# Newbie - Dust Collection / Air Filtration Questions



## Libelula (Feb 15, 2021)

Hi! I'm new to woodworking and dust collection/air filtration is a topic I want to make sure I fully know how to implement at home. Unfortunately, I don't have the means or the space to start with a high capacity dust collector, so here are my questions:

face mask I know this is required when sanding or applying finishes: which mask is versatile for both functions? I tried googling masks with HEPA filters but didn't get clear results - so what would be a recommended and affordable option?
dust collection - online recommendation include shop vacs which can be very accessible. I'm looking to stay under $100 ideally, what is a brand recommendation with HEPA filter to collect fine sanding.
if I have a mask, a shop vac, and work outside, do I need an additional air filtration system? Or is this primarily necessary if I work inside?
air filtration - Online I read about using a box fan with an AC filter attachment to create an air filtration system for cheap.. is this necessary if working inside or will the shopvac and face mask be sufficient?
In terms of expected usage, woodworking is a hobby that I focus on during the weekend. At the moment I'm refinishing a base of a dining table, and my next project is a king size headboard. 1 project at a time kinda of thing, couple hours a week. 

Thank you in advance for any advise!!


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## David Nickell (Jul 6, 2020)

Dust is a major issue in my shop in winter. In summer I open the doors and blow it out with a leaf blower. I can't justify a full dust collection system, but do use a shop vac, which I can attach to my router table, band saw, etc. For my Dewalt table saw I put a plastic elbow on the pipe where the dust exits and then set a 5 gallon bucket under it. That works better than I thought it would.

I haven't figured out how to control the dust from my lathe, especially when sanding, but I do wear a dust mask that has small filters on it.

I did put an AC filter on an old box fan and put that near the lathe. I didn't expect much from that, but was surprised at how much dust it caught.


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## ToolsOnaWall (Apr 8, 2020)

I put together a Dust Deputy system with my shop vac. I added a switch/outlet that turns on the shop vac when I turn on my tool. There are all kinds of DIY configurations, this is mine. I'm happy with how it works.


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## Libelula (Feb 15, 2021)

Libelula said:


> Hi! I'm new to woodworking and dust collection/air filtration is a topic I want to make sure I fully know how to implement at home. Unfortunately, I don't have the means or the space to start with a high capacity dust collector, so here are my questions:
> 
> face mask I know this is required when sanding or applying finishes: which mask is versatile for both functions? I tried googling masks with HEPA filters but didn't get clear results - so what would be a recommended and affordable option?
> dust collection - online recommendation include shop vacs which can be very accessible. I'm looking to stay under $100 ideally, what is a brand recommendation with HEPA filter to collect fine sanding.
> ...


Thank you for the feedback!


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Libelula said:


> Hi! I'm new to woodworking and dust collection/air filtration is a topic I want to make sure I fully know how to implement at home. Unfortunately, I don't have the means or the space to start with a high capacity dust collector, so here are my questions:
> 
> face mask I know this is required when sanding or applying finishes: which mask is versatile for both functions? I tried googling masks with HEPA filters but didn't get clear results - so what would be a recommended and affordable option?
> dust collection - online recommendation include shop vacs which can be very accessible. I'm looking to stay under $100 ideally, what is a brand recommendation with HEPA filter to collect fine sanding.
> ...


You are asking all the right questions. I think you are on the right track. Hopefully you have figured out eye protection and hearing protection, too. My situation is similar to yours - I work mostly outside.

These days, I wear a dust mask for almost all woodworking activities - add "power tools" to your "sanding or applying finishes". Exceptions are hand tools such as chisels and hand planes, marking and measuring, and similar obvious non-dust-making activities. A long time ago, none of us wore dust masks or hearing protection. We also survived our childhood filled with toys that were recalled later. 

When I got back into woodworking, I bought ordinary 3M N95 masks at Home Depot. I got them in a bulk pack to save money. I reused them until they were grimy on the outside or yucky on the inside. You knew when it was time; not to the point of disgusting. These days, you can't get N95 masks for non-healthcare use. We recently purchased a pack of KN95 masks from Amazon for virus protection, and they would be perfectly suitable for woodworking. There are a lot of counterfeit or fake certified products on the market. I took the time to check them out on government websites, and also verified them as best I could after they were delivered. Here are the ones we ordered, which seemed to be a reasonable value for a product I thought I could trust to be non-counterfeit:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08JRD37MV

I am okay with masks that have no outlet valve on them, but others find them too stifling. A friend gave me a 3M N95 dust mask with an exhaust valve to try, and it was better, but not better enough to be worth the extra cost to me. Masks with valves are not suitable for virus protection, by the way. (Virus protection of others, if you want to be nit-picky, but it is important.)

Over time, I wanted a more comfortable woodworking mask, so I bought a fabric one with replaceable filters. I use it instead of the disposable masks. The replacement filters are more expensive than the cheap disposable dust masks. I extend their useful life by washing the filters along with the mask with a few drops of dish detergent in a sink of water and letting them air dry. There are three different filters for it, including one filter type with active carbon to reduce fumes as well as dust. I didn't find much difference between the types in actual use. Here is the mask I use today. I bought it because I liked the feel of the fabric and the single behind-the-neck velcro attachment. Note - they come in multiple sizes; find the right size for your face:
https://rzmask.com/collections/m2-mask
My spouse did not like the attachment, so she bought a similar mask with ear loops from Amazon. It is no longer available there, but I found it here to show you an example. You can probably find similar masks on Amazon, but searching for woodworking masks is harder now because of the pandemic.
https://guide.alibaba.com/shop/holi...-and-other-outdoor-activities_1033138637.html

NOTE: Neither mask is suitable for pandemic virus protection.

I rarely use chemicals where I would worry about fumes. When I do, I always use them outside, and pay attention to which way the breeze is blowing, so that fumes are carried away from me. I wear a mask, but unless it has the charcoal filters, it won't stop chemicals much.

For dust collection, I use a shop vac with a cyclone-style separator in a home-built cart, similar to the one that @ToolsOnaWall pictured above. I always wear hearing protection and the dusk mask when I use it.

I hope this helps.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Dust and spray fumes are very different, though both are harmful! Working outside reduces the danger considerably and a slight breeze is great. Working inside is most dangerous with either. For dust a shop vac hooked directly to your sanders dust port will capture 93.7% of the dust that unit generates. The rest will be filtered out by your "dust mask".
For spray fumes, you need a "respirator" which will absorb the harmful volatile fumes. A dusk mask won't work for that. An open door or window with a box fan will help bring in fresh air, but be sensible about how much fumes you make at one time. If you can't see your shoes, then you gone too far. 
A full blown dust collection system is only really necessary in a well equipped woodshop, with table saws, bandsaws, routers and sanders generating lots of fine dust.
When you clean your shop vac filter outside, wear a dust mask then also. Gently knock it on the pavement to release the dust OR use an air compressor with 40 or psi. 
If you have 2 shop vacs you can use one to clean the other ..... then go back and clean the other one with the first one, a vicious cycle.


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## Libelula (Feb 15, 2021)

Tool Agnostic said:


> You are asking all the right questions. I think you are on the right track. Hopefully you have figured out eye protection and hearing protection, too. My situation is similar to yours - I work mostly outside.
> 
> These days, I wear a dust mask for almost all woodworking activities - add "power tools" to your "sanding or applying finishes". Exceptions are hand tools such as chisels and hand planes, marking and measuring, and similar obvious non-dust-making activities. A long time ago, none of us wore dust masks or hearing protection. We also survived our childhood filled with toys that were recalled later.
> 
> ...


Wow truly appreciate the time you took with your response! I'll definitely look into the links provided! Quick follow up question, in terms of shop vac size, what's a good size for a beginner that's looking to do woodworking as a hobby. Thanks again!


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## Libelula (Feb 15, 2021)

woodnthings said:


> Dust and spray fumes are very different, though both are harmful! Working outside reduces the danger considerably and a slight breeze is great. Working inside is most dangerous with either. For dust a shop vac hooked directly to your sanders dust port will capture 93.7% of the dust that unit generates. The rest will be filtered out by your "dust mask".
> For spray fumes, you need a "respirator" which will absorb the harmful volatile fumes. A dusk mask won't work for that. An open door or window with a box fan will help bring in fresh air, but be sensible about how much fumes you make at one time. If you can't see your shoes, then you gone too far.
> A full blown dust collection system is only really necessary in a well equipped woodshop, with table saws, bandsaws, routers and sanders generating lots of fine dust.
> When you clean your shop vac filter outside, wear a dust mask then also. Gently knock it on the pavement to release the dust OR use an air compressor with 40 or psi.
> If you have 2 shop vacs you can use one to clean the other ..... then go back and clean the other one with the first one, a vicious cycle.


Great insight! Thank you for your feedback and tips!


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## Libelula (Feb 15, 2021)

ToolsOnaWall said:


> I put together a Dust Deputy system with my shop vac. I added a switch/outlet that turns on the shop vac when I turn on my tool. There are all kinds of DIY configurations, this is mine. I'm happy with how it works.
> 
> View attachment 424186


Thank you for your feedback and for sharing your setup! It looks like this format is practical so I'll probably look into something similar.


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## Libelula (Feb 15, 2021)

David Nickell said:


> Dust is a major issue in my shop in winter. In summer I open the doors and blow it out with a leaf blower. I can't justify a full dust collection system, but do use a shop vac, which I can attach to my router table, band saw, etc. For my Dewalt table saw I put a plastic elbow on the pipe where the dust exits and then set a 5 gallon bucket under it. That works better than I thought it would.
> 
> I haven't figured out how to control the dust from my lathe, especially when sanding, but I do wear a dust mask that has small filters on it.
> 
> I did put an AC filter on an old box fan and put that near the lathe. I didn't expect much from that, but was surprised at how much dust it caught.


Thanks for sharing your experience! I'll probably give the box fan a whirl, I don't think it hurts, especially when working inside my garage. I also read about the leaf blower to help clean, so this is something that ill look into getting as well. Thanks again!


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Libelula said:


> Wow truly appreciate the time you took with your response! I'll definitely look into the links provided! Quick follow up question, in terms of shop vac size, what's a good size for a beginner that's looking to do woodworking as a hobby. Thanks again!


I hope others chime in. Honestly, I don't know how to advise you because my shop vac is 40 years old and still going. If I were looking for a shop vac, here are some considerations that I would think about:

Quality, power, and reliability of the motor. Will it last? Shop vac filters get clogged. Sometimes you don't clean it as often as you should, and that puts a strain on the motor.
Filter availability and cost. Are they a common size and type that will be around ten years from now?
Shop vac use pattern. Will you be using it for general cleanup and small hand-size power tools (e.g., random orbital sander), or will you be using it as a "poor person's dust collector" with large power tools, as I do? If you are going to use it as a dust collector for large power tools, then you would want a larger capacity, and must be confident that large and powerful enough to keep up. I suspect that many cannot. (NOTE: Nearly any shop vac should keep up with your miter saw and smaller power hand tools that I envision you will use for a while.)
How will it fit in your shop? A large one means that you empty it less often, but it may be too big and cumbersome for your work area? (Think about storage too, including hoses and other accessories.)
How much will you be moving it around? Will a small one be good for now, and then buy something larger (like a true dust collector) later? I know people who bought something larger, and then attached the old small shop vac "permanently" to a small tool like a miter saw or belt sander for convenience. Moving mine around from tool to tool is an annoyance.
Will you be using it with a dust separator? (That's another common topic here, and worthy its own discussion.)

Most shop vacs have a cylindrical plastic-and-paper fan-fold filter that catch the fine dust. The suction decreases noticeably as it gets clogged with fine dust. The filter can fill quickly where it looks like a smooth cylinder because the fan-folds are solid with fine dust (not good). That happens from power sanders and bandsaws in particular. There is also a tank that holds sawdust and chips. For shop vacs like mine, you must empty the bin when it gets full, and clean out the filter often (a very powdery-dusty job that should be done outside, wearing a dust mask). If the filter clogs, it puts strain on the motor and the shop vac won't "inhale" very well. You must replace the filter every so often. Filters for my shop vac cost around $15-20 each. (I have also seen and used a shop vac type with bags, but did not like them much. I don't think they are common.) 

Shop vacs are very noisy. I never run mine without hearing protection. It is probably the loudest tool I have.

In case it matters, my shop vac is a 16 gallon Sears Craftsman model, and it is 40 years old. It just keeps working. It can keep up with 13 inch wide boards in a power planer, which is astounding to me, but I take very shallow cuts. A planer can easily fill a shop vac in a short time. I do_ not_ recommend the Craftsman brand today.


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## ToolsOnaWall (Apr 8, 2020)

I have a 30 year old 10 gallon Shop Vac that never worked well (filter problems), I considered getting rid of it several times. I'm glad I kept it, it provides the vacuum for a Dust Deputy and the system works great. All the dust and debris ends up in the Dust Deputy, the Shop Vac tank stays pretty clean.


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## CuttingThroughTheNoise (Feb 19, 2021)

I wear a dust mask for every cut. I have a 3M mask. The masks are cheap, it's the filter cartridges that cost money. I recommend 100 percent filtration, so you can't smell anything inside the mask. These are the cartridges I recommend: 



https://www.amazon.com/3M-Cartridge-60923-Respiratory-Protection/dp/B00AEFCKKY


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## ToolsOnaWall (Apr 8, 2020)

I mostly use 3M N95 masks but Menards hasn't had them since the pandemic hit. I also have the 3M mask with the cartridges that I mostly used for spray painting and when I apply CA glue (super glue) for the finish of pen kits, I've started to use the mask more often.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

True N95 masks should not be available to consumers in the US. They have been designated for professional medical use. If you find "genuine N95" masks, do not believe claims that they were diverted from medical supply chains. It is likely that they are counterfeit. Even some medical facilities unknowingly purchased counterfeit N95 masks, endangering their medical staff.

KN95 is a Chinese mask certification. KN95 masks are available for purchase by ordinary consumers. In theory, KN95 is the equivalent to N95. In practice, only some KN95 masks are comparable to true N95 masks.

Unfortunately, some KN95 masks are counterfeits of known valid products. Others have fake KN95 certifications. Some masks are officially certified in China but fail the equivalent tests in US laboratories. Despite the official certification, they can fail US testing quite badly; they aren't even close. If you search, you can find US government sources for testing results and other mask information.

Related:
https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/threads/scam-alert-please-read.225145/


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## BluesMatt (Mar 20, 2021)

My 2 cents about dust collection.... I have used shop vacs over the years but have always disliked the noise they made, fighting with the hose, and then finding a place to store it when not in use. Then I tried a 3M respirator bought at Home Depot (pre-pandemic) for about $40. I found this to be comfortable to wear even with safety glasses and hearing protection. I quickly formed the habit of putting on the triple-play PPE (respirator-glasses-hearing protection) whenever I was making dust (which generally included making noise). My shop is in a single car garage (with only 1 electrical outlet) so I tend to open the garage door for fresh air when the weather permits. In the winter when the weather is cold, I tend to work on projects that don't make a lot of dust (scroll saw) and will still open the door for short burst to let fresh air in. Whenever I apply a finish, I always do it outside (in warm weather). I have not tried the box fan/filter combination but I thought I would set up one right behind my scroll saw to suck the air from behind me, across the saw, and into the filter.


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