Extractor arm

[Gareth J]

Looked into making some kind of anglepoise system with counterweights but decided this would be simpler and easier.

Fan+ motor from an old corn cleaner. I was looking at a 6 inch output bore squirrel cage one I have but decided the 1.5hp motor on it would be overkill. Rescued scrap 1.5inch box, 4" hose £55 from ebay. A couple 4" drain fittings at about a tenner each and a lick of paint to make it look slightly more legit. Could've managed with 6m of flex and either bolted some solid pipe to the larger frame or made a steel tube part of the design. It's a bit wobbly when the forearm is perpendicular as you might imagine but is strong enough. Might even put a power point or airline on there one day

 

[Parm]

Is this for home use or in a "workplace" ?

 

[Gareth J]

Both. But it's only me. What have I done wrong?

 

[ford34/2]

Used a lot of 4" plastic fittings and all sorts of plastic pipe drainage,orange grey & black/GPO etc to make up various extraction stuff off machines, depends what people throw out !!!!!, very prone to static with wood dust. galv steel is much better and the spiral formed ridgid stuff is ok and its cheap. beware of electric shocks off the tube - depends what your extracting.

Stan

 

[Gareth J]

very prone to static with wood dust. galv steel is much better and the spiral formed ridgid stuff is ok and its cheap. beware of electric shocks off the tube - depends what your extracting.

Stan

Thanks for that, not something I'd considered. guess I can always earth the frame and the steel spiral in the plastic pipe if I get issues. Will need to anyway if I do put a power lead on there.

 

[ford34/2]

Never tried it but maybe you could earth the steel wire re-enforcing, even heard the cracks, and seen -- well sparks jumping to earth on occasions, just like HT electric, just lived with it, gives you a tickle like a spark on a car engine used to.
some woods seemed worse than others. Even with the posh rubber extraction hose.
Stan

 

[Parm]

Is this for home use or in a "workplace" ?

Nothing wrong as it's good to have extraction to remove hazardous fumes. At home it's ok but at work it becomes local exhaust ventilation and falls under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations (COSHH), a requirement of which is that the system needs to be tested by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 14 months. If the HSE visit and find that it hasn't been tested, this becomes a material breech for which they will charge you £150 an hour for every hour they spend dealing with it

 

[MattF]

Used a lot of 4" plastic fittings and all sorts of plastic pipe drainage,orange grey & black/GPO etc to make up various extraction stuff off machines, depends what people throw out !!!!!, very prone to static with wood dust. galv steel is much better and the spiral formed ridgid stuff is ok and its cheap. beware of electric shocks off the tube - depends what your extracting.

Stan

Wasn't there an explosion at a flour plant years ago caused by something along those lines?

 

[AndyStobbs]

Nothing wrong as it's good to have extraction to remove hazardous fumes. At home it's ok but at work it becomes local exhaust ventilation and falls under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations (COSHH), a requirement of which is that the system needs to be tested by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 14 months. If the HSE visit and find that it hasn't been tested, this becomes a material breech for which they will charge you £150 an hour for every hour they spend dealing with it

Any more info on this? How do they define competance - can I print my own certificate certifying me to inspect a jumped up vacuum cleaner?
I'm looking at getting an exhaust fume extraction set-up at work, thanks.

OP: Nice work on the ducting and arm

 

[Gareth J]

Thanks Parm, done some reading up and good to know.

 

[Parm]

Any more info on this? How do they define competance - can I print my own certificate certifying me to inspect a jumped up vacuum cleaner?
I'm looking at getting an exhaust fume extraction set-up at work, thanks.

OP: Nice work on the ducting and arm

In the eyes of the HSE competence in such matters is demonstrated by having sat a P601 course which is accredited by the British Occupational Hygiene Society. Takes a week with exam at end and cost around £1200

 

[Parm]

I spend a lot of time dealing with prosecutions where people have failed to test systems or have not used competent people.

Sadly in today's world the HSE have very little government funding so they are always looking at how they can make money to cover THIER costs and this sort of thing is very easy to pick up on as it's so clear cut

 

[AndyStobbs]

Does it include portable extraction equipment?

 

[AndyStobbs]

Just read the article.

 

[ford34/2]

In countless years of being in a workshop, full of every type of Woodworking machine, 45 Years +, despite HSE visits on several occasions, I have never been requested to provide test certificates for Extraction equipment, indeed despite requests for extraction equipment one company wrangled out of responsibility saying the machine was only used- Ex times or hours per Month, like a single ended tennoner. Last place I worked 13 years, a visit from HSE got us a warning for an untidy Joiners workbench,!!!!! a trailing 110 Volt lead on the floor and a build up of dust on Flourescent light tubes. Our worst inspections were from a department of the Local City Council - insisted on an extra handrail on a small flight of 3 tread stairs for left handed people, They were impressed with the little gadget the company bought, as I was in the workshop on my own for weeks on end, a simple small tranmitter with a panic butten and a sort of mercury swith built in, if I fell down or needed quick help it sent a signal to a base unit upstairs and this was relayed on to another member of staff with a unit clipped on his trouser belt or in his pocket, vibrate and audible signal. an inbuilt warning of action gave you a few seconds to cancel as over about 30 degree tilt it was activated. There are many new units available now, some even with GPS location built in. Machines were tested and plant pat tested -- some every 3 months dependant on Contractors site requirments. Insurance company visits never threw up any concerns. Perhaps we been lucky on the testing side.

Stan

 

[AndyStobbs]

Well I'm more than a little disheartened to find that NO extraction is ok, but once installed it opens up a myriad of testing. Its only for my own sake, my unit is almost in a corner and the wind swirls regardless of direction, blowing fumes back. As I'm always working on poorly cars the diesels can be very sooty, which has me cleaning for days.

 

[Parm]

Sir, you might find things have changed a little. I do this for a day job and the number of people I come across with the same story as yours is unbelievable. I'd suggest you've been lucky with old school inspectors who dint know better. These days they're all trained to highlight material breaches for which they get paid for when found to cover their costs.

 

[Parm]

Well I'm more than a little disheartened to find that NO extraction is ok, but once installed it opens up a myriad of testing. Its only for my own sake, my unit is almost in a corner and the wind swirls regardless of direction, blowing fumes back. As I'm always working on poorly cars the diesels can be very sooty, which has me cleaning for days.

No extraction is never ok! Forget all the H&S bull****! Do you want to have a long life, see the wife, play with the kids etc etc!!. If you make an aerosol that you can breathe, there's a good chance it ain't gonna be good for you, therefore I tall some extraction and protect your lungs !!!

 

[AndyStobbs]

Er well yeah but everytime I walk down a pavement I'm breathing exhaust fumes. Can't live in a bubble.