Show me your exhaust system

[Bruce Bump]

Ive decided I do want to live longer so an exhaust system is my next venture. I dont see much reason to gather everything into a bag, why cant I just shoot all the debris across the alley into the neighbors yard? They dont take care of their place anyway.

Are the import 1 hp vacuum units with or without the bag system made well? They only cost about $150. Im thinking of running a 4" dia. main in the attic and drop some 3" dia. hoses from there to each machine. I also want to run one to my dremel/foredom table. Also a remote control on/off switch would be handy.

Any pics and experiences are appreciated before I make any plunge.

 

[Dan Pierson]

Here's some of my setup shop pic.

The main pipes are 6", the drops are 4" with a 2hp Grizzley collector. I need to shorten some of the flex tubing because it's not drawing as well as I'd like. I suspect that 4" and 3" are going to be too small for you. Remember bends, distance and flex connectors all eat air.

 

[Fred.Rowe]

Bruce,
I built this system for 200.00. Its made from 6" duct pipe with a couple of high speed vac motors. It moves a huge volume of air and does not clog easily with the two filters working in conjunction.
Glad to hear you are getting this together.
There are plenty of pictures of this system on my web site if needed.

Good luck, Fred

 

[frogfish]

Here is my temporary solution as my shop is evolving using 4" tubing and a 1hp Penn State dust collector, I have shut offs at each of the grinder to maximize suction. Thanks to craigs list the whole system cost about $100.

 

[LRB]

I grind next to a window that has a powerful attic exhaust fan in it. I also wear a respirator.

 

[JCaswell]

Bruce,
For things like surface grinders, I have 6-inch ducting with steel gates that all find their way into a different room wherein there's a big, powerful vac. (It's strong enough to suck a rag from a loose grip if you get it close to the register!)

For a main grinder (Bader/KMG, etc), it seem such ducting just isn't sufficient since it tends to fill the air with debris more than other machines.

I adopted an idea I picked up from Bill Herndon's shop--run a large, industrial-style wall fan preferably right behind the grinder (mine's on the side, but is good enough). Turn that thing on and all that dust goes right out those auto-closing louvers right through the wall and outside. The big, heavy stuff goes right to the ground and can be swept.

This arrangement can clear the air of the whole shop in seconds.
I run it when forging, and when doing any grinding on any machine and when just sweeping up. Why breathe all that stuff??

Here it is in the background...
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=70380&d=1176492425

 

[L6steel]

That's the cleanest knife maker's shop I've ever seen Dan, outstanding!
Excellent dust removal system too! I always counted on big fans which didn't work too good, guess that's why my shop was always so cruddy, lol!

 

[Fred.Rowe]

I I also run a 30" louvered wall fan and it will clear the air in short order. It will suck the door to the shop closed, with a bang, if you don't stick an anvil in front of of the door.

Fred

 

[synthesist]

Fred Rowe said, "There are plenty of pictures of this system on my web site if needed."

I couldn't find those pics. Bwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Syn

 

[Don Hanson III]

Bruce, I've had mine for 10+ years. I'm using a 1 hp Grizzly with 4" PVC pipe, to 3 grinders and a surface grinder. I have shut offs at each machine and piped out the side of the wall with 5" pipe, no bags here.

With that said, a 2 hp would be better and I will upgrade one day.

 

[JCaswell]

I I also run a 30" louvered wall fan and it will clear the air in short order. It will suck the door to the shop closed, with a bang, if you don't stick an anvil in front of of the door.

Fred

Yeah, I use a stick wedged in front of the door or Kapow! the door will slam shut. Sometimes when forging it gets pretty hot in the shop, I'll stand near the doorway between operations. It's like a wind tunnel.

 

[Bruce Bump]

I have a heated shop and cant afford to run the furnace constantly so I may need to use the bag system inside during cold weather. How about sparks from the grinders? Do you use a wet system or just a bucket of slack water under the grinder?

I have a phone message to call Chuck Bybee. He cuts and sands a ton of wood. I want to see what he does too.

I enjoy looking at your shops guys! Really clean and organized. Dan, do you get anything done or do you just clean the shop everyday?

 

[Fred.Rowe]

Fred Rowe said, "There are plenty of pictures of this system on my web site if needed."

I couldn't find those pics. Bwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Syn

Look in the new knives gallery on page five. Fred

 

[Dan Pierson]

Dan, do you get anything done or do you just clean the shop everyday?

Well, it was pretty new then ... and the white paint makes it look much cleaner in pictures than it really is.

The white is really to make it as bright as possible. I like lots of light in kitchens and shops. If I ever get the forge (behind where the pic was taken from -- mostly full of junk now) set up I'll just turn the lights off when I need to see the colors.

 

[Bruce Bump]

Well, it was pretty new then ... and the white paint makes it look much cleaner in pictures than it really is.

The white is really to make it as bright as possible. I like lots of light in kitchens and shops. If I ever get the forge (behind where the pic was taken from -- mostly full of junk now) set up I'll just turn the lights off when I need to see the colors.

Well Im jealous!