Dust collector question?

richtrix · Jan 22, 2001

Howdy again, I have a garage shop with limited space and was wondering if a shop vac would work well as a dust collector. I know they are loud so I'm not sure if I would even want to use one. I notice that Harbor freight has a small roll around portable dust collector, has anyone tried this one? If any of you folks have any ideas or suggestions I would really appreciate it.....TIA ,Richie

L6steel · Jan 22, 2001

I've tried several things for dust collection and just never found anything that worked very good. Might have been the way I set them up, I don't know. I just gave up and make sure theres a dip bucket under the grinder catching as much crud as possible. Then when it gets real dirty, I blast the shop out with one of those leaf blowers. I did buy a 36" fan and parked it in the doorway and that seems to help some but still not enough that I can stop using the dust mask and respirator.
Sure is amazing how much dirt, dust, and crud you can produce making knives.
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Take care!! Michael

Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!
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Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms!!!

[This message has been edited by L6STEEL (edited 01-22-2001).]

Nathan House · Jan 28, 2001

Hi A shopvack is load but will work
Grizzly has a lid that goes on a garbage can
with the shovack on one end and the hose out to your kife grindr etc on the other and they
met in the middle were it drops everything of into a garbage can they cost about 14.00 dollars
not bad for a dust collecter.

mchazen · Jan 28, 2001

I put a dust collection system in my shop, I'm talking a serious system, grounded the whole nine yards. Having done this, I'll have to agree with L6, put a bucket under your wheel and shop vac up the rest. I thought the system would getmore than it does. If I had it to do over again, I'd go with the shop vac. You can buy a lot of steel with the$400.00 I paid for my system.Ps. wear a respirator.

Mark Hazen

Allen Elishewitz · Jan 28, 2001

I have heard of knifemakers using shop-vacs and here are their complaints:
It is too loud, even the quiet ones are still too loud.
Grinding carbon steel and titanium will set your shop-vac on fire.

The best vacum system is a squirel cage vacum system located outside your shop so none of the dust gets back into the shop. All your hoses should be smooth PVC pipes so there is no potential build-up of material that could ignite.
Allen Elishewitz

sendero · Jan 28, 2001

Has anyone had any luck with those Rigid air cleaners that they sold for a while in Home Depot, etc. I think they made two sizes, one to go on the floor (under the workbench?) and one to hang on the ceiling.

mikeS · Jan 28, 2001

Old furnace squrrel cage fans, a bit of METAL duct work that blows the dust right out side, barring that a good fan directly behind the grinder pointed out the window and a water bucket underneath.

Life is what it is.

Bruce Bump · Jan 28, 2001

I bought one of the ones that changes the air in a 24 x 24 shop 6 times per hour. It is really nice to walk in and smell a fresh shop. My wife can really tell the differance. The filter needs cleaning about once a week but some of that dust would have been in my lungs. About 175 bucks in enco. Jet makes one for about 225 with a remote control. I still use the resperator when grinding but can take it off soon after. Great when couped up in a warm garage or basement shop. Bruce

Mike Conner · Jan 28, 2001

Here is another neat trick. Place one of the cheap 20 inch box fans brhind the grinder, facing away. One the intake side of the fan, the side nearest the grinder. tape a filter just like the ones you use for the heat and A/C in the house to the fan. You will be suprised how much of the dust the filter will catch. When the filter is dirty, just throw it away and put on a new one.
Mike

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Killing the dog won't cure the bite!

WinDancer · Jan 28, 2001

I just completed a furnace squirrel cage fan system with capped ducts at each tool. I just remove the cap under whichever tool is being used. The whole thing uses 4 inch metal ducting and blows straight out through the wall.
HUGE, HUGE, HUGE difference, and no worries about fire. This catches 90 percent of the crap and takes it immediately out of the shop.
Good breathing!

Dave Evans
Tenino, WA
I am also going to add a ceiling collector to give my lungs the maximum break possible.

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