# Will blowing my Shop Vac's exhaust minimize the -5 micron dust floating around shop



## gthec (Oct 9, 2012)

Hi Folks,

I've been messing around with various dust collection schemes, trying to come up with something for my tiny in-progress shop. For now, I have an old Ridgid Shop VAC, connected to a Dust Deputy, connected to my saw. The old vacuum isn't terribly well sealed (gaskets and such) The saw (Ridgid r4510 contractor saw) has a shroud around the blade but sawdust still comes out the top and from the bottom, onto the floor. I slapped a piece of styrofoam board on the bottom of the saw and that does a good job for the dust falling out the bottom and I'll probably work out a diy blade guard that attaches to the vacuum. Finally, I am running a box fan with an a/c filter over it, and I wear a respirator, but my lungs still know there's a little extra dust in the air.

The real issue are the tiny dust (-5 micron) particles that are getting in my lungs. I think the sawdust goes in the separator and vacuum but the vacuum is also blowing the tiny dust particles around rather than capturing them. It would be relatively easy to run a hose from the exhaust port of the vacuum to the outside. I'm thinking about getting a new vacuum with a HEPA filter, but my big question is, would running the exhaust outside the shop take care of the tiny dust particles. Also, would running the exhaust outside eliminate the need for a HEPA filter? 

Thanks so much

Greg


BTW, can't do 220v so a 220v extractor (2hp) is out of the question but I will get a 1hp dust extractor down the road.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

It will help, but not eliminate it. The 25 dollar solution is to get a big box fan, and attach a furnace filter to it. That will catch 75% or more pretty quickly. The rest gets expensive and hard to catch.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Get a 1 1/2 HP runs on 120 V*

My Jet 1100 runs on 120 V. 

Wear a mask if you experience any lung issues. Respirators are even better.

Run an overhead dust/air filtration system at all times.

Occasionally use a leaf blower or the exhaust on your shop vac to disturb all the dust laying around and exhaust it outside. Wear a mask. Open a window or door and blow it outside. Use a box fan in a window or near the door to help push it outside. I have a roof ventilator/exhaust fan in the ceiling of my shop. It's on it's own switch, not the thermal one it came with.

When cleaning the bags or filters on your DC wear a mask. Take them outside and face into the wind.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

woodnthings said:


> My Jet 1100 runs on 120 V.
> 
> 
> 
> When cleaning the bags or filters on your DC wear a mask. Take them outside and face into the wind.


You should face away from the wind. Facing into the wind would blow dust into your face.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

hwebb99 said:


> You should face away from the wind. Facing into the wind would blow dust into your face.



I want the wind in my face and the dust cannister downstream. You do what suits you.


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## PhilBa (Jun 30, 2014)

For a quick and cheap thing to do, look for a HEPA filter for your vacuum. My shop vac one cost about $35 from amazon (actually an affiliate).


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

I spent $35 for a box fan and filter at Lowe's and about two hours to put it together (another hour to do my paint job but that wasn't really necessary). The filter is one of those 3M Micro Allegen Extra pleated filters - pretty fine filter but I don't know the micron.

I can swivel it so it doesn't point in the wrong direction, depending on what I'm doing at the time in the shop. It was convenient that the garage door opener plug was there - no cords to run.








As you can see, I turned the fan upside down so I can get to the switch with no problem. 








And it's mounted over where my soon to be built table saw extension will be so no danger of bumping into it while carrying something around in the shop.








I used a shoulder bolt off my edger to make the swivel. It's a fairly snug swivel so it doesn't vibrate away from where I set it but it's easily turned by hand.








This was after a couple of days running. I leave it on low, virtually no sound, and turn it up when I'm sanding or blowing dust around. I had no idea there was this much dust in the air. I've been resawing a lot of Mahogany so that's why it's reddish on the filter. It's got enough on it now (this shot was two weeks ago) that I need to pull it down and clean it off. I bought a two-pack of filters so I can change them out and not have to stop working while I clean one.


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

I run 2 of the 25 dollar solutions (a big box fan with a furnace filter to them). :thumbsup:


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## gthec (Oct 9, 2012)

Thank you all for your help on this. Many fine suggestions, some of which I'm already doing (like the box fan). Also Woodnthing's tips on disturbing and exhausting the dust. This is a basement shop so any venting will have to occur out the basement door and out the hatch.

So far ryan50hrl is the only one in the thread that answered my specific question about the exhaust hose ("It will help, but not eliminate it.") so I guess the followup is, has any one tried an exhaust hose? I imagine that if I'm not running HEPA filter in the vac, the micro dust just goes back into the shop (and hopefully get's sucked in by the fan/filter), but why not exhaust it out of the shop if possible? Has anyone tried this? Does an exhaust hose change the vacuum's sucking power?

For now, my short term solution is a new shop vac (5hp, CFM 130), hooked up to one machine at a time with the Dust Deputy in line. I can also use their filter bags and add in a HEPA filter

I'm hoping the solution above will hold me over until later when I add in a 2HP dust collector. I have spied a couple that draw less than 20 amps (my max circuit size).


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

Adding an exhaust hose will only help if the particles are being extracted by the vacuum. The question you need to answer is, "Are there micron sized particles being created in an area that is not covered by the vacuum?" With the table saw, I think you will produce micron sized particles that will not get picked up by the vacuum. Adding the exhaust will not help with eliminating these particles. Which leads to the previous advice, 



> It will help, but not eliminate it.


The other posters who didn't answer your question were suggesting methods that would help remove micron sized particles, regardless of where they were produced. 


FYI. Adding an exhaust hose to the vacuum will affect its performance.


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## gthec (Oct 9, 2012)

nbo10 said:


> Adding an exhaust hose will only help if the particles are being extracted by the vacuum. The question you need to answer is, "Are there micron sized particles being created in an area that is not covered by the vacuum?" With the table saw, I think you will produce micron sized particles that will not get picked up by the vacuum. Adding the exhaust will not help with eliminating these particles. Which leads to the previous advice,
> 
> The other posters who didn't answer your question were suggesting methods that would help remove micron sized particles, regardless of where they were produced.
> 
> FYI. Adding an exhaust hose to the vacuum will affect its performance.


Got it! Air filters to pick up the excess. I'll keep running my box fan contraption, maybe get a real air filter as well. Sounds like the HEPA filter and vacuum bag won't hurt either.


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## gthec (Oct 9, 2012)

Last question. There seems to be some confusion as to whether the air filter is attached to the _back_ of the box fan with the fan pulling the dust through the filter first. Or, do you attach the filter to the _front_ of the box fan where the dust goes through the fan blades first and is then forced into the filter? I see it both ways when I look around the internets.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

gthec said:


> Last question. There seems to be some confusion as to whether the air filter is attached to the _back_ of the box fan with the fan pulling the dust through the filter first. Or, do you attach the filter to the _front_ of the box fan where the dust goes through the fan blades first and is then forced into the filter? I see it both ways when I look around the internets.


Mine is attached to the back and pulls through the filter.


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## gthec (Oct 9, 2012)

Then there's this: http://youtu.be/kH5APw_SLUU 
And he's a scientist!


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

gthec said:


> Then there's this: http://youtu.be/kH5APw_SLUU
> And he's a scientist!


Yep, but I still want mine on the *back* side, otherwise I'll have to be cleaning the fan, motor, blades, and grill every week and I don't want to do that.


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