Keeping' it clean (the air)

[CarvedTones]

Giving more thought to DC as I have been cleaning out the garage and moving things around and it is obvious I don't do a good enough job.

Part of it is being prone to making a mess to start with. Here is a picture from last spring:

There are a couple of things to note in the picture. One is that I do have an air cleaner. It's the round yellow thing with the black ends top center. After reading other threads, I question the placement (comments welcome on all points, of course). Straight down below it on the wooden bench is exhibit B - a filter box for small work; plywood sides, plexiglass top and a filter against a fan. Here it is in operation:

It visibly seems to do a pretty good job.

I just made a Thien style separator for my shop vac over the weekend using a fairly rigid plastic can. It works unless I block the hose and then the suction is too much. I am getting a hard fiber can on Wednesday unless they all get sold before then (CL listing; I can't meet the seller before then, but it sounds likely he will still have one). I have the washable HEPA filter on the shop vac. I also have a router speed control to run the shop vac at lower speed. I have seen conflicting reports about the wisdom of that. Some posts from people who run them slow for days without trouble and other posts saying it will ruin them, though I haven't seen one from anyone who has actually ruined one. I have another device that will turn it off and on when I turn a tool off or on. I use that a lot with the TS and miter saw.

I have the older style 14" BS that has no real DC connection. I added a 2" connector right below the table where some similar models have it, but a lot just drops out the bottom (the bottom wheel cover is anything but airtight). as you can see in the picture, it is one of my worst offenders:

My TS is a bench top model. I mounted it to a piece of MDF and cut a vacuum hose hole directly below the blade. That actually works fairly well as far as the amount I have in the vacuum versus what I sweep up. I expect this to improve with the separator; going direct to the vac clogs the filter quickly.

I have no real solution for the router yet. Most of my work with it is hollowing from the top down using a home built carriage:

The only ideas I have come up with are plexiglass sides and top (the top would double as a plate) with a shop vac sucking full blast from one end.

 

[lwhughes149]

I applaud you for taking the dust issue as a serious concern. Looking at your last springs pics my first thought was, how can you find anything. It takes time and planning to create a safe envirorment. We put a lot of money into our equipment so we need to keep it in the best condition possible. Seriously, my shop is 20 x 20 with a 1hp dust system. I also have a dust system for fine dust that is mounted to one outer wall, it is amazing how much dust that picks up. I find that no matter how much I attempt to capture the dust, there is always something around. I made drawers for shelves under my tables just to keep some things free of dust. I wish you luck as you go through the process of making your shop safer for you and others who might be working there.

 

[Travis Porter]

On your bandsaw, you can put foam around the door, and cut an opening/slot for another vacuum hook up. It will make a difference.

 

[CarvedTones]

On your bandsaw, you can put foam around the door, and cut an opening/slot for another vacuum hook up. It will make a difference.

What kind of foam (where do I buy what)?

 

[Travis Porter]

Just the self adhereing window foam you get at the BORG. Buy the better quality stuff, not the el cheapo. The el cheapo isn't very dense. It is about 1/4" thick and 1" wide. and comes in rolls in little boxes. Most times near the shop vacs.

 

[CarvedTones]

...
I just made a Thien style separator for my shop vac over the weekend using a fairly rigid plastic can. It works unless I block the hose and then the suction is too much. I am getting a hard fiber can on Wednesday unless they all get sold before then (CL listing; I can't meet the seller before then, but it sounds likely he will still have one). I have the washable HEPA filter on the shop vac. I also have a router speed control to run the shop vac at lower speed. I have seen conflicting reports about the wisdom of that. Some posts from people who run them slow for days without trouble and other posts saying it will ruin them, though I haven't seen one from anyone who has actually ruined one. I have another device that will turn it off and on when I turn a tool off or on. I use that a lot with the TS and miter saw.
...

I just got my big fiber can. :eusa_danc
I will have to take pictures later when I get it completed, but it will be a fairly standard Thien inspired device. I will have to clean my ShopVac CleanStream filter to make sure I have maximum suckage when I need it and I have the router speed control to turn it down when I don't.

Coupla questions...

What do you do with sawdust in bulk? In the past, I have been sweeping it up or just dumping the ShopVac and it was always so little I just added it to a lined garbage can with other miscellaneous trash. I am not sure that a bag filled with nothing but sawdust is accepted as household garbage by the Kingdom of Cary. It will take me a while to fill the can (and I know not to fill it too far, but according to Thien's page, he gets it pretty darn full and it is still effective).

Is anyone else using a speed control on a ShopVac? I can't remember whether it was here or elsewhere that this came up, but a couple of posters pointed out some technical reasons that it is a bad idea and then others posted experience with running them at slow speed for days on end with no problems. I have not heard of an actual case where this caused a problem, so if you know of one, please let me know. Success stories are also welcome. :wsmile:

 

[Bas]

Very cool Andy. I dumpy my sawdust in the yard, fortunately I have lots of space to do that (a rarity in Cary). I don't see any problems with putting a bag of sawdust in the trash. In my neighborhood, we use the big green containers, so nobody would see it anyway.

You could consider mixing the sawdust with grass clippins, leaves etc. and turn it into compost. That's what I plan on doing, as soon as I build my compost bins. Which I'll do after I finish three other projects I've lined up.

 

[ScottM]

Andy if you decide to compost your sawdust don't include walnut as I understand it is toxic to many plants.

 

[CarvedTones]

Bas,

They have a trash inspector now. They don't do every can every week, but they do drive around and look in some of the big containers. They are quite aware that some people will try to sneak things in there. I have heard that the trucks have a weight based alarm to alert the driver to inspect the contents if it weighs a lot also. I don't think I can compost in my neighborhood.

 

[Bas]

Bas,

They have a trash inspector now. They don't do every can every week, but they do drive around and look in some of the big containers.

That's not a trash inspector. The official title is "Waste Management Quality Auditor" This _is_ Cary after all.

Still, I can't see anyone giving you trouble over sawdust. Sawdust/ shavings are preferred over commercial cat litter, and cat litter is allowed. If anyone complains, tell 'em you're on a high fiber diet

 

[JimmyC]

Very cool Andy. I dumpy my sawdust in the yard, fortunately I have lots of space to do that (a rarity in Cary). I don't see any problems with putting a bag of sawdust in the trash. In my neighborhood, we use the big green containers, so nobody would see it anyway.

You could consider mixing the sawdust with grass clippins, leaves etc. and turn it into compost. That's what I plan on doing, as soon as I build my compost bins. Which I'll do after I finish three other projects I've lined up.

I don't see any problem Andy, you and Bas are both in Cary so why don't you just dumpy your bags in his yard:rotflm:.

Jimmy

ps. I have enough room to spread it out by me.

 

[CarvedTones]

I don't see any problem Andy, you and Bas are both in Cary so why don't you just dumpy your bags in his yard:rotflm:.

Now, there's a thought. Our washer is going out also and I need a place to dumpy the old one. Hmmm... :gar-La;

It probably won't fill often. I can keep mixing it in other trash if I remember to check it often enough, but I know how I am about that sort of thing...

 

[DaveO]

I have the luxury of being able to dump it in the woods around my house....a lot of board feet gone to waste out there -

Dave