dust collector plans?

There are two ways to approach dust collection. One is the shop-vac
or HVAC blower approach, and the other is to collect the dust and get
it completely out of the air, period. There isn't an HVAC (furnace or
air-conditioner) blower that can move the kind of air necessary to
effectively eliminate the dust in your shop.

If you want clean air in the shop (good for your health) and no dust
in your HVAC ducting, you need a good cyclone system that traps all of
the dust being created at the tool being used, carries it away,
separates the dust from the air, then filters the air before returning
it into the room. This is the approach that will keep dust from collecting
all over everything in the shop, and it will keep you from becoming
very ill sometime in the future if you don't do something about it.

Bill Pentz nearly died from wood dust, and has done very extensive
research on the subject. He has an entire web site dedicated to the
subject of collecting and eliminating wood dust from the shop air. And
no, you don't need a respirator with a good system that is doing its
job.

Bill's site can be accessed from his main page at:

http://cnets.net/~eclectic/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm

Bill has also designed a very effective cyclone system that is well
documented on his site. I have been working with Bill to create the
same system in component/kit form so that the average shop owner who
wants clean air can get it without having to sift through the baloney
that comes from so many companies that market "cyclones" that often
cannot produce the results you really need. I am currently producing
a cyclone kit and blower housing made from all-welded steel plate and
powder coated (instead of paint) for durability. Details are at

http://cnets.net/~eclectic/woodworking/cyclone/ClarkesKits.cfm

In addition, you will need a motor, material-handling impeller, and
filters. Links to suppliers of these items that are selected specifically
for this system are listed on the page

http://cnets.net/~eclectic/woodworking/cyclone/budblower.cfm

You will need some other items such as ducting and blast gates, and
proper wiring and motor starter/controller/switches as explained on the
page discussing electric motor and fire safety on the same site
(accessible from the main page).

Even if you don't end up buying the product, at least spend some time
on the site and get well-informed before you go out looking for dust
collection.

Bottom line is that the blowers designed for furnaces and A/C systems
cannot move enough air, especially when static pressures rise as they
must, to get any reasonable dust collection from them. The systems we
produce deliver well over 1000 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air volume
with static pressures in the 7-10" water-column range, and the cyclones
have an impressive ability to separate even very fine dust from the
air *before* it goes to the final filters where you can filter down to
0.2 or 0.3 microns if you buy good filters. Then you won't be breathing
fine dust and spreading it all over the house through the heating ducts.

Clean up the air for your health's and your family's health's sake.

Clarke

Randy Chapman wrote:
>
> Folks,
>
> The heater repairman is here and tells me that my heaters in the garage are
> full of sawdust. Perhaps I need a DC and air cleaner? :-)
>
> Also, though, he gave me a lead on a place that he said should certainly
> have a pile of scrap heaters I could steal parts (free!) from. So I should
> be able to get a couple nicer blower + squirrel cages.
>
> Do any of you have a good pointer to plans for air cleaner and dust
> collector to make from that? I've seen air cleaner plans, and the thing is
> dead simple anyways, but only one dc plan so far ($11, the wood magazine
> cycle one).
>
> Thanks!
> --randy

"Randy Chapman" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<MbQEb.600632$Tr4.1573005@attbi_s03>...
> Folks,
>
> The heater repairman is here and tells me that my heaters in the garage are
> full of sawdust. Perhaps I need a DC and air cleaner? :-)

I blew out my furnace the other day. Whoa! Big puff of dust came out
of that thing. I'll have to start doing it more often...

Randy Chapman wrote:
> Folks,
>
> The heater repairman is here and tells me that my heaters in the
> garage are full of sawdust. Perhaps I need a DC and air cleaner? :-)
>
> Also, though, he gave me a lead on a place that he said should
> certainly have a pile of scrap heaters I could steal parts (free!)
> from. So I should be able to get a couple nicer blower + squirrel
> cages.
>
> Do any of you have a good pointer to plans for air cleaner and dust
> collector to make from that? I've seen air cleaner plans, and the
> thing is dead simple anyways, but only one dc plan so far ($11, the
> wood magazine cycle one).

Here's one that uses pool filters.
http://www.wood-workers.com/users/charlieb/CBAirCleaner.html

-- Mark

I haven't ever seen it, but I hear Fine Woodworking once had an article on
how to build a dust collector from a eater blower and squirrel cage. Nothing
showed up when I searched their online archive though.

"Randy Chapman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MbQEb.600632$Tr4.1573005@attbi_s03...
>
> Folks,
>
> The heater repairman is here and tells me that my heaters in the garage
are
> full of sawdust. Perhaps I need a DC and air cleaner? :-)
>
> Also, though, he gave me a lead on a place that he said should certainly
> have a pile of scrap heaters I could steal parts (free!) from. So I should
> be able to get a couple nicer blower + squirrel cages.
>
> Do any of you have a good pointer to plans for air cleaner and dust
> collector to make from that? I've seen air cleaner plans, and the thing is
> dead simple anyways, but only one dc plan so far ($11, the wood magazine
> cycle one).
>
> Thanks!
> --randy
>
>