Build an Air Filtration System

[Gary Slater]

I have a med-lg squirrel cage blower and want to build an air filtraton box. Any good plans out there? I have found a couple on-line but was just wondering if anyone out there has actually built their own. Thanks!

 

[Steve Worcester]

Early on I built one. Not that tough. Basic box, a good washable filter,sealant,the blower and a switch. You may want to look at some Jet, etc., designs and design your particular system to take their pre-made 1st/2nd stage filters.

Post the links for the others you have seen and lets check those out.
How many CFM is the blower you have?

 

[Turnedoutright]

Unimpressive dust filter

The unit show in
http://www.turnedoutright.com/2008/03/27/more-shop-made-tools/

was made as an experiment after reading a lot on the subject.

I planned to build an advanced version of this after finding out if it worked.

I know this approach is not better than a professional unit but I was astonished how well this approach worked.
I replace the fine air conditioning filter every month and its filthy. I don't know what I could do to improve it other than put it in a pretty box or add one more at the other end of the shop.
I figure that if I'm collecting dust at this rate it must be better than nothing.
BTW this is in addition to my normal vacuum system.

I also like the fact that it is very quiet.

 

[Gary Slater]

Here are two web sites where I found plans for air filtration:

http://books.google.com/books?id=fY...=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA65,M1


http://www.rockslide.org/Images/air_filter.pdf

I had plans for a similar system from one of the woodworking journals a couple of years ago but have misplaced the article and can not remember which journal it appeared in.

 

[Malcolm Smith]

I heve a regular filtered dust collection system. I don't remember who makes it. The important thing is the filters themselves. There are aftermarket filters which remove much finer dust. In addition I wear a pressurized mask system while turning. If I'm sanding, I wear the mask and also run the regular collection system. I have both as they really don't do the same thing.

Malcolm Smith.

 

[rsser]

Yes, we should do all we can, but I do worry about whether it's enough. Seems current systems will let through a proportion of stuff at the damaging 4 micron and below size.

 

[Gary Slater]

Home Built Air Filtration Plans

I finally found the plans I was looking for. It was in part of a supplement to Shop Notes about two years ago. The article is titled "Shop Air Filter" and the supplement was "The Complete Small Shop". Due to copyright, I can not post the article. However, I can not find it online either. I might try posting some of it if our moderator can think of a way to do it legally.

The plan calls for about 3 bd ft of hardwood and just over half sheet of 3/4 plywood; a squirrel cage blower (you can pick up on ebay or at your local HVAC dealer-they get them used out of old furnaces etc.); and three pleted air filters. My guess is it would approach or exceed 1000 CFM with the right size blower. That will filter a 20' ft garage about a dozen times an hour!

Now, I found Jet's AFS-1000B at the local Menards on sale for only $160. So do I build my own or take the easy way out?

 

[Bob Edwards]

My "filtration system" doesn't employ a filter at all. I find a small fan blowing from the tail stock end and slightly away from me is the most effective dust control I have. This along with a dust mask from www.totobobo.com is all I have. I will add that in my shop I installed a window to the outside just three feet from the headstock end of the lathe. I also live in a climate where I don't have to heat the shop.

 

[Vince Welch]

Dust Mask and Collection Systems

Like Malcolm I have a regular filtered dust collection system for the shop. I am installing a toggle switch just behind the lathe so I can better turn it on and off as needed. I have a floor sweep and a hose line dedicated to the lathe.

However more importantly I have begun using a very comfortable Totobobo face mask at all time when in the shop. I put it on when I put on my eye protection and it is so easy to wear and comfortable I forget I am wearing the mask partially because it is so light weight. It is absolutely incredible how much dust particles these filters will pick up. I had no idea!!! One thing for sure is that I no longer spend 2 days blowing dust out of my nose after working in the shop. If you need any info concerning this mask feel free to contact me at 1-877-284-8969 or www.VincesWoodNWonders.com.

Vince

 

[michael h]

I made a hanging dust collector with plans from the Fine Woodworking book
'Workshop (or woodshop) Dust Collecting' . It came out a few years ago and I believe was updated. Its a simple project, and quite a bit less expensive then a commercial unit,especially if you have plywood pieces around. I buy my filters through Grainger by the box and save a bit that way as well.
Of course its important to protect your lungs at point of dust generation , the boxes get the stuff that would otherwise float around your shop before settling or breathed in.
good luck,
Michael Hampel

 

[Malcolm Smith]

Like Malcolm I have a regular filtered dust collection system for the shop. I am installing a toggle switch just behind the lathe so I can better turn it on and off as needed. I have a floor sweep and a hose line dedicated to the lathe.

However more importantly I have begun using a very comfortable Totobobo face mask at all time when in the shop. I put it on when I put on my eye protection and it is so easy to wear and comfortable I forget I am wearing the mask partially because it is so light weight. It is absolutely incredible how much dust particles these filters will pick up. I had no idea!!! One thing for sure is that I no longer spend 2 days blowing dust out of my nose after working in the shop. If you need any info concerning this mask feel free to contact me at 1-877-284-8969 or www.VincesWoodNWonders.com.

Vince

Went to the web site and the filter looks like an improvement over most of the regular filter masks we are all familiar with. The pressurized system I wear has a very good filter and a blower which is worn behind one on a belt. The filtered air travels up a hose along one's back into a full hood with a full face mask. This way none of the air in the hood has failed to go through the filter system. The face mask provides protection and there is optional ear protection which I have as well. Because clean air is entering the helmet, there is no possibility of glasses fogging up. The only disadvantage I know of for this sort of system is the cost. A number of them are on the market. Some have the fan and filter part in the helmet. I have to wonder about the added weight carried on one's head.

Malcolm Smith.

 

[Lee Tourtelotte]

I have a med-lg squirrel cage blower and want to build an air filtraton box. Any good plans out there? I have found a couple on-line but was just wondering if anyone out there has actually built their own. Thanks!

Hi Gary - Saw your question on air filter designs on my first venture into the AAW Forums as a new member. Thought I would respond: I just built a very, very inexpensive filter from scrap wood and an old furnace squirrel cage blower fan that I had salvaged. (Heating contractors remove a lot of these and frequently are glad to give them away.) I have a very small shop so I put it on casters and made the height the same as my table saw so it serves as an outfeed table as well as an air filter. I used three pretty standard size furnace filters of a better quality/price, and made slide in rails on three of the four sides. I sort of "winged it" as I went along so I do not have a drawing or plan. I will try to attach a couple of pictures so you can see it better. It is very quite and it moves a tremendous amount of air through the filters. The air has never been as clean and I'm pleased with the way it turned out. Would be happy to give you more information, if needed. (My phone number is 612-825-9604)
Regards,
Lee Tourtelotte

 

[salgoud]

Making a Air filter

I made one using the fan from my old furnace. I made cabinet to hold three regular furnace filters. Two filters I put inside the cabinet and one on the outside. I put three of the best filter I could get to filter out as much of the fine dust as possible. I can't remember off hand what size filter I used but ther were pretty big probably around 12 inches by 25 inches.

The cabinet is on rollers and I can used the top as a table. It seems to be doing a very good job but I don't have anything way to see what dust that may be still in the air but a lot does get on the outside filter. The inside filters last a pretty long time before they need changing. I been using it now for about four years.

 

[Dave Mueller]

Great Dust Collector Site

Gary,
Look at Bill Penz's dust collector site. http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/Index.cfm
It has a lot of detailed information and a design that improves on the Wood Magazine dust collector plans.

I bought the ClearVue dust collector. Although it is pretty expensive, it pulls a heck of a lot of air through 6" ducts.

Dave

 

[Dave Mueller]

Oops...sorry

I didn't pay enought attention to the earlier posts concerning a filtration system, not a dust collection system. Oh, well, it's still a good site to browse.

Dave

 

[Bill Mitchel]

This may be a silly question but if you use a standard box fan and put a couple filters on could that possible over work the motor? I'm not concerned with loosing my junky old box fan but a fire hazzard.

Bill

 

[Turnedoutright]

Overloading motors

I guess it is possible to overload the motor but I have mine running for over a year with no problems.

BTW appliances have thermal overload fuses in them to be UL approved so even if you did stall the motor I doubt a fire would result.