Dust

[Simplyme]

I was reading an article online about wood dust, and it sort of scared me. I do have a dust collector but not an air filter, and I will be running a fan in my little shop(room) pointing out the window. But My shop is the room right next to my bedroom. Its a small room but I do have two windows. Should I be worried?

Please see attached pics............

[Arcy]

I don't see any dust in those pictures!

--Rob
Of course, it's the dust that you can't see that'll cause problems

[JohnB]

I'm not a scientist, or a doctor, but my advice would be use common sense.
Being a Cabinet maker, most of what I've been taught and learnt and read, seems to be that if there is excess dust wear a mask, unless you are cutting one of the few species of timber that is known to be toxic.

I think the stress from worrying will do you in way before the dust.

[MikeyD]

I read a woodworking mag that tested the air cleaners. They said other then the top of the line high dollar filter, a box fan with a filter straped to the back did just as well. I use this and was surpised how much dust it did collect. So I think if your worried then get a box fan and a filter and see just how much dust it does collect.
Then be sure to let us know.

Mike

[miniwoodworker]

That's a neat shop. Wish I had a spare room to set up for scrolling.

John made a good point about common sense is a good one. A good dust mask (not the cheap rigid ones that don't fit tightly around your face) plus the exhaust fan is probably all you need. Unless you're cutting a highly toxic or irritating wood.

Don't make the mistake that the big name folks on the tv DIY shows make. As soon as they finish something needing the mask, they remove it. However, the fumes and/or fine dust are still in the air. It does take a while for those fine particles to settle. Most air cleaner/filter manufacturer's recommend running the filter for x amount of time after leaving the shop.

Another way to cut down on dust, especially when you can't open a window, is to attach a furnace filter to the intake side of a box fan. Set the fan so that it pulls the sawdust away from your saw. Generally, these won't remove the most dangerous dust (don't have the info handy on the micron size these will remove.) from the air. But they do help with overall dust reduction.

Another point to keep in mind, if your have forced air central heating and air conditioning. The dust from your work will be recycled through your system. Therefore, just closing the door, won't keep the dust from being circulated elsewhere. Use the best filters that are applicable to your system. Change or clean often (depending on type).

If you're concerned and have the budget, adding an air filter is a good idea. However, please keep in mind that you'll still need to wear a mask. As mentioned earlier, a filter doesn't immediately remove the dust.

Hope this helps, a bit.

[Simplyme]

Thanks guys, but I guess the stress I cause myself thinking about it will kill me faster. I do use the box fan in the window to blow everthing outside. Like I stated I am an Obsessive person................

[sawdustus]

John and the others made a good point about the box fan with a filter attached to the input side. I have added a 20 x 20" micron filter to the output side of my box fan filter. It catches the finest particles beautifully. I also use a small fan to help blow the dust towards the box fan. Except for the dust that drops straight down and which I vacuum up regularly, I have reduced the airborne dust in my shop (garage) to the point of it not being an issue any more. I no longer have to sneeze it out when I am done with a scrolling session.

george

[Pajaro]

Nice picture of yourself in the mirror A dust mask, at least, is a good idea. I have a respirator type mask( the ones with the small round filters attached to it) It takes a while to get use to it, and sounding like "Darth Vator" when breathing. The best way to check how much dust you are inhaling. Just ware glasses then see how much dust is on them, multiply that by about 1000

[jim_mex]

Hi Simplyme - i agree with Pete. When your glasses start to cloud up its time to think about a mask. unless you are cutting woods like cedar which are known to be a health problem in which case i use a mask from the start. The box fan and filter is a great idea to remove most of the dust from around the saw whist you are cutting but, as has been noted on previous posts, pay more attention to extraction around your sanding equipment cos 5 mins of machine sanding will usually create more fine dust in the air than a full morning of scrolling.

I tend to cheat a little and do most of my hand sanding in the open air just outside the shop since the weather usually allows this and there's almost always a slight breeze to take the fines away. Call it ecologically recycling the dust back to nature !!

[Bill Wilson]

I've read similar articles and it has made me much more conscious of the hazards of fine wood dust in the shop. Yea, it scared me a little as well. However, I take comfort in the knowledge that I'm a hobbiest and my exposure to this fine particulate isn't all that long or concentrated. I do wear a dust mask most of the time. Sometimes, like safety glasses and ear plugs, it's just easier to put them on when I go in the shop and leave them on, rather than try to remember to put them on when I think I really need them. As these articles state, by the time we think we need to put on the dust mask, we've probably already inhaled a lot of dust and the finest and most harmful dust remains in the air long after it looks to be clear, so how can we ever be sure what we are breathing?

All that said, I still don't obsess over it too much, just try to be smart and aware. I don't have a DC system or a filtration system. Just a shop vac, box fan with filter in the window and a dust mask. Maybe someday I will graduate to something more sophisticated, but for what I do and the amount I do, I just can't justify the expense....yet.