Hi My name is Patrice and I am addicted to dust collection!

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
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Well addicted may be a strong word. ;) I know the health hazards that knifemaking present and try to minimize them as much as possible.

So I “tweaked” my system a little by adding a few more gates so that I can direct the 100% of the fan's suction to one specific collector.
I also needed a way to extract smoke from the coolant at the mill (and at the lathe eventually). Of course if this works I will try and come up with something a little more out of the way for mill and lathe.

dust_collector_progress1.jpg


I am also working on piping for a few different Shopvac (my other addiction) outlets. :o

Anyone else's going with the “spaceship engine room” look for their shop? ;)

Pat
 
Good man. I learned my lesson years ago about the dangers of fumes. I was using electrical conduit to make welded table frames. The zinc fumes made me sick as a dog -- "Fume Fever" or "Fume Flu" is what they called it.

I"m still getting my shop set up the way I want it, and one of the first things I installed was a vent fan. I have been designing a grinder which will incorporate a hood for the dust collector.

Most steps of knife making include some kind of inhalation hazard. Dust collection and ventilation to the outside with a fresh replacement air source are very important. It's also important to know that dust collection does nothing for chemical fumes -- better to have those vented outside.
 
As a side benefit to dust collection it also makes applying wood finishes, coatings, and paints much less frustrating :)
 
Dust collection is the LAST thing I have to install in my dream shop (well, it's my dream :) ) I have no provisions for venting outside. I will need a self contained system. Any suggestions?
 
Goldsmithy, I use an exhaust fan installed into the window of my shop to vent outside and that takes care of the bulk of the dust, but it also sucks all the heat out of the house, creating a negative airpressure in the house that can cause the fire in the woodfurnace to nearly suffocate, so at times when its cold outside I don't use it as much except to periodically clear the air at the end of my working session. In addition I use an air filtering system. The first one sucks up directly infront of the grinder and buffer into bag filters, and the second unit is mounted on a wall which is a boxed in furnace fan using fine pore furnace filters that catches the fine dusts. It does a pretty good job, but I still need to clear the air using the exhaust fan from time to time.
 
Dust removal has been on my mind lately. I dont mind mild dust from say finishing up a blade. It's the profiling and handle shaping. I am almost thinking of just putting a grinder outside to do the heavy stuff. Or I may just do what Patrice has done and do a nice system like that. But being a poor construction worker and a knifemaker in training my budget is slim at best.
 
Glad you guys like it.

Goldsmithy, I am sorry I call it dust collection but it really is a dust extraction system. It was the easiest for me with my limited room and mush less trouble then collecting the dust. Especially with the sparks on the metal side.

Bufford, I have the same problem. Even with the door that connects the garage to the house closed, both my bowers will reverse the fireplace flow in no time if I don't have some kind of air intake. Usually just leaving one of the traps of the system I am not using open is enough and doesn't draw that much cold air in. Of course I am not using this for very long periods of time (maybe 1 hour at a stretch) and not when it is -30F or colder outside.

Marko, it doesn't have to be that expensive. This unit is a 1HP but I have a 3/4HP one for the wood/handle side and as long as you pipe it so that the whole suction goes to only one collector, it is plenty strong. They are not very pricey, in the 140$ range if I remember correctly. You can probably find them cheaper from Harbor Freight or something.
 
Patrice- Please feel free to come to my shop and put a system together for me!!! ;) :D

My current system--- water buckets under the grinders and 160+ pound dogs with 4-5" long fur rolling around on the shop floor.... does not seem to be optimal. :eek: :o :p :D
 
Nick--I find that spraying my dogs with "ENDUST" greatly improves their floor cleaning abilities.
 
Greetings,
The most informative website regarding dust control. I know a knife maker whom has this system in his shop (all self contained, no venting outside). All I can say is without witnessing it for myself, it is very impressive.

I am just about to start building mine next week. This design is the real deal. I am surprised how much dust control is not contained with knife builders.

Dennis

http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/
 
NickWheeler said:
Patrice- Please feel free to come to my shop and put a system together for me!!! ;) :D
Click to expand...

Funny you would say that each time I see pics or vids of your shop, that's exactly what I am thinking. ;)
Kidding aside (ok I was not really kidding :o) I cringe when see you shape handles and use lung power to clear away dust. If I lived closer, I would gladly go help you set up something. :thumbup:
 
The first step is :

We admitted we were powerless over dust - that our shop environment had become unmanageable.
 
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