New Shop

[Kevin McGovern]

Well, I'm kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop. My old shop, in the 100+ year old well house on my property has become structurally unstable. My wife, in an uncharacteristically supportive of my hobby move, helped me empty my entire shop and move it into the back right corner of our 4 car garage. She must be up to something, and I'm going to find out what. Anyway. This space is a HUGE improvement: Heat, AC, Plenty of power, Insulation, etc. The only issue is, the space also serves as- My music room (drums, pa system), and my kids rec room (tv, stereo, PS4, etc.). In the picture below, you can see what I've done so far, mostly just setting up my benches. It's not shown in the picture, but just above and to the left of my grinder is a capped off exhaust port for a previous wood stove. it goes right out the side of the garage exiting at about 3' above grade. I need to keep this garage as dust free as possible. I am thinking enclosing the entire grinding area and venting out that port would be the most effective. I need to keep costs down, and still be somewhat presentable. I'm thinking of studding it out and using FRP as the wall covering on the garage side of the space. This would be lightweight construction, but would be easy to clean, and simple. I currently use a wet/dry vac for dust collection, but it doesn't do a great job. Any advice on using a dust collector motor and exhausting the dust directly into a metal trash can outside? Should/ could the motor be mounted on the exterior? any hose/ collector fitting advice would be good as well. The only other machine I may connect would be my band saw. But I don't use it as much, and the dust is pretty well contained in the enclosed lower cabinet/ dust shoot where I can catch it with a shop vac. Thanks in advance.

 

[HSC ///]

4 car garage...? lucky
there's no pic...

 

[john april]

i do not see a pic either. i think for cost, enclose the room with clear plastic sheet (stapled to ceiling/walls) with a curtain door instead of studding it. i love to play drums too ! i have a gretsch drum kit i bash on to old 1970's rock and roll

 

[Kevin McGovern]

Sorry, I added a picture.

 

[HSC ///]

here's my grinding room I had built with dust collector mounted on top outside
frankly I've never found a dust collector that actually works well enough to collect the dust,
it's just always a mess that's easier to clean up with 10 min of shop vacuuming.

the room enclosure itself does a good job of holding the dust in the room and keeping the outside grinding dust free.

regards

 

[Kevin McGovern]

here's my grinding room I had built with dust collector mounted on top outside
frankly I've never found a dust collector that actually works well enough to collect the dust,
it's just always a mess that's easier to clean up with 10 min of shop vacuuming.

the room enclosure itself does a good job of holding the dust in the room and keeping the outside grinding dust free.

regards

I was thinking more of a dust collector with a hose going directly to a funnel under the platen/ wheel. i would call what you have there an air cleaner.

 

[KnuckleDownKnives]

This is how I have mine. Just blow it right outside. No collection at all. Works rather well for me. You may not be able to just exhaust it like I do however. It's not all that noisy when the grinder is running. The pipe going through the wall is welded water tight to the outside and I made a flapper that when the blower is on it opens and when it's off it closes like a drier vent. I live in the country and don't want critters crawling up in it.

I have plans to plumb it better on the inside than the plastic flex hose.

I'd say it catches about 90-95% of the dust I create and evacuates it from the shop.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You can frame temporary walls in 2X4 and cover them with clear plastic sheeting ( The heavy mil type used for sealing up screen porches in the winter). Use a cheap storm door for the entry. The walls can be removed when you build a permanent shop where the old well house was .... if your wife's pottery barn isn't already there.

 

[HSC ///]

I was thinking more of a dust collector with a hose going directly to a funnel under the platen/ wheel. i would call what you have there an air cleaner.

it's a dust collector, the square one mounted in the back left. the one to the right is in fact an air cleaner.

but I could improve the way I have it plumbed, as u mentioned - "...hose going directly to a funnel under the platen/ wheel."

 

[butcher_block]

maybe use butchers curtain then with the new shop is built you can use it to section off dirty "room" from other sections. im so happy i used it out in the shop cause a wall and door woudl have been a PITA all the times sim back and forth from grinder/ wood saw section from milling/lathe and metal saw section then the up stairs is the cleanest section cause of dust not drifting up. i really need to do a knife shop video but it will have to wait till i get the old air compressor back together and under the stairs

 

[Kevin McGovern]

You can frame temporary walls in 2X4 and cover them with clear plastic sheeting ( The heavy mil type used for sealing up screen porches in the winter). Use a cheap storm door for the entry. The walls can be removed when you build a permanent shop where the old well house was .... if your wife's pottery barn isn't already there.

Alaska it's probably going to become an outdoor kitchen. And that's fine with me

 

[Kevin McGovern]

maybe use butchers curtain then with the new shop is built you can use it to section off dirty "room" from other sections. im so happy i used it out in the shop cause a wall and door woudl have been a PITA all the times sim back and forth from grinder/ wood saw section from milling/lathe and metal saw section then the up stairs is the cleanest section cause of dust not drifting up. i really need to do a knife shop video but it will have to wait till i get the old air compressor back together and under the stairs

I don't think I'll be rebuilding the old shop. Building permits are ridiculously here, and there isn't much room to expand beyond the original 13x10 footprint. A four car garage is kind of overkill for what I do car wise, and one day of ot is already way more room than I'm used too. I may do something temporary for now, and build out a separate dirty room with curtain entrance and negative air pressure, since I'm constantly back and forth to the grinder.

 

[Kevin McGovern]

Made some progress this evening. Light, dust collector, belt storage.

 

[Kevin McGovern]

Further progress. My dad called me up yesterday and asked if I wanted an old work station. Bonus points for the Mountain Dew colored Formica! Still figuring out where I want everything.

 

[googlebutt]

This is how I have mine. Just blow it right outside. No collection at all. Works rather well for me. You may not be able to just exhaust it like I do however. It's not all that noisy when the grinder is running. The pipe going through the wall is welded water tight to the outside and I made a flapper that when the blower is on it opens and when it's off it closes like a drier vent. I live in the country and don't want critters crawling up in it.

I have plans to plumb it better on the inside than the plastic flex hose.

I'd say it catches about 90-95% of the dust I create and evacuates it from the shop.

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What blower is that? Do you have a link by chance?

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Kevin,
Get some washable filter media, and Velcro it to the front of your window A/C. Otherwise, you'll stop it up in no time.
I use it on the intakes of all my air conditioners.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Build/buy a small shed for the outside. Put the vac unit and other things best kept outside in it ( propane tanks, compressor, etc.).
Run the hoses and such through the wall opening. A 1.5HP HF vac/blower will work if using direct outside ejection, or use a wood type dust-vac with the cloth bags in the shed and a good spark bong at the grinder.

 

[J. Keeton]

Looking good! I love seeing other people's shops. Always gives me ideas!

Thank goodness that color went out of vogue!

 

[KUNTZI66]

I have a similar exhaust setup the only problem I have right now is, Im getting tired of taking the cap off out side. Anyone have a flapper maybe, idea??? I also tried hard as I could to get a visual on sparks outside looked all clear.

 

[Jonathans]

Kevin,
Honestly, I can’t having my grinding/fab area sharing space with my musical instruments and rec room. I even had to seperate it from my lathe and mill. If I were in your position I would claim one bay from my 4 car garage and frame in a wall to the ceiling in order to contain the mess.
It hurts at first but after a year you won’t remember the cost and just be enjoying the benefits. Who knows, as time goes on you might be able to claim another bay!