Workshop Dust- Air filter?

[groeneaj]

G'day,
I just went into my workshop for about 20 minutes before to move some timber around.
The only thing I cut was 1 mortice with a domino to try out the new 4mm cutter I got.

I went back into the house and now I got that feeling when you don't wear a dust mask and the dust gets into your lungs etc.

I have dust extraction hooked up to everything in my workshop - But obviouslly it's the fine dust that we don't see that's really damaging.

I cut up some very old pine this morning (wearing a dust bee gone mask) then closed up and went inside - i'm thinking perhaps the dust has just lingered in the air and once I went in there it went straight into my lungs?

So what I am basically asking is:
What do people do to fix this problem? - I was thinking of maybe a room filter, but I only get a chance to go in the garage on weekends really and feel maybe it's over kill as i'm not always in there.
What other ways can I fix this? I always open the garage door and the side door. Maybe using a fan to blow it all outside?
Maybe leave the garage door open for a short while after I finish?

Any tips will be greatly received.

Andy

[pellcorp]

I had same problem and figured my time in the shed and my lungs were worth $425 for a air cleaner, picked it up this morning

[metester]

I have this model from H&F. Very pleased. I like the timer function which means I can leave it on for up to 4 hours after I leave the workshop doing a thorough job.

[BobL]

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Any tips will be greatly received.

Andy

This is a no brainer, those roof mounted air filters can't capture the dust fast enough anyway, so leave your money in the bank and put the dustys OUTSIDE the shed.
If they make too much noise enclose them in an airtight chamber and vent them outside the shed.
AND
Leave the DCs on for at least 20 minutes after the last dust making activity has ceased ie even using a piece of sand paper.

[pellcorp]

I vote for doing both. Dusties don't get all the fine dust and that's what the air filters are for.

[groeneaj]

This is a no brainer, those roof mounted air filters can't capture the dust fast enough anyway, so leave your money in the bank and put the dustys OUTSIDE the shed.
If they make too much noise enclose them in an airtight chamber and vent them outside the shed.
AND
Leave the DCs on for at least 20 minutes after the last dust making activity has ceased ie even using a piece of sand paper.

I'm not able to put the dusty outside.

Do the air filters have to be mounted on the roof? Will I notice that much of a difference with an air filter even if i'm mostly in the garage on weekends only?

[Sturdee]

Do the air filters have to be mounted on the roof? Will I notice that much of a difference with an air filter even if i'm mostly in the garage on weekends only?

No, I have one sitting on a low shelf under the TS extension table. As long as you have both sides open it works perfectly. It is usually hanging from the ceiling to save space, but my ceiling is to low for that.

And yes it does make a big difference, running them low in the background keeps the air nice and fresh.

Peter.

[BobL]

I'm not able to put the dusty outside.

Then Plan B says put the DC in an air tight enclosure inside the shed and vent the DC to the outside. If you don't do this it is the same as cleaning a house with a vacuum cleaner with big holes in the dist bag. DCs are hopeless at retaining fine dust but if you vent outside it does not matter,

Do the air filters have to be mounted on the roof? Will I notice that much of a difference with an air filter even if i'm mostly in the garage on weekends only?

They should be mounted somewhere in the middle of the shed - preferably higher up. If you do not do this the filters won't clear the dust from the volumes furthest from the filter. Will you notice a difference - yes you will - about as much as putting DC in an air tight enclosure and vent the DC to the outside.

[groeneaj]

Thanks for the advice - ill look into an air filter

[Waldo]

I've got the same filter as Metester, (the dusty is outside) and it makes a vast improvement and captures a lot of dust, so much so that I don't have that fine layer of dust you get all around the shed anymore, well much less anyway.

I run mine for the time that I'm in the shed and 4 hours beyond that.

[groeneaj]

I might look at enclosing my dusty

[metester]

I agree with having both regardless of whether the dusty is inside or out, enclosed or not. Regardless of how good your extraction system is there is inevitably going to be some fine dust particles that get away. These are the most dangerous. The air filter is my further protection measure to keep the air nice and clean. A further advantage is that is exchanges the air in the shed several times per hour keeping it nice and fresh which is handy during summertime. I haven't got a pleated air filter for my dusty yet, but that would be another measure to control the pesky dust.

[groeneaj]

In the garage again today. I was wearing my mask prety much all day except for the glue up (using mdf) and I feel horrible again. I have now learnt to wear my mask all the time, including the glue up.

I think it's time to get an air filter, I am so over this.

[metester]

Good move. MDF is nasty stuff. When I returned to the garage the morning after working with MDF and saw the layer of dust covering just about everything in there I went straight to H&F and bought the air filter. I now leave it running for 2 or so hours after all sessions in there and don't encounter the problem any more.

[robyn2839]

i have just got over a nasty bout of phenemonia, was that bad at one stage death would have been a blessing, but after different medications, especially the steroids i took at the time, it stopped the coughing after coughing many hundreds of times a day ,to the point of blacking out,anyway i went to the shed for the first time about two weeks ago for about one hour cutting some pen blanks ,cough came back,stayed away from the shed for two weeks cough gone,two days ago i cut some timber up and made a small box from tulip satin wood and ebony and cough has been back ever since,so i have made the decision i am giving woodwork away and find myself a new hobby that doesnt involve dust,maybe restore a vintage car again or bike, i think 44 years of heavy smoking and constant wood dust are taking too much of a toll on me
havent smoked for 6 years now ,only thing is i now have super sense of smell, and cant be around smokers even when they are not smoking, perfumes,pets etc, even asthma i had before i started smoking has come back, so do yourself a favour and wear a dust mask always and proper effective shed dust removal before it starts to effect your health ..............bob