rcx132
Philip
- Messages
- 2,891
- Location
- London, UK
I know this topic been discussed many times, and I've read many threads on dust extraction, but I still have issues with my setup.
I've tried many solutions so far:
1. Tried a regular vacuum cleaner connected direct to cabinet. The abrasive dust destroyed the vac after two uses.
2. Tried the extractor designed specifically for the Chinese cabinets, shown below. This actually worked! Was very loud and lasted only a month before the motor failed. I don't trust these Chinese goods, they just don't last, I've paid money for them only to fail as soon as they're out of warranty. I returned it as defective for refund.
3. I tried a regular industrial single stage extractor like this below. The abrasive dust passed through the bags though.
4. I then used the same extractor but without the bags. I routed the outlet through my wall to the outside of my garage where it just vented into the atmosphere into some open land behind my house. This wasn't a good idea, the dust spreads.
5. Finally I settled on the solution below. A felt filter bag at the top of the extractor and a rubble bag at the bottom. I didn't use a cyclone separator because if you look at the design of these extractors, you can see that there is a cyclone mechanism built into it, the dust shoots down the side of the extractor, spins, and falls into the rubble bag. This solution has been ok but the filter bags very quickly clog up and need replacing every 20 min and then cleaning. Also they let some fine dust out which isn't good for any engines or cars nearby as it's abrasive.
I'm now thinking about something better, which filters better and means I don't have to put dust sheets over everything in my workspace to protect from dust.
I'm wondering if a proper cyclone separator is better than the one that's built into the single stage extractor above. And maybe a wet scrubber, and canister filter instead of a filter bag.
Has anyone actually used a wet scrubber which passes the dust through water? The complaints I've read about wet scrubbers is that the water is blown out of the scrubber and sludge builds up inside. Water shooting out can be solved by making the scrubber tall enough that the water doesn't have the energy to get to the top. And the sludge is surely the effect of the scrubber doings it's job! So maybe I can build something that makes the sludge easy to regularly remove.
Axminster sell large canister filters as shown below. Pricey but at this stage I'm considering just paying the money. Axminster suggest that the filter can be declogged by a metal knocker inside the filter which you turn and it knocks the dust off. But not sure if this will work with the very fine highly abrasive dust from a blast cabinet.
Or alternatively I go back to the Chinese filter and expect to have to replace it regularly as it fails.
What do you think ?
I've tried many solutions so far:
1. Tried a regular vacuum cleaner connected direct to cabinet. The abrasive dust destroyed the vac after two uses.
2. Tried the extractor designed specifically for the Chinese cabinets, shown below. This actually worked! Was very loud and lasted only a month before the motor failed. I don't trust these Chinese goods, they just don't last, I've paid money for them only to fail as soon as they're out of warranty. I returned it as defective for refund.
3. I tried a regular industrial single stage extractor like this below. The abrasive dust passed through the bags though.
4. I then used the same extractor but without the bags. I routed the outlet through my wall to the outside of my garage where it just vented into the atmosphere into some open land behind my house. This wasn't a good idea, the dust spreads.
5. Finally I settled on the solution below. A felt filter bag at the top of the extractor and a rubble bag at the bottom. I didn't use a cyclone separator because if you look at the design of these extractors, you can see that there is a cyclone mechanism built into it, the dust shoots down the side of the extractor, spins, and falls into the rubble bag. This solution has been ok but the filter bags very quickly clog up and need replacing every 20 min and then cleaning. Also they let some fine dust out which isn't good for any engines or cars nearby as it's abrasive.
I'm now thinking about something better, which filters better and means I don't have to put dust sheets over everything in my workspace to protect from dust.
I'm wondering if a proper cyclone separator is better than the one that's built into the single stage extractor above. And maybe a wet scrubber, and canister filter instead of a filter bag.
Has anyone actually used a wet scrubber which passes the dust through water? The complaints I've read about wet scrubbers is that the water is blown out of the scrubber and sludge builds up inside. Water shooting out can be solved by making the scrubber tall enough that the water doesn't have the energy to get to the top. And the sludge is surely the effect of the scrubber doings it's job! So maybe I can build something that makes the sludge easy to regularly remove.
Axminster sell large canister filters as shown below. Pricey but at this stage I'm considering just paying the money. Axminster suggest that the filter can be declogged by a metal knocker inside the filter which you turn and it knocks the dust off. But not sure if this will work with the very fine highly abrasive dust from a blast cabinet.
Or alternatively I go back to the Chinese filter and expect to have to replace it regularly as it fails.
What do you think ?
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