I want to contain the shavings from flying all over my shop. Dust collection methods don’t work for shavings flying off. I’m really just trying to keep it all in one spot or area on the floor to sweep up. I thought of a curtain or room divider. What do you y’all do to contain the shavings?
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Containing shavings in one place
- Thread starter Rick Daigneault
- Start date
Rick. Ive seen a couple turners that use see thru shower curtains hanging from pvc as back drops or even could be entire surrounds if needed.
Me? I just let-um fly!
Me? I just let-um fly!
Welcome to the forum. This topic has been discussed often in the past. I suggest you click the search button in the upper right of the screen and search on Curtain. You'll get lots of posts with lots of information.
It's definitely worth using curtains, especially if you plan to turns lots of green wood. The curtains make it easier to clean up and they protect the other equipment in your shop. Wet shavings that land on cast iron surfaces will cause rust in a hurry, especially from species like oak, walnut, cherry.
It's definitely worth using curtains, especially if you plan to turns lots of green wood. The curtains make it easier to clean up and they protect the other equipment in your shop. Wet shavings that land on cast iron surfaces will cause rust in a hurry, especially from species like oak, walnut, cherry.
I use floor to ceiling curtains, on 3 sides. I want some airflow into the lathe area, so I use white (reflects a lot of light) sheer see through curtains, 108” long in my case. As I have a pivot HS, I need coverage off the HS end. I used cable type curtain rods to suspend them.
Hi Rick,
Made this video showing my workspace setup in the shop. Towards the end I show how I attempt to contain some of the shaving....I happen to like the ones in the rafters
Thought you might pick up some other ideas about arranging your shop as well...
Have Fun!
Lyle
Curtain works just fine
Rod is 2" PVC
Curtain runs in a slot with I-hooks attached to "practice" golf balls
Rod is 2" PVC
Curtain runs in a slot with I-hooks attached to "practice" golf balls
The golf ball in PVC pipe is a genius idea!
I used a shower curtain for years and it worked fine. I reconfigured my shop and now it just let the shavings fly.
Cutting a straight 3/8" slot in 16' of PVC is not fun. Stay well away from the table saw! I wound up using a carbide-grit rotary cutter in an air die grinder to widen a curf made with a 4" trim saw
Duly noted. I despised cutting up the PVC when I made my tool rack. There seems to be some kind of internal stress or something that is released when cutting it. It always seems to grab the blade.
I have a couple of cheap shower curtains strung on thin wire, so I can move them in and out as required
That was fun. Thanks.Hi Rick,
Made this video showing my workspace setup in the shop. Towards the end I show how I attempt to contain some of the shaving....I happen to like the ones in the rafters
Thought you might pick up some other ideas about arranging your shop as well...
Have Fun!
Lyle
Wish I could find an old fashioned all steel scoop shovel rather than the cheap pot metal ones that start to wear away after a few uses...... They don't make things like they used to...
robo hippy
robo hippy
I just let them fly where they may. That way I don't miss out on the fun sweeping chores. 
A plastic snow shovel in the shape of a coal scoop works nicely and doesn't scratch up things. A floor squeegee works to get things in a pile to be shoveled.
This is awesome. You have a lot of videos need to watch. Thanks for the post.Hi Rick,
Made this video showing my workspace setup in the shop. Towards the end I show how I attempt to contain some of the shaving....I happen to like the ones in the rafters
Thought you might pick up some other ideas about arranging your shop as well...
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtNl1WvnG38&t=334s
Have Fun!
Lyle
rick
Thank you. I’m looking forward to being a part of it. I’m a beginner. And I was making my search wayyyy to complicated. Curtain is simply perfect.
Rick
I use a cloth shower curtain behind me suspended on a thin nylon line strung from the ceiling. It is simple and easy. Push it out of the way when not needed and no bulky apparatus to deal with.
I set up my curtains with the cheapest plastic shower curtains from Walmart and Target. They worked well, so I started looking for something more durable and discovered the heavier, fabric shower curtains and figured I'd change when the plastic ones inevitably tore. It's been about 8 years and the plastic ones are still working fine. Yikes!
I use a shower curtain held by these strong magnetic hooks. Because I work in a garage, I have metal rails for the door, a metal storage rack, my bandsaw, etc. and the hooks allow me to quickly put it up, take it down, reposition it, and so forth. They’re great for other things as well.
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Ｍaximum-Neodymium-Corrosion-Protection/dp/B0787Q54M1/ref=zg_bs_16412731_sccl_1/142-2556230-8904751?psc=1.
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Ｍaximum-Neodymium-Corrosion-Protection/dp/B0787Q54M1/ref=zg_bs_16412731_sccl_1/142-2556230-8904751?psc=1.
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I use wire strung across the shop on two sides and pipe on the other two to hold shower curtains with regular shower curtain hooks.
I use a flexible track from amyzon and 2 heavy/clear shower curtains. Easy to move out of the way and store. Hung from ceiling, keeps most chips from flying all over. Hangs appx 18" from floor so some do get a little farther but not much. Got the idea from posts on here a while back.
LiBa PEVA 8G Bathroom Shower Curtain Liner, 72" W x 84" H Clear 8G Heavy Duty Waterproof Shower Curtain Liner
UrbanRed Flexible Ceiling Curtain Track, 7 Meters (22.9FT) - Room Divider, Curtain Rod, Ceiling Track, Wall Divider Curtain, Ceiling Mount, RV Rail, Shower Corner, Long Curved Hospital Privacy System
Yep, I'm one of them. Clear shower curtains are excellent for this. I screwed a bunch of those big coated hooks that often get used for hanging bicycles into the ceiling, and then just hang the curtain rods on the hooks. I have actual shower curtain rods since I found them for cheap at Ross, but you could just as easily use lengths of conduit or heavy dowel. I can take them down easily, or use a small spring clamp to clip the curtains out of the way when I need to sweep or move things around. If you need to make sure the curtains stay closed, you can make a simple snap by taping a big washer to one curtain and a rare-earth magnet to another. Couldn't be easier, and it really keeps the mess contained. I go to discount stores for new curtains every once in a whole when the old ones get too gross.
When I was hunting for a good shop-cleaning shovel I quickly realized that in our neck of the woods snow shovels are hard to come by. What I did find, though, and like very much, is a grain scoop. It's a lightweight but surprisingly sturdy plastic-bladed shovel (wooden handle) and the best part is that it's bright red so I have a harder time losing it. It's just the right width for dumping into the collapsible lawn/leaf container that I use when I'm bagging shavings.
I believe if you go to the local old time hardware store they could order one for you. I got a snow shovel that way several years ago and it's still going strong unlike me!
Thanks to all for the input. Because of that I was able to come up with a shower curtain solution. 
I read about this roller shade on another thread here and thought the price was right. The roller shade also allows some air circulation which is really nice when roughing very wet bowl blanks in a hot garage. I was afraid the shower curtains would be more sauna like than I would prefer. I just mainly use it when roughing and sending long curls flying bit it could work anytime and truly is out of the way when rolled up.
Fortunately my shop has AC.
Thanks for the idea Kent. I just removed two of these from my porch, I know where they are going now, not to the yard sale.
Hi David... greetings from a fellow Victorian
Trick with cutting plastics is to use a blade with a negative hook angle. (Teeth lean back 5% or so, rather than forward into the cut.)
Blades labeled for aluminum, non-ferrous, or plastic will all work
Gary