MetalMonkey
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- UK
I'm on the final stretch of my workshop renovation and now I've got everything reasonably clean and tidy I'm pondering the topic of dust extraction for primarily metal working.
Currently I have an old 4" Clarke wood dust/chip extractor blower which exhausts the blast cabinet directly outside (there are no neighbours to worry about). I'm planning on building a cyclone to this to recover media.
I'm not too worried about chips and swarf as they are fairly easy to control - but I've got several other machines which produce annoying fine dust, Pedestal grinders, Buffer, Belt Linisher and Surface grinder.
Angle grinding I try to do outside as much as possible.
I'm toying with the idea of trying to extend the cyclone/extractor to deal with these machines, and exhaust the dust outside thus avoiding the need to try and filter it.
However, none of them are really set up for dust collection or have ports or shrouds and I'm mindful of the potential risk of fire, especially when you consider the mix of metals and materials.
Installing steel ductwork everywhere is unlikely to be very feasible or cost effective, and I suspect PVC ducting or flexi hose is not going to stand up to hot sparks.
I'm curious as to what, if anything, you guys use and how well it has worked, or if it is just a waste of time and I'm best off sticking with a broom.
Currently I have an old 4" Clarke wood dust/chip extractor blower which exhausts the blast cabinet directly outside (there are no neighbours to worry about). I'm planning on building a cyclone to this to recover media.
I'm not too worried about chips and swarf as they are fairly easy to control - but I've got several other machines which produce annoying fine dust, Pedestal grinders, Buffer, Belt Linisher and Surface grinder.
Angle grinding I try to do outside as much as possible.
I'm toying with the idea of trying to extend the cyclone/extractor to deal with these machines, and exhaust the dust outside thus avoiding the need to try and filter it.
However, none of them are really set up for dust collection or have ports or shrouds and I'm mindful of the potential risk of fire, especially when you consider the mix of metals and materials.
Installing steel ductwork everywhere is unlikely to be very feasible or cost effective, and I suspect PVC ducting or flexi hose is not going to stand up to hot sparks.
I'm curious as to what, if anything, you guys use and how well it has worked, or if it is just a waste of time and I'm best off sticking with a broom.