Controlling dust and grit while grinding.

Abbott

Abbott

Well-Known Member
I have an old 1hp dust collector left over from the stone age that I use with 4" metal ducting to control sparks, grit and dust. It helps quite a bit but there is always room for improvement. A 5 gal. bucket of water for heavy sparks when needed and the dust collector is what I am presently using. I have also cut a hole (4" x 12") up high in the back wall of my shop and use a squirrel cage fan mounted in a plywood box with a gravity closing flap which the fan pressure opens when it is running and it closes when the fan shuts down. I wired a regular household dial timer from (1 to 60 minutes) into the circuit to start and stop the fan and I consider that fan to be one of my finest tools! What are some of the techniques and equipment that you have found useful in the never ending quest of a cleaner shop?
 
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First, based on bad past experiences, I am totally against any kind of typical "dust collectors" being used in a knife shop. I did it years ago, and nearly burnt down my shop when a spark got past the supposed "spark arrestor", and the collection container burst into flames. Luckily it was in a small enclosure outside and only destroyed the unit, the surround, and scorched the exterior wall of the finish shop.

I have what I call "Dust Suckers", that consist of repurposed parts/items. I have a loft in my finish shop, which lends itself to what I made/use. The first is an old furnace blower, with it's exhaust going through the floor or the loft/ceiling of the shop, surrounded by a plywood box, with 4 disposable 16x25x1" furnace filters stacked on each side.
dust-sucker.jpg


Under the same idea, I repurposed a small swamp cooler to do the same thing...
Swampcooler-converted-to-dust-sucker2-2.jpg


I also have the buckets under the grinders. It doesn't matter what, or how much "dust collection" you employ.... a good quality respirator is still a mandatory item when grinding, buffing, or doing any other task that throws swarf into the air.

If you live in a climate that allows it, gable fans are a good bang for the buck to help direct dust and airborne swarf out of the shop. I have a gable fan on each end of my Blacksmith/Hot shop..... and it's surprising how they can exchange/clear the air. Only problem is....in cold weather they also suck all the heat out, which could be good or bad, depending on the situation. Even when it's below zero in Montana, I have a big window open on one end of the hot shop, and a gable fan on the other end running when the forge is fired...... not only sucks out the chop saw and other dusts, but keeps the temp in a tolerable range too. :)
 
Yes, I agree 100% on the fire danger with a dust collector. I have a separate system setup for saw dust. The smaller dust collector I use under my grinder exhausts outside on to the gravel covered ground. Thanks for the photos, clean air is a must!

I was viewing your website earlier this morning BTW :)
 
opaul said:
Can you say discipline?
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I'm not sure how much we should give discipline credit as it's a mix having laundry facilities and chest freezer in the garage, not wanting to have to pull metal slivers out of mine or my dog's feet, and it gives me a reason to stay out in the garage a little longer to minimize the amount of time I have to deal with my housemates.:rolleyes:
 
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OMG!!! We gotta talk people! "Shop" and "Clean" in the same sentence?!?! :oops: WHEW! Hmmm..... wait..... OK Ed..... breath....breath.....in through the nose, out through the mouth.....

OK, I'm feeling busted, so full disclosure. I'm one of those who works, and once "stuff" is piled too deeply on the bench(s) to find what I am looking for..... I clean JUST ENOUGH to find it, and continue the cycle. o_O That's why visits require advanced notice! I need at least 2-3 DAYS to get the shop(s) to the point that I am not totally embarrassed to let someone in.:)
 
EdCaffreyMS said:
OMG!!! We gotta talk people! "Shop" and "Clean" in the same sentence?!?! :oops: WHEW! Hmmm..... wait..... OK Ed..... breath....breath.....in through the nose, out through the mouth.....

OK, I'm feeling busted, so full disclosure. I'm one of those who works, and once "stuff" is piled too deeply on the bench(s) to find what I am looking for..... I clean JUST ENOUGH to find it, and continue the cycle. o_O That's why visits require advanced notice! I need at least 2-3 DAYS to get the shop(s) to the point that I am not totally embarrassed to let someone in.:)
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I mean...it's just gonna get dirty again right?! :)
 
Guys, I'm not saying that what I'm doing is something to aspire to. I was merely answering the question. When I had my own place, I wasn't like this at all, because in my heart, I believe in:
tkroenlein said:
I mean...it's just gonna get dirty again right?!
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Bruce McLeish said:
"why make the bed , we're just gonna sleep in it tonight ?"
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tkroenlein said:
if a floor is too clean, how do you re-trace your steps to find the thing you laid down and now can't remember where you had it last?
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EdCaffreyMS said:
I'm one of those who works, and once "stuff" is piled too deeply on the bench(s) to find what I am looking for..... I clean JUST ENOUGH to find it, and continue the cycle.
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and I'll even admit too adding.. "Why shower? I'm just going to get dirty again tomorrow....(or is this TMI???:oops:)

My (almost daily) cleaning is, in addition to the above reasons, primarily the result of having to live with people who don't clean up after themselves in the kitchen, bathroom, dog crap in the yard, etc... and realizing that if I'm going to be asking them to do their part, I should try to be an example....But perhaps there's also a part of my parents in there. I remember our Saturdays where we all had to clean the whole house before doing anything else. Being the youngest, my job was to empty all the wastebaskets, clean the bathroom sink and sweep out the mudroom. Boy, that was tough!!!

This thread also reminds me of a gal I was dating about 18 years ago who once asked me why I would try to keep her place clean but not mine. My answer was something to the effect that nobody should have to clean up after anyone else.

But perhaps we're wandering off topic a bit here.
 
EdCaffreyMS said:
OMG!!! We gotta talk people! "Shop" and "Clean" in the same sentence?!?! :oops: WHEW! Hmmm..... wait..... OK Ed..... breath....breath.....in through the nose, out through the mouth.....

OK, I'm feeling busted, so full disclosure. I'm one of those who works, and once "stuff" is piled too deeply on the bench(s) to find what I am looking for..... I clean JUST ENOUGH to find it, and continue the cycle. o_O That's why visits require advanced notice! I need at least 2-3 DAYS to get the shop(s) to the point that I am not totally embarrassed to let someone in.:)
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Now I have even more in common with Ed besides the fact that we are both bald and handsome! haha
 
billyO said:
Guys, I'm not saying that what I'm doing is something to aspire to. I was merely answering the question. When I had my own place, I wasn't like this at all, because in my heart, I believe in:




and I'll even admit too adding.. "Why shower? I'm just going to get dirty again tomorrow....(or is this TMI???:oops:)

My (almost daily) cleaning is, in addition to the above reasons, primarily the result of having to live with people who don't clean up after themselves in the kitchen, bathroom, dog crap in the yard, etc... and realizing that if I'm going to be asking them to do their part, I should try to be an example....But perhaps there's also a part of my parents in there. I remember our Saturdays where we all had to clean the whole house before doing anything else. Being the youngest, my job was to empty all the wastebaskets, clean the bathroom sink and sweep out the mudroom. Boy, that was tough!!!

This thread also reminds me of a gal I was dating about 18 years ago who once asked me why I would try to keep her place clean but not mine. My answer was something to the effect that nobody should have to clean up after anyone else.

But perhaps we're wandering off topic a bit here.
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Lol. I think this is everyone's head nod to "yeah, my shop's messy, and I should do better, but..."
 
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