# Dust collection idea?



## woodchuckchuck (Mar 23, 2013)

Hi folks I just joined and I hope I picked the right category to ask my first question. I have my basement workshop on the utility side of my largely unfinished basement. Been using it for several years like that with minimal dust collection. I can see my activity, and therefore, dust production, increasing a lot in the near future. My first concern in the furnace. I have no egress window on the shop side and can't just go out and buy a dust remover at this time. Here's my idea: Box in the furnace from floor to ceiling with door skin or something cheap and light and make it air and dust tight and removable for servicing. Mount a couple of box fans on one side with deflectors, and on the other side put 20x20 pleated filters. The furnace enclosure itself becomes a dust removal system. The gas fired forced air unit gets combustion air from the outside via PVC pipe so I am not worried about choking it if the fans are not running. Any air passing by it hits the filters first. Just want to run this cockamamie scheme by someone to see if I'm overlooking something. 

Chuck in WI


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

While you might want to enclose the furnace just to keep dust from settling all over whatever parts it can, why don't don't you just tape those filters to the intake side of the fans and let them run in the room that's your workshop?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I see several issues*

The dust from the shop will enter the return air duct work, UNLESS it's very well sealed, and it will be drawn into the furnace fiter system which is not designed for that much dust. It will then be distributed into all the rooms of the house, not good.

First you'll need to seal all the ductwork in the basement, regardless of any other improvements. 

Second, sealing off the furnace itself is a good idea, ONLY if you provide combustion air, if needed. Newer furnaces use outside air for combustion and have no open flames, much better. and safer.

Third, collect as much dust as possible right at the point of origination either with a shop vac connected to the dust ports 2 1/2" , OR with a full blown Dust Collector, 1 HP or large, with 4" hose. Dust and chips are different so a planer will require a DC, not a shop vac. Sanding makes a lot of dust so a shop vac with a small hose attached to your sander port will work best. That's what I do.

Fourth, make a 'whole room' air filtration unit from a squirrel cage blower from a furnace as many here have done or buy a factory built model from Grizzly, Jet, JDS or others. A simple box fan used to cool off in the summer with a filter or 2 on the inlet side is the cheapest route, but not as efficient. 

Fifth, an exhaust fan in the wall that recycles the air to the outside will work, ONLY if you don't draw air or fumes from the furnace OR from down the chimney. This will be Carbon Monoxide, or CO which may kill you.


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## Loganville Tiger (Dec 23, 2012)

woodchuckchuck said:


> Hi folks I just joined and I hope I picked the right category to ask my first question. I have my basement workshop on the utility side of my largely unfinished basement. Been using it for several years like that with minimal dust collection. I can see my activity, and therefore, dust production, increasing a lot in the near future. My first concern in the furnace. I have no egress window on the shop side and can't just go out and buy a dust remover at this time. Here's my idea: Box in the furnace from floor to ceiling with door skin or something cheap and light and make it air and dust tight and removable for servicing. Mount a couple of box fans on one side with deflectors, and on the other side put 20x20 pleated filters. *The furnace enclosure itself becomes a dust removal system.* The gas fired forced air unit gets combustion air from the outside via PVC pipe so I am not worried about choking it if the fans are not running. Any air passing by it hits the filters first. Just want to run this cockamamie scheme by someone to see if I'm overlooking something.
> 
> Chuck in WI


I lost you on the part above. Is this A/C unit dedicated to the basement? The air handler is located within you shop area? Does it have a ducted return? Is there one or two PVC pipes to the exterior?

If I have the description correct, this is not the best of ideas for dust collection. If you have one PVC running from the furnace to exterior, this is a direct vent furnace - it _Does Not_ draw its combustion air from the filtered section of your air handler - rather through the louvered panels on the front of the unit - so the air is not filtered for the gas heating side. If it has two PVC pipes, then it is a sealed combustion unit - drawing its combustion air directly from the exterior - but you still have an open flame in a dust rich environment. Another worry I would have is dust build up on the cooling coil - the coil being wet from dehumidification of summer humid air on the coil surface would be like glue with the dust. Not a good thing. 

Given more information I can fine tune my response. 

LT

Woody has some excellent advice above too.....


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