Air filtration system without dust collection

[andrew whicker]

Hi,

I have a small shop (20 x 20) and don't yet have the money to expand per my long / medium term plan. I have no dust collection and I have no room for dust collection unless I build a small outhouse deal on the side of my garage (I'm strongly considering this). I was thinking of purchasing a ceiling mounted air filtration box. I'm concerned that it will get clogged in a few hours due to my dust collection problem or not really help.

Has anyone gone this route as a bandaid to dust collection? Is it worth it?

Thanks for any advice and cheers,

[Scott Buehler]

It will definitely be better then having nothing, but It will not help much. You need to collect it at the source( table saw, planer, sander, etc..) have you considered a small portable collector and move to each machine?

[Todd Bender]

I don't have an air filter, but do have a dust collector "outhouse." I like it outside the shop, but have to remember to check it periodically so it doesn't over fill.

[Josh Kocher]

Collection at source should be your priority.

Whatever you were considering to spend on this, put it aside, save some more, and get a dust collector with a good filter.

[Timothy Shouldice]

I'm assuming that you are using your 20'x20' shop for something other than just woodworking if you cannot fit a dust collector. However, really consider tool priorities and at least try and fit a basic HF dust collector that you move around. I personally sacrificed a miter saw station to make room for a dust collector. There are alternatives to a miter saw station but in my mind, not a dust collector. The ceiling unit will get overwhelmed and won't reduce dust levels enough to be safe. I have one but it is supplemental to a dust collector. To me a shop with no dust collection would be a garage with the door always open. I also couldn't deal with the constant mess.

[Carlos Alvarez]

You would be better off with a good shop vac that you move between tools. I had no DC in one area of my shop the last few years and the vac worked great on the drum sander, router, and miter saw. I wish I'd added the Oneida mini cyclone sooner though, that's a big improvement.

[Rich Sabulsky]

If it's space and not cost, a solution to consider in a shop that size might be the small portable DC from HF. Remove the casters and mount it to the wall. The Dust-Right 4" expandable hose and the quick connect fittings from Rockler will let you drag the hose and connect it to any tool in your shop without running hard plumbing around the room. A quick improvement to this set up would be adding a 2nd stage using a trash can and a cyclone style lid.

[Carlos Alvarez]

Yup, I think that small wall-mount DC and cyclone or a shop vac and cyclone will give you pretty clean air. Oh yeah, I put the Teflon HEPA filters in both of my shop vacs and they make a huge improvement in both suction and air cleanliness (I have a particle counter and measured it).

[andrew whicker]

Thanks for the responses! Looks like an outhouse type deal is the way to go, maybe a place to store an air compressor too. I need to be able to work in the winter (garage doors closed and late at night (garage doors closed). I have an old Unisaw, so I will only be able to collect from below.

I was browsing and came across the Laguana: http://www.rockler.com/laguna-c-flux...dust-collector. Thoughts on this guy? Does that roll around cart actually help? Mine will be outside, so I'd have to 'roll' mine in gravel or just take out the bag. Maybe it's just better to look at a different style.

I do both metal work and wood work and store all of my metal / lumber in the same two car garage. Yes, I'm itching to expand. I'm balancing that with expanding my business though (this is a 'serious' side business for me). Right now my day dreams are of new lighting designs that I want to make and that takes money. I'll hold off on expansion.

[andrew whicker]

Also, when you run your air collection tubes, do they always need to go below the ceiling drywall or can you put them in the attic space?

[Carlos Alvarez]

You can add something like a Shark Guard to your Unisaw to collect from above, that's what I did. Also try to seal up the spaces between the cabinet and top using foam pipe insulation or something similar. Some people also seal the opening for the tilt, and I plan to do that too.

The Laguna was my top choice until I decided to move the DC to an outside shed and vent it outside. Do you plan to return the air, or just vent outdoors? If you are venting outdoors the filter is pointless. I just made a small shed, put in a cyclone, catch barrel, and 3HP motor, done.

I have two garages and my metal stuff goes in a separate garage. I used to have them together in a big-three car, and caused a small fire from sparks once. So be careful. And obviously, don't use the wood dust collector while actively welding.

[andrew whicker]

I would be venting outdoors, but I don't want a bunch of dust flying into the outdoors. Can you show me a photo of what you did?

Grinding is a total PITA, yes. I have to aim the sparks, keep an eye on them anyway while also trying to work. Sigh.

[Carlos Alvarez]

I had slag from MIG welding fly perfectly into a pile of sawdust. The stuff is like gasoline.

My cyclone setup emits zero visible dust. I know there must be some fine particles, but you can't see them. Oneida claims 99.9% particle capture for their cyclones, and I believe it. The blower vent is inside the shed and it exhausts out the bottom, further limiting anything blowing around.

Here are photos: https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B165idkMwKGym8

[andrew whicker]

So you bought the parts from Oneida and just made your own, basically?

Interesting idea.

[Carlos Alvarez]

I bought the Oneida cyclone and barrel used from a local woodworking tool store (though they appeared to be unused). They also had an old but very good Kufo 3HP motor with a 12" blower for only $200. So basically those two pieces and some 6" pipe inside of a small shed makes up my home-built DC. No filter at all.

I got tired of the DC taking space and making noise. I was set to buy a nice Laguna and then decided to just eliminate all the problems including filter maintenance by putting it outside. Love it, so quiet in the shop.