Air Quality / Shop Safety

C

chefdave

Joined
Jun 6, 2012
Messages
15
Nowhere in the Shop Safety Sticky Thread do I see any mention of Air Cleaners , filters or mention of respirators (or maybe I am not looking in the right spot. I have just ordered a Shop Vac air cleaner , use a respirator and try to keep my shop (basement) clean, but how do you keep metal dust from becoming a health hazard ?
 
Have you triend placing a strong magnet were right behind the grinder, in the direction in which the metal dust is flying. I use a railroad magnet, which they used to pick up railroad spikes. Or you could strap a vaccum near the ginder to suck up the dust. But then you could just wear a respirator and sweep up and dust when your done.
 
I built non-structural panel walls out of OSB and enclosed a corner of my shop for a dedicated grinding area. Much easier to clean up when it isn't spread over the entire shop, and it's a lot less tempting for me to do that quick little bit of touch-up grinding without putting the respirator on because it's hanging on the outside of the grinding room door and just about hits me in the face if I open the door without putting it on first.
 
I think that it is discussed so often that we see a thread on this subject weekly. It was somewhere in the stickies at one time, and I guess it still is. I haven't re-done them lately, so if someone wants to amass all the threads on filters, respirators, air quality, etc...I will add them to the stickies. Just post the links on this thread and I will move them.
Use the bladeforums search engine to find the older threads on any subject.
http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra
 
In my opinion, if you are going to spend money on dust control, an air cleaner should be the last step. Air cleaners remove dust that's in the air, it takes a long time to filter a whole shop full of air, and all that time you are breathing the dust, or it is settling out all over the shop. Much better to spend your money on gear that keeps the dust from getting in the air in the first place, and on a good respirator that is comfortable enough to actually wear.
 
someday I'd like to build a wind tunnel in which to place my grinder and anyother thing that makes dust or noxious fumes. Right now I just carry my 60lb grinder out the garage door and blow a fan on me for metal. For wood, hooking up my shop vac to the dust port works pretty well. I still wear a N95 mask w/ exhaust valve and make sure it is sealed tight. on my face.

Those 4' diameter 110 volt hole house fans are only like $250. The type you put in the ceiling w/ the louvers. One could make a little 4' wide by 8' tall by 8' deep tunnel tunnel in a portion of one's shop out of 2x2s and like six pieces of cheap 4x8' paneling. Just put a bench in there to hold you grinder or as a work table and put the whole house fan behind behind that. It would pull a strong current of air from behind you carrying 100% of dust/sparks/fumes away. The exhaust could be filtered or blown outdoors maybe even across a little pool of water outside the shop so you don't pollute the yard w/ filings, G10 dust etc so badly.
 
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I lol'd.:)

Kevin Cashen wired up his grinders so they can only be turned on once the exhaust system is engaged. That elimintes the common "I'm just doing a quick touch up" safety cop out.:thumbup:
 
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