Sawdust question and home dryer

[Alan Weinberg]

wife is not happy that our dryer vent is now always full of sawdust. I turn in a t-shirt and shorts, put them in the hamper after shaking them out, but of course there is still a lot of sawdust. She thinks I’ll ruin the dryer. What do you do? Reassure the spouse, ignore, try to convince her that’s what the dryer is for? Not a serious issue but one I wanted to raise.

 

[hockenbery]

The AAW smock works great.
It’s comfortable here year round.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

The AAW smock works great.
It’s comfortable here year round.

I turn outside in S Cal, side of the house—she doesn’t want me using part of our two car garage. Used a smock at first but too damn hot. Maybe I need an outside shower and to turn naked. Neighbors will love it. They’ll probably chip in to get us a better fence!

 

[Dan Stromberg]

How about compressed air? Spray yourself down before coming in?

 

[Brian Gustin]

I'd suggest a talk with your local friendly retired firefighter or fire investigator... Unmaintained dryer vents (even if lint traps are cleaned religiously) can become a severe fire hazard. Usually Dryers are getting replaced (along with vent tubes, etc) before that build up happens, but at least every other month or so around here (rural area) there's a fire call somewhere started by a dryer, often a vent that was not replaced when the dryer was replaced.. when I replaced mine, (along with vent) the old vent tubing was nearly 1/3 clogged with lint that got past the lint trap.. (It'll also affect dryer efficiency)

Other than that if it's just a wife thing that has you concerned, Smock would work well, or make yourself a "changing room" and change into your turning clothes there before the turning, and then change back to regular clothes after.. hang up the worn clothes to air til next time you turn, then shake em out as much as possible before handing them to the wife for washing..... Alternatively, collect your turning clothes in a laundry bag and go to local laundromat once a week or however often you need, and do your own laundry for those few wood-dust-filled pieces... Bet your wife would be happier, and you wouldn't have to worry about dryer maintenance... write off the handful of quarters to cost of turning...

 

[Roger Wiegand]

A blow down with compressed air seems to be much more effective than brushing of shaking. A dust collector at the source will also keep more of the dust off you (and out of your lungs); outside you wouldn't need to collect it, just vent it at a distance.

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

Like the others say, use compressed air. Get a larger size compressor so you have plenty of air to use. I blow myself off every time I finish turning and it works extremely well. I don't think it will ruin the dryer per say, but it could create a fire hazard if the chips accumulate in the hose. If you want, pipe the dryer using rigid metal ducting and elbows. That should prevent chips from getting stuck in the "pockets" of the flexible ducts, leading to buildup.

 

[Clifton C]

Not to be too flippant but my first thought is, what's wrong with your washing machine? I get a few errant shavings in the drier lint trap, but mostly just lint. Maybe there is dust in the vent pipe and it's so fine I just don't see it.
I bought a drier vent cleaning kit from the big box store, uses a drill, flexible rods, a brush and a vacuum, works like a champ. I know I should use it more often but I only think about it when the clothes take a little longer to dry or they come out damp.

 

[Roger Wiegand]

Using the same principles as for my dust collector. eg long straight runs of smooth hard pipe, as few turns as possible with minimal joints and using double elbows to make longer, smooth bends where necessary I've seen no lint buildup in the vent pipe over the last decade-- there is a pile on the ground outside the house under the vent. I suspect most blocked vents are due to that corrugated flex pipe the big box stores sell as dryer hookup hose. Wouldn't touch the stuff myself.

 

[Russ Braun]

This is exactly why I track dust through the house prior to heading to the hamper! Thanks for a new excuse to show my wife why this is happening!!

 

[robo hippy]

With all the rough edges on the shavings, compressed air never seemed to work for me. I would use a brush. Some times a broom for the socks. I am in shorts and T shirt 99% of the time.

robo hippy

 

[Bob Jones]

wife is not happy that our dryer vent is now always full of sawdust. I turn in a t-shirt and shorts, put them in the hamper after shaking them out, but of course there is still a lot of sawdust. She thinks I’ll ruin the dryer. What do you do? Reassure the spouse, ignore, try to convince her that’s what the dryer is for? Not a serious issue but one I wanted to raise.

I spray down with air compressor. Especially any shirt pockets and hair.

 

[Jon Shull]

This is exactly why I track dust through the house prior to heading to the hamper! Thanks for a new excuse to show my wife why this is happening!!

I usually put my RZ Mask back on and spray down with compressed air. I wish had could do what Russ Braun could do so my wife would put up with me.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

comments appreciated. Since I’m outside turning and my wife frowns on the acquisition of yet another machine, I at this time have no dust collector or air compressor. I wear a Peke PowerCap.

Our washing machine works fine, as does our dryer. That’s why it collects so much sawdust—not leaving it on the clothes.

I’ll see if Santa will bring an air compressor—the quiet ones on that other thread may work—and I’ll shake everything out better before meandering through the house.

Again, appreciate all the comments.

 

[Russ Braun]

I usually put my RZ Mask back on and spray down with compressed air. I wish had could do what Russ Braun could do so my wife would put up with me.

Just be a knucklehead Jon! This is about as bad as it gets with me so that helps (my wife’s list is quite a bit longer, lol). If I use the air compressor, it will cycle on and off all night long (see knucklehead) which drives her crazier!!

 

[William Rogers]

Had the same problem. Started wearing my smock as Hockenbery suggest and no more problem.

 

[odie]

As I read through this thread, I ask myself.....since I turn daily, why am I not having problems with excessive sanding dust on my clothes, and in my dryer? After all, I don't have a dust collector, like so many other turners do.....(although I do have a hanging powered dust filter above the lathe.....and, I do use compressed air on myself prior to returning to the house.)

This leads me to consider the following:

Shavings do not float in the air like sanding dust does.....even tiny little shavings that are hard to see with your eyes....they are still shavings, and drop to the floor.

If the above maxim is a given.....then, it would seem the obvious conclusion would be that creating more shavings and less sanding dust would be the logical answer to my initial question......would it not? The more you refine your turning techniques and processes, the less sanding you will have to do.....simply because, by default, you have eliminated the need for any aggressive power sanding. <-----and this should be every turner's ultimate goal.

-o-

 

[robo hippy]

I did try using an air hose to blow off some dust once. Never again because it just puts a lot more dust into the air. My compressor sits mostly empty, and as said above, it will cycle off and on at random times during the day and night. I don't use any air tools. They use enough air that the compressor runs non stop when I use them.

As for a dust collector, I consider it essential for the shop. Not for picking up shavings, but for keeping a lot of the fine dust out of the air in the first place. The shavings do fall to the floor, but when scooping them up, that stirs up the dust that is on the shavings.

robo hippy

 

[Doug Freeman]

I use light zip up through collar jackets with made out of slick material so the shavings and dust just slide off. The summer one has the sleeves cut short and most of the back cut out, not hot at all and no issue with wood dust in the dryer.

 

[Tom Gall]

I did try using an air hose to blow off some dust once. Never again because it just puts a lot more dust into the air. My compressor sits mostly empty, and as said above, it will cycle off and on at random times during the day and night. I don't use any air tools. They use enough air that the compressor runs non stop when I use them.

As for a dust collector, I consider it essential for the shop. Not for picking up shavings, but for keeping a lot of the fine dust out of the air in the first place. The shavings do fall to the floor, but when scooping them up, that stirs up the dust that is on the shavings.

robo hippy

Put a ball valve on the compressor outlet/fitting. Of course, you have to remember to turn it off. Even if you have a minor leak at your compressor it would most likely be a lot less than your system line and fittings.

 

[Dennis Weiner]

Not understanding the relationship between dust and marriage will cause a lot of resentment.

My journey started over 45 years ago when I put a curtain up in my rental apartment's bedroom and bought a "Sears Best" Radial Arm Saw. That was a harsh beginning of a marriage that almost ended abruptly. I was just young and stupid. You learn about dumb things like sawdust.

Currently, in the garage of my house, there is a complete change of clean clothes including shoes that I slip into before returning to the house after turning. I use the air compressor to blow any dust off my head and out of the remaining strands of hair. There is a Mirror on my shop door to assist in this operation. With the dusty clothes and shoes off my body, they get blown as well. A compressor is handy here but you can shake out your dusty clothes manually. Care must be taken to remove any sawdust or shavings in pockets. You don't want them ruining your entire wash load. (Don't ask how I know this.)
Your washing machine should take over from here. Your clean wood-turning clothes should not present any additional problems to your dryer than normal clothes.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

2 months late to the discussion... Compressed air- never for several reasons. Brushing- ineffective. Disrobe and shake out- ineffective.

Y'all own some version of a shop vac, don't you? This is the standard 5" dry vac attachment head. I vacuum myself off, literally from head to toe, in a minute or less. Don't forget to reach over your shoulders and up from your waistline to clean your back. After vacuuming, visually, my clothing is as dust-free as it was when I entered the shop. I've done it this way since 1995 when I started turning.



I avoid "fuzzy" fabric like fleece in the shop because chips and shaving are like velcro to it. Twill, denim, tee shirt fabrics all vacuum off easily, you'll never know you were in the shop. As for shirt pockets, a piece masking tape across the pocket opening will keep the pocket clean.

 

[Tim Starliper]

A little late to the party - on the subject of air compressors cycling day and night - do you need it to be running all the time? Mine turns on when I turn the rest of the shop on, off when I close the shop for the day. I have a solenoid valve controlled by a timer that is hooked to the condensate drain on the bottom of the compressor tank. When the compressor is on, the valve opens for about 15 seconds every hour (I would go longer between purges, but that is the longest off time I can set this timer for). When I close the shop, there is another solenoid valve with a muffler on it that opens and drains the pressure from the system.

Oiless air compressors while cheaper, are also louder than their counterparts that use oil. I had the former, and it was loud - I have my compressor in a shed next to the shop, and I could hear it in the shop (which has 6" walls with high r-value insulation and 1/2" drywall). The new compressor was purchased when the old compressor pump or motor gave up (it was one piece). The tank from that one (20 gallons) was repurposed as a secondary air storage tank on my compressor setup.

 

[Gene Pitstick]

Just be a knucklehead Jon! This is about as bad as it gets with me so that helps (my wife’s list is quite a bit longer, lol). If I use the air compressor, it will cycle on and off all night long (see knucklehead) which drives her crazier!!

Russ - I replaced my old hose with a nice reel this past summer. The old hose and fittings must of had a leak(s), because now the compressor doesn't cycle on and off when I'm not using it.

 

[John Hicks]

I live now in northern California. Too stinking hot in the summer to wear any kind of smock. In the cooler months, I like a military shirt with the velcro, flip up collar. It's thin, and the shavings just fall off. I have had several so called "turning smocks" the collars always seem to be made of something that the chips stick to. Even bought the expensive european one; hated it.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I wear this one. Nothing sticks to it, except some sanding dust.

Savannah FeatherLite Smock for Woodturning

$50

 

[Bill Boehme]

wife is not happy that our dryer vent is now always full of sawdust. I turn in a t-shirt and shorts, put them in the hamper after shaking them out, but of course there is still a lot of sawdust. She thinks I’ll ruin the dryer. What do you do? Reassure the spouse, ignore, try to convince her that’s what the dryer is for? Not a serious issue but one I wanted to raise.

The amount of lint buildup depends on whether your clothes dryer is on an outside wall or interior wall. Last spring I overhauled the clothes dryer and that was a good time to clear out the vent line which is about twenty feet of vertical pipe. The main problem is that the dryer vent doesn't line up with the vent pipe so the flexible coupling hose chokes down the flow a bit. The shop vac hose didn't go very far into the vent pipe so I decided to try blowing it out with my leaf blower. My wife said it looked like a snowstorm outside when all of the lint came flying out of the vent pipe on the roof.

If your dryer lint filter is collecting a noticeable amount of wood dust then you really aren't cleaning up your work clothes. The AAW smock is lightweight ripstop nylon with plenty of ventilation. Most of the other smocks that I have seen aren't very good for outdoor use in the Texas summer heat. No rule says you must wear anything under your smock.

As everyone else says, compressed air is the way to go for cleaning up yourself and lathe and chucks and everything else if you turn outdoors ... I also turn outdoors. Hopefully, your air compressor has plenty of volume at high pressure. Just remember, if Mama isn't happy, nobody is happy.

 

[Eddy Lynn]

wife is not happy that our dryer vent is now always full of sawdust. I turn in a t-shirt and shorts, put them in the hamper after shaking them out, but of course there is still a lot of sawdust. She thinks I’ll ruin the dryer. What do you do? Reassure the spouse, ignore, try to convince her that’s what the dryer is for? Not a serious issue but one I wanted to raise.

Hi Alan I find using my compressor with a fine nozzle on end blows off at least 95% of the sawdust and shavings. My Mrs used to go nuts at me for the same thing and now never complains.

 

[Tim Starliper]

....Just remember, if Mama isn't happy, nobody is happy.

Happy wife, happy life (as the saying goes).

I chimed in earlier about air compressor noise, but don't believe I did on the original topic. As Bill and many others mention - compressed air does wonders for getting rid of dust. I usually am wearing a t-shirt in the shop, the chips might stick a but but come off easily with a good shake of the shirt and hitting it with some compressed air (after I take it off, hard to give it a good shake while wearing it). Avoiding things that catch the chips and hold them is also good - fleece, flannel, knitted sweaters, etc.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

wear this one. Nothing sticks to it, except some sanding dust.

Savannah FeatherLite Smock for Woodturning

$50

bought it. Nothing sticks to it. Love it. Thanks.

 

[Bill Alston]

In the cooler months, I like a military shirt with the velcro, flip up collar. It's thin, and the shavings just fall off. I have had several so called "turning smocks" the collars always seem to be made of something that the chips stick to. Even bought the expensive european one; hated it.

After watching Mike Peace’s YouTube video that’s what I wear. Cheaper than a wood turners smock and as you say the shavings just fall off it.

As for compressed air, I’ve worked at a few places where it was frowned upon. Some folks still did it though.
It’s illegal in some work places.

Cleaning with Compressed Air

Is it a good idea to use compressed air to blow dirt off clothing or work surfaces? No.

www.ccohs.ca

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Bill, thanks for the article link, very informative and enlightening.

I have never understood the idea of using compressed air to clean up just about anything (other than my leaf blower for leaves and light dustings of snow). Judicious use of compressed air for something like cleaning out the chuck jaws, okay. But in the workshop, blowing off debris is not cleanup, it's moving the mess to a new location, and possibly into your eyes and lungs. I vacuum everything- me from head to toe (see my message above), the lathe, the floor, nearby surfaces... everything. My compressor spends 99% of the year empty and idle, my shop vac get emptied often. Just something to consider.

 

[Bill Alston]

Same here Steve. About the only time I use my compressor these days is for the sand blaster.

I did a training course years ago and blow guns were only issued for specific purposes. This didn’t include cleaning swarf and chips from metal working machines as the instructors said it could force small metal particles between the bearing surfaces causing increased wear.