Is an air filter necessary
 

Since installing a central DC system a few years ago, I no longer work
in an obvious cloud of dust when in the shop. What a huge difference
it made! However, I've contemplated in the time since adding a filter
system. My shop is about 400 sq. feet with only about a 7 1/2 foot
ceilings. I also probably only average 3-4 hours a week in it. Would
it be a worthy investment for my health given my situation? What
have people found to be the case?

Is an air filter necessary
 

I installed one of those air purifiers in my shop and I was amazed at
the amount of dust that accumulates on both the prefilter and the main
- one micron - filter. I turn it on when i begin cutting and leave it
run throughout my work time, setting it on its timer as I leave. I
have mine set up to blow filtered air into the "clean" part of my
basement (over a doorway) and allow this clean air to come in at the
other end (another doorway).
Some models are cheaper than others (Jet is a lot less than Delta,
probably the same inards though) but I think they are beneficial,
regardless of the amount of time spent in the shop. It's the non-
obvious clouds of dust that are the most harmful.


Marc
On Apr 26, 8:53 pm, Doug wrote:
Since installing a central DC system a few years ago, I no longer work
in an obvious cloud of dust when in the shop. What a huge difference
it made! However, I've contemplated in the time since adding a filter
system. My shop is about 400 sq. feet with only about a 7 1/2 foot
ceilings. I also probably only average 3-4 hours a week in it. Would
it be a worthy investment for my health given my situation? What
have people found to be the case?

Is an air filter necessary
 

"Doug" wrote in message
ps.com...
Since installing a central DC system a few years ago, I no longer work
in an obvious cloud of dust when in the shop. What a huge difference
it made! However, I've contemplated in the time since adding a filter
system. My shop is about 400 sq. feet with only about a 7 1/2 foot
ceilings. I also probably only average 3-4 hours a week in it. Would
it be a worthy investment for my health given my situation? What
have people found to be the case?

I have a home built unit and use it all the time. I notice my nose is
spotless after a day in the shop, compared to the nasty buggers I had before
the air filter!
I do some metal work to and run the air filter while welding too.
Greg

Is an air filter necessary
 

Doug wrote:
Since installing a central DC system a few years ago, I no longer work
in an obvious cloud of dust when in the shop. What a huge difference
it made! However, I've contemplated in the time since adding a filter
system. My shop is about 400 sq. feet with only about a 7 1/2 foot
ceilings. I also probably only average 3-4 hours a week in it. Would
it be a worthy investment for my health given my situation? What
have people found to be the case?


I've got one in my two car garage/shop. Since putting it up, I've noticed
considerably less dust out there after I woodwork. All of that dust on the
washing machine would also be in my lungs; now it's not on or in either.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

Is an air filter necessary
 

On Apr 26, 10:32 pm, "Mortimer Schnerd, RN"
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote:
I've got one in my two car garage/shop. Since putting it up, I've noticed
considerably less dust out there after I woodwork. All of that dust on the
washing machine would also be in my lungs; now it's not on or in either.

Consider the fact that the most damaging dust to your lungs is the
smaller dust particles. These are the ones that will be 'suspended' in
the air you are breathing.

A room filter will help get the stuff out of the air, reducing what
you breath and what settles on stuff (and then gets into the air again
when you disturb it)

I wrote an article for Popular Woodorking a couple of years ago about
building your own room filter using a furnace fan. Easy to make, just
be sure to use a bag filter (from an HVAC distributor) in addition to
one or two pre-filters to get the maximum benefit.

Michel.
www.woodstoneproductions.com
Woodworking Portal

Is an air filter necessary
 

Michel wrote:
On Apr 26, 10:32 pm, "Mortimer Schnerd, RN"
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote:
I've got one in my two car garage/shop. Since putting it up, I've noticed
considerably less dust out there after I woodwork. All of that dust on the
washing machine would also be in my lungs; now it's not on or in either.

A room filter will help get the stuff out of the air, reducing what
you breath and what settles on stuff (and then gets into the air again
when you disturb it)


Uh, that's what I was writing about. First I put in a dust collector but still
had the floating dust problem. Then I added the air filter and the dust went
away. As an aside, I was kind of proud of how I mounted that 80 lb air filter
from the ceiling by myself. Tried muscling it up there but that wasn't going
anywhere fast... ended up jury rigging a series of pulleys. Eureka!



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

Is an air filter necessary
 

Local plumber saved a 2 speed squirrel cage blower from a de installed
heater that cost me $8.00 for a two way switch. Filters were a cost
also and it works well.

On 26 Apr 2007 17:53:45 -0700, Doug wrote:

Since installing a central DC system a few years ago, I no longer work
in an obvious cloud of dust when in the shop. What a huge difference
it made! However, I've contemplated in the time since adding a filter
system. My shop is about 400 sq. feet with only about a 7 1/2 foot
ceilings. I also probably only average 3-4 hours a week in it. Would
it be a worthy investment for my health given my situation? What
have people found to be the case?

Is an air filter necessary
 

On 26 Apr 2007 17:53:45 -0700, Doug wrote:

Since installing a central DC system a few years ago, I no longer work
in an obvious cloud of dust when in the shop. What a huge difference
it made! However, I've contemplated in the time since adding a filter
system. My shop is about 400 sq. feet with only about a 7 1/2 foot
ceilings. I also probably only average 3-4 hours a week in it. Would
it be a worthy investment for my health given my situation? What
have people found to be the case?

Yes! Made a "sanding table/air filter" from ShopNotes plans out of
MDF. It holds 3 disposable furnace filters and has a squirrel-cage
1/4 HP motor, rolls on wheels, has a convenient electrical outlet. It
can clear the shop air-borne dust in less than 15 minutes. Also, I
found that I can place a painted or finished object on top of it to
dry quickly.

Is an air filter necessary
 

On 26 Apr 2007 17:53:45 -0700, Doug wrote:

Since installing a central DC system a few years ago, I no longer work
in an obvious cloud of dust when in the shop. What a huge difference
it made! However, I've contemplated in the time since adding a filter
system. My shop is about 400 sq. feet with only about a 7 1/2 foot
ceilings. I also probably only average 3-4 hours a week in it. Would
it be a worthy investment for my health given my situation? What
have people found to be the case?


Before I built an air filter I used a furnace filter bugee-corded to a
box fan--very cheap, works well until you build yourself a better one.
Wear a good-fitting respirator.

Is an air filter necessary
 

Before I built an air filter I used a furnace filter bugee-corded to a
box fan--very cheap, works well until you build yourself a better one.
Wear a good-fitting respirator.

I agree with both of these recommendations - filter-on-fan is a lot
better than nothing, and a respirator is really the best when you're
making a lot of dust. I also have a home-built air cleaner that I use
whenever I cut or sand (basically a squirrel-cage blower in a box with
a fiber pre-filter and a "super-allergen" furnace filter on one end).
I hooked this up to a cheap outlet timer from HD, and it works great.
In the summer, I usually just set a fan in the window and suck air out
of the shop (this would depend on the neighbor situation, etc.)
As a previous poster mentioned, I bet you'll be surprised at how much
dust accumulates on a filter, even with the use of a DC.
My thinking is that I only have one set of lungs, and I want them to
last a long time - best take care of them!
Andy

Is an air filter necessary
 

Doug wrote:
Since installing a central DC system a few years ago, I no longer work
in an obvious cloud of dust when in the shop. What a huge difference
it made! However, I've contemplated in the time since adding a filter
system. My shop is about 400 sq. feet with only about a 7 1/2 foot
ceilings. I also probably only average 3-4 hours a week in it. Would
it be a worthy investment for my health given my situation? What
have people found to be the case?


My DC is (probably optimistically) rated for 30 microns. My (shop built)
ambient air cleaner has a final filter rated for .3 microns.

I still won't do anything even remotely dusty without my respirator on.

I got my first set of lungs free. But once you're hooked on breathing,
the price goes up for the second set.

Bill
--
http://nmwoodworks.com/cube


---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 000738-2, 05/04/2007
Tested on: 5/4/2007 11:55:34 PM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2007 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com