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Thread: Air Particulate Meter?

  1. #1
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    Air Particulate Meter?

    Anyone use an air particulate meter to detect the effectiveness of their shop's dust collection/filtration efforts?

    If so, which one do you use/recommend?

    I'm considering a purchase but thought I'd check here before pulling the trigger.
    Regards,

    Glen

    Woodworking: It's a joinery.

  2. #2
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    Just run a piece of padauk through all your machines. If your dust collection isn't up to snuff, you'll easily see the red sawdust throughout the shop. Must easier to see than tan and brown dust all around, plus cheaper than a meter. Well, depends on size of padauk board.

  3. #3
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    But the common adage is that it's the dust that you can't see that can harm you.
    Regards,

    Glen

    Woodworking: It's a joinery.

  4. #4
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    Glen, I got a dylos meter when it 1st came out and its been great for monitoring air quality. I turn it on when I'm in the shop to see whats going on. Allows me to see how effective my DC and air cleaner are in various scenarios. I also monitor my filters with manometers to see how clogged they're getting.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Glen Blanchard View Post
    But the common adage is that it's the dust that you can't see that can harm you.
    Glen, I bought this one in 2012 and it works very well. I can watch the counts rise if I'm putting dust in the air.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004AWEG0Y

    There was a recent thread with some available today that are much cheaper but I forgot to save the info. They appeared to mate a custom microprocessor board/software with a commercial particle counter module. Maybe you can find it with a search or someone will post it.

    JKJ

  6. #6
    The Aussies have been using particle counters that cost about $50. I’ll link one when I am home later. Lots of people use the Dylos particle counters to great effect but they cost 5 times or more. They can have an error of up to 10% or so but they still let you see and understand what is going on in your shop and if you should be wearing PPE. Skip a few cases of beer and you’ve paid for it.

  7. #7
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    Regards,

    Glen

    Woodworking: It's a joinery.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Glen Blanchard View Post
    But the common adage is that it's the dust that you can't see that can harm you.
    I wasn't suggesting chips and chunks laying around will give you an answer, I was suggesting the stuff that settled out of the air. Still easier to see a red haze settling over everything compared to tan colored dust. I still don't think you need a gadget to tell you that you have fine dust in the air. You must know you have a dust issue just for thinking you need a gadget to measure it.

  9. #9
    Here is the one I was talking about in post #6. If the eBay listing goes stale it was under "Household PM2.5 Detector Module Air Quality Dust Sensor TFT LCD Display Monitor".
    https: //www. ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Household +PM2.5+Detector+Module+Air+Quality+Dust+Sensor+TFT +LCD+Display+Monitor&_sacat=0

    The one you are looking at will do much the same thing and might be a little more rugged without the open case. Some of the ones I linked also show PM1 too. I'm pretty sure it will use the same family of sensors. Neither type will save the reading for a spread sheet but if you want to get a sensor and are handy with electronics, I'm not, I can lead you to a discussion on making your own. The price of th ese things is coming down all the time.
    Last edited by John K Jordan; 03-22-2019 at 8:44 PM. Reason: ebay link not allowed, but just copy/paste and remove the first two spaces

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Coers View Post
    I wasn't suggesting chips and chunks laying around will give you an answer, I was suggesting the stuff that settled out of the air. Still easier to see a red haze settling over everything compared to tan colored dust. I still don't think you need a gadget to tell you that you have fine dust in the air. You must know you have a dust issue just for thinking you need a gadget to measure it.
    I'd like to have an idea of what is floating in the air around my head while I am standing at my Rose Engine. I have a 3 hp Oneida collector and a JDS filter in the shop. I can position the dust collector hose quite close to the source on my RE lathe. It collects most, but not all, of the chips. I presume it catches most of the fine dust as well. I also have a 9" fan blowing down from above, hopefully keeping the area above the lathe clear of any fine particles that the DC doesn't capture (and which I cannot see). I work almost exclusively with oily exotics - mostly African Blackwood. I'd like to get an indication of how effective this setup is and if I need to wear a mask while at the RE lathe. The only way I can think of to do this with any measure of accuracy or reliability is to use a meter.
    Regards,

    Glen

    Woodworking: It's a joinery.

  11. #11
    A rose engine you say. On my gonna make myself one someday list. You can improve the airflow into the duct, 6" I hope, by putting a bell mouth hood on the end. It improves the airflow into the duct grabbing dust from further away from the opening.

    https://youtu.be/xjtHCmR-N3M

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Glen Blanchard View Post
    I'd like to have an idea of what is floating in the air around my head while I am standing at my Rose Engine. I have a 3 hp Oneida collector and a JDS filter in the shop. I can position the dust collector hose quite close to the source on my RE lathe. It collects most, but not all, of the chips. I presume it catches most of the fine dust as well. I also have a 9" fan blowing down from above, hopefully keeping the area above the lathe clear of any fine particles that the DC doesn't capture (and which I cannot see). I work almost exclusively with oily exotics - mostly African Blackwood. I'd like to get an indication of how effective this setup is and if I need to wear a mask while at the RE lathe. The only way I can think of to do this with any measure of accuracy or reliability is to use a meter.
    You are smart to consider the dust. A gentleman I know used a variety of species with his rose engine for years before he became so sensitized to the dust he had to give up turning and sell the house since he couldn't even walk into the shop anymore.

    My DC nozzle is just behind the spindle of the lathe and I'm amazed at how much fine dust it picks up. (5hp ClearVue cyclone) With a bright light and a dark background I watched dust from 600 grit paper come off the end of a long spindle and travel horizontally to be picked up by the nozzle on a 4" hose. I've seen dust (and chips) come off the front of a piece and curve around underneath to be sucked up. Might check to make sure the fan doesn't disrupt the air flow pattern and disperse dust through the air that would otherwise be picked up.

    lathe_dust_pickup.jpg

    JKJ

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Glen Blanchard View Post
    It isn't clear about the smaller particles. It would be nice to set one next to the Dylos and see if they report the same numbers.

    JKJ

  14. #14
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    Second the Dylos and it’s changed the way I work. It amazed me to see the small particle count jump when even just cutting a board with a hand saw or planing a few feet with a hand plane.

  15. #15
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    My DC nozzle is just behind the spindle of the lathe and I'm amazed at how much fine dust it picks up.


    ​I have a suggestion that you switch to a bell mouth hood for your lathe as it will be more effective for sucking up the dust. On the Aussie forum, they have shown the effectiveness.

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