Dust collection system air intake?

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
5,703
I was reading about this and it struck me that I've sometimes ran it without any air intake in the garage. Any problems with this except possible diminished performance of the blower?

Thanks

Pad
 
Unless your garage is sealed, shouldn't be an issue. I'm very well insulated and still have plenty of air coming in.
 
Thanks indy.

I forgot to add the pic of my system.

IMG_0138-medium.JPG


Pad
 
Great Looking setup, just one thing I would add if I were you. A dust filter between intakes and blower. It will keep your blower cleaner and prevent buildup of crud on blades of blower, change filters often. You will suffer some loss of efficiency, but I believe you will get a longer life out of blower. At least that is what the Air Conditioning guy told me when we installed an exhaust system coming off our stamping press.
Jim
 
That looks like a nice simple system! I would split a small rubber hose and cap all the sharp edges on your "funnels" under each grinder. If something grabs and slams your hand into the raw edge you could lose a finger.
Just my .02 worth.
Alden
 
In response to your question about air flow, maintaining positive, or at least neutral, air pressure in your shop is important if it is in a garage or basement. If there is a gas water heater in the area,or even in a near room,the negative pressure will draw the C-O and other exhaust gasses back into the building ( air will be coming down the vent stack).
Cracking a door or a window is usually enough, you need to have a large enough opening to allow as much air to enter as is being exhausted.
Stacy
 
Stacy, it is a garage. No C-O source nearby but I will take your advice and make sure that there is enough air coming in just the same. I found a place where it could easily be done and not as drastic as cracking open the garage door when it is excessively cold outside.

Thanks.

Pad
 
I believe there should be a vent of some sort to the outside. The room will become oxygen starved and you will too if you spend much time with this system in operation you will definitely get a "glow on" Your face will become red and show the effect. Not good. It's easy to tell if the room is oxygen starved. If your door opens outward do you feel a resistance if you try to open it? I live in the Okanagan of B. C. We do get some cold winter's here too but not quite as cool as Quebec. I moved here eleven years ago from the northern part of the province where it was much colder. I had a shop there too and a similar exhaust system as I have now. I installed a regular 10" exhaust fan on a wall. It has loovers on it and a chain to close them . They open by spring tension. I use this at warmer times just to turn over the air in the room. During the operation of the exhaust fan when it's cold I open it to allow air to enter but of course, do not turn it on. You can even control how much of course. Leaving the door or a window open will freeze you out . Sure it means your heater will be going full time with the exhaust fan open but for clean air it's worth it. I found the filters were hard to maintain in good working order and haven't experienced a problem with blade build up. I would also encourage you to place some screening over your intakes. It might save a few parts from leaving the room when grinding on them. Your system looks first class, Mister !!!!! Frank
 
Frank, sadly I don't have enough space to go with the exaust fan. But I will keep that in mind for the day I get a shop the size I want. There is actually a good air intake at the sewer grate that goes to the collector outside. I tried with the blower running and a good amount of air comes in. Hopefully the electric baseboard heater will compensate.
As to the screening over the funnels, it would be too much in the way, I'll chance it and just wait until spring and the snow taws to go get the parts that get sucked in. ;)

Thanks for your help.

Pad
 
bladsmth said:
.. If there is a gas water heater in the area,or even in a near room,the negative pressure will draw the C-O and other exhaust gasses back into the building...
Click to expand...

I hadn't thought of that... my shop is in the basement and the gas WH is about 15' from my bench. Luckily there is an openable window almost directly behind me when I work.
 
neat looking shop! just one comment on industrial safety though, there shouldn't be an immobile object within two feet of anything moving fast. those intakes and shields near the grinders will limit one's hand movements and could be risky if you drop something and instinctively reach for it.
 
Nice setup. I like the design of the work rest infront of the KMG. Is it easy to move out of the way when you dont need it?
 
Hank, thanks for the heads up but I can't see how I could get hurt because of those funnels. They don't interfere with hand movement at all.

AK, it is an experimental rod grinding rest. It does swing out of the way. I have to make it adjustable height wise too when I switch to a 4" wheel or the flat platen. If it works out good, I'll post about it in more details.

Thanks again for the good words folks.

Pad
 
I have a dust collection design guide that says as a general rule, you should have a 1 foot square (or more) of return for every 500 CFM.

-John
 
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