in yr shop and do a heck of a job for a fraction of the price or effort of a 'proper' one. They're also lighter and slimmer so they're surprisingly convenient to maneuver.

[Joe Scharle]

I put one in a roll around box. No plan, just get a blower from an HVAC guy and adapt it. This one is a 110V 3 spd blower. Leave 3-4 inches clearance on the sides and mount a filter grille. My box size started with a commonly available 20 X 20 grille.

Joe

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/970/thumbs/0032.JPG (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/970/0032.JPG)

[Tom Clark FL]

No plans needed. Just build it - using your favorite construction techniques. Mine doubles as a workbench extension and has 3 drawers. The filter is 20x24x4" thick.

Here's a link (http://www.tomclarkbooks.com/tomclarkbooks.com/Designing_Shop_Cabinets.html) that shows similar cabinet construction.

[Joe Scharle]

Tom,
I'm embarrassed! Been making my shop boxes out of scrap, but your site is a real inspiration!
Joe

[Joe Scharle]

Well, while I was inspired I replaced one of my CDX + scrap shop boxes with this one. Just finished hanging the drawers.
Joe

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/970/thumbs/Rolling_Shop_Box.JPG (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/970/Rolling_Shop_Box.JPG)

[Carl Babel]

Wood magazine did a review of air scrubbers under $300 and the venerable box fan/furnace filter did really well. I think it came in second.

I don't remember which issue.

[Bryan Cowing]

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/108026230ZDrQFs
Filters are $25 3m filtrete with a $5 pleated filter as a pre filter on the outside. I have it wired on low now, speeds 2 and 3 too fast, too much air movement. I added a 45 minute timer. You must seal the switch box as dust will fill every nook and cranny of the switch. Junk yard blower for $5, I had to remove from a junked high eff. furnace. I had a HVAC shop bend up some sheet metal to make the filter holders.

[glenn bradley]

Wood magazine did a review of air scrubbers under $300 and the venerable box fan/furnace filter did really well. I think it came in second.

I don't remember which issue.

October 2006. The box fan was dead last in volume but came in second to last in amount of dust collected. You want to move the volume of your shop space (length x width x height) at least every 10 minutes. In my shop that's 1000 CFM. My shop built unit runs 1350 CFM and seems to do a good job for about $50.