Dust Collection question

[Mike Spanbauer]

Well, I'm looking at setting up a portable turning station for my PM90 (yeah, 600lbs isn't what most would consider 'portable' :P). That said, I'm looking at old posts to figure out what to do for the DC.

Green wood seems pretty simple and I'll likely have a shower curtain set-up with roller rings and just drape off the lathe location to contain the strips / water.

Semi-green / dry wood starts to generate real dust and gets worse the drier it gets though. I see some use the Big Gulp and a DC, and some use the portable magnet units.

What have you found to be the best method for your work:
During Roughing:
Final Cuts:
Sanding:
Finishing:

I have a monster Dust Collector so generating ample CFM / Static pressure is a non-issue, but I am sensitive to dust so I am careful when it comes to contamination and containment.

Thanks in advance!

Mike

[charlie knighton]

is your turning station inside your house (like basement with furnace), garage connected to house, or free standing structure??????

[Mike Spanbauer]

Good question Charlie.

I've a 2 car garage which is dedicated to my woodshop. Also, for reference, I have a 5hp Oneida Cyclone (Pro 2000) as my DC with 8" main / 6" breakout trunks.

I'm thinking of a containment area, like a heavy hanging shower curtain and have the trunk line attach near the ceiling which would hang 2-3" off the floor to contain dust. I will likely be turning mostly dry woods as the qty of nice wet logs out here isn't all that great I'm afraid.

mike

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mike I have a big gulp right at the headstock hooked to my DC and it does a pretty fair job. It is not the monster you have but does the job. I also have a air cleaner hanging from the ceiling. With the two it has decreased the amount of dust around my shop. I also wear a Trend whenever I am in the shop.

[Reed Gray]

Mike,
Well, with that dust collector, you either have a huge 2 car garage, or you like big tools. I built a separate room for my lathe in part for dust containment, and so I could store boards on top of the room. That helped contain the dust a bit, but hoses don't get much more than 50% of the dust if you are turning, and less if you are power sanding. Adding a big gulp does only slightly better. If you look on Oneway's site, they have a sanding hood which can give you some ideas. I have a food grade (white) plastic 55 gallon drum that I trimmed about 12 inches off of one end, and cut away about 40% of one side. I covered the cut off end, and put a dust collector hose in the back (5 inch hose, 3 hp Oneida). This leaves about 4 sq. ft open. I can sand black walnut for 6 hours, with no dust mask, and blow my nose, and it looks normal. Some dust on my arms, and some on my shirt, but none on my glasses, or up my nose. I have thought about buying some 1/4 inch thick plastic (similar to the barrel), which is very bendable and making an extended hood that would enclose more of the lathe, and that I could leave up full time. I would also use a partition for sanding bowls. Most, probably 90% of what I turn is green, so I haven't really put any effort into it. With your dust collector, you could drop 2 hoses down to your lathe area. If you are in an enclosed area, think painters booth, the 2 hoses could pull a lot of air, but I wouldn't sand without a dust mask, and if turning dry wood, would probably use a mask as well. If you are turning small things, a hose, and proper sized funnel could get almost all of the dust.
robo hippy

[Sean Troy]

Well, I'm looking at setting up a portable turning station for my PM90 (yeah, 600lbs isn't what most would consider 'portable' :P). That said, I'm looking at old posts to figure out what to do for the DC.

Green wood seems pretty simple and I'll likely have a shower curtain set-up with roller rings and just drape off the lathe location to contain the strips / water.

Semi-green / dry wood starts to generate real dust and gets worse the drier it gets though. I see some use the Big Gulp and a DC, and some use the portable magnet units.

What have you found to be the best method for your work:
During Roughing:
Final Cuts:
Sanding:
Finishing:

I have a monster Dust Collector so generating ample CFM / Static pressure is a non-issue, but I am sensitive to dust so I am careful when it comes to contamination and containment.

Thanks in advance!

Mike
I use the Big Glub like collector right at the head stock thats on a stand. I got both at Rockler on a good sale. Works pretty darn good. Make sure you have another hose open somewhere on the line. You'll need the flow and it will put less strain on your DC

[Mike Spanbauer]

Thanks all. That gives me some good ideas to get started.

Reed, I have a huge DC as the plan was to move into a new house w/ a large shop a year or so back and I didn't want to replace MY DC when I moved. However, things didn't go quite as planned and so I have an overkill cyclone.

Granted, I do like big tools though and have a 20" planer w/ a Byrd head, 24" drum sander.. etc.

It's nice to have more DC power than needed as it makes for a MUCH cleaner shop... and a MUCH happier wife due to the reduced dust tracking into the house.

I'll post pics once I get the lathe onto the modified mobile base (hybrid fixed & mobile) and get a DC solution up and running.

Thanks again for the tips and feedback!

mike