Dust management for the hobbiest

[Vumad]

I am talking large amounts of dust. Sanding a mostly flat surface to prep for paint with a vacuum disc is manageable. Grinding out large areas of damage and prepping them for new glass generates a bunch of dust. High speed grinders, discs on die grinders and other tools for these not flat surfaces needing a lot of removal/prep generate huge amounts of dust that are hard to collect.

Examples...
Trimming/sanding a part pulled from a mold
Fiberglass when cutting a bunch of fresh glass for a layup
Grinding down a damaged area of a hull
Removing larger amount of improper repair / bad bondo.
Sanding and shaping a plug

How are you guys managing dust? Right now I work on my carport. I use a 3m chemical 1/2 face respirator and vacuum what I can. Inevitably dust ends up on everything around. I am looking for a professional quality solution at a hobby price using hobby tools, there is no income generated from my projects.

I hang tarps when I need to spray gelcoat or paint. I'm thinking about something similar for sanding. Maybe a 2-stage fan. A box fan pushing air into a funnel box that is connected to a shop vac that will filter the air. So far that is the best I have come up with.

I'm also thinking of switching from the 1/2 face 3m respirator to a full face 3m respirator or a PAPR, but I wont be able to get anything until after COVID.

 

[E350]

Just some thoughts. This is not the one that I want to buy, because it is battery operated and you wear the pump while the pump that I am interested in is AC powered and you don't wear the pump so I could put the pump 20 feet away from me and where I am working. But I do want to get a supplied air respirator system because I want to learn to spray DuPont Imron industrial paint. But if I get the system and if I get it set up properly, I will likely want to wear the set up for metal grinding and for sanding and for sandblasting because with my current set up the smoky air from metal grinding rises up and into my full face 3M hard hat with Honeywell Bionic face shield

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Full-Face-...439798?hash=item21640c2af6:g:o1UAAOSwCQZZHBp7

https://www.amazon.com/Uvex-Bionic-Polycarbonate-Anti-Fog-S8510/dp/B001VY3ACE/ref=sr_1_2?crid=8OZEQHK1XOUZ&dchild=1&keywords=honeywell+bionic+face+shield&qid=1585841225&s=industrial&sprefix=Honeywell+Bionic,industrial,304&sr=1-2

I keep my sandblaster outside and sand both metal and fiberglass outside. I tried the house fan blowing out the garage door thing and it was not sufficient, plus air current blows away the shielding gas when mig welding.

 

[smoofers]

Sounds like my same hobbyist experience. I wear a North 7700 half mask with HEPA cartridges when making any dust. I also use my Rigid shop vac with an Onieda Dust Deputy cyclone separator. I've gotten sick of having a dusty garage, especially with a two year old running around and another on the way. Lately, in my laziness, I have relegated my dusty projects to being done outside. This definitely limits my productivity, it is what it is for now.

 

[Vumad]

Yes, same situation with the dust, kids and just not doing any work.

 

[Quinc]

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-industrial-5-micron-dust-collector-97869.html

and 20% off coupons etc

https://www.hfqpdb.com/browse

 

[Yami-Rider]

Love my 3m full face, I run dual filters. No fumes make it into the mask when working with poly resin.

3m 6800 masks w/6885 lens cover
3m 6001 filter w/ 3m 2091 filter

 

[Vumad]

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-industrial-5-micron-dust-collector-97869.html

Yes. Ultimately still designed to be a vacuum. Point of use. Not much different than my shop vac now, just bigger.

However, I was thinking about buying something like a drum fan and directing it into a funnel box which is connected to the dust extractor. I guess if I tarp off the area, and then just leave when I'm done, I can just vacuum it up later. With unfinished concrete on the ground, it doesn't vacuum / sweep particularly well.

Since ultimately I'll probably look into a cyclone pre-filter, and would benefit from buying a box fan unrelated to sanding, I'm just trying to come up with the best possible solutions.

I even thought about taking a tarps and rolling them up on 4" PVC and connecting them to the ceiling of my carport, so I can quickly drop them, roll them up and etc.

 

[mikidymac]

Love my 3m full face, I run dual filters. No fumes make it into the mask when working with poly resin.

3m 6800 masks w/6885 lens cover
3m 6001 filter w/ 3m 2091 filter

I agree but unfortunately eBay is the only place to get the cartridges at the moment. Everyone and I mean everyone is out at the moment. I have 1 6003 that is good and 4 packs of 6001 that expired in 2018.

 

[Vumad]

I wont buy one now. My 1/2 face respirator is fine until COVID is over. I just thought of it today though because dust was getting behind my glasses.

Mostly I am looking for a way to contain the dust.

It is my hope to replace the carport with a garage, so the solution would be a prototype anyway, as I would want something similar but of a higher quality in the garage.

I am leaning towards tarps on PVC bars that easily roll up and store at the ceiling. Spring clamps on the corners. One tarp having a hole in it for a 24" box fan the funnels air into the shop fan. The hope is that it will provide large CFM and positive pressure to keep the air cleaner, but most of the work would be done just simply by containment of the tarps. The tarps being on mounted rolls would make it easy to use and safer to put away.

The question is if PVC is acceptable, if so what size, and if not do I need to buy aluminum or steel bars.

 

[Vumad]

I was thinking something like this, but 4 sided, because I don't just want to contain the carport, I want it to keep the dust off my work benches.

 

[smoofers]

Hers my current "dust collection" setup for when it's raining and I can't work directly outside. I still use the shop vac on my table saw, chop saw, router table, sander, etc. Even when I'm outside. I will say the new sander I got is awesome. Built in dust collection port (not "self vacuuming", those suck). Definitely helps with the dust issues. Also recommend the dust deputy cyclone.

 

[Vumad]

Hers my current "dust collection" setup for when it's raining and I can't work directly outside. I still use the shop vac on my table saw, chop saw, router table, sander, etc. Even when I'm outside. I will say the new sander I got is awesome. Built in dust collection port (not "self vacuuming", those suck). Definitely helps with the dust issues. Also recommend the dust deputy cyclone.

View attachment 391622View attachment 391623

The price of that sander is reasonable. I can look into one like that. I use electric version from harbor freight, which does self vaccum with a bag, but you can also connect a hose to it. It does an acceptable job.

Another example would be grinding out a rib to clearance a pipe. It makes a lot of dust, especially it removing multiple ribs. For that you need a highspeed angle grinder with a flapwheel or etc. That vacuum DA you posted isn't going to work for that job. The vacuum options for tools for grinding are pretty much limited to holding a vacuum next to the tool which works but not great.

I tried to 3d print a mount for the vacuum to connect to the grinder but the results have been less than ideal.

 

[fastgtfairlane]

the vacuum on the da is probably the best bet. i used an oscillating tool with a cutting blade to cut out the ribs on the side of my sj then used the da sander to make it level.

 

[kevbo]

Clean you shop vac and install a fine yellow bag. Run your rotary sanders slower and it will catch everything.

 

[smokeysevin]

The price of that sander is reasonable. I can look into one like that. I use electric version from harbor freight, which does self vaccum with a bag, but you can also connect a hose to it. It does an acceptable job.

Another example would be grinding out a rib to clearance a pipe. It makes a lot of dust, especially it removing multiple ribs. For that you need a highspeed angle grinder with a flapwheel or etc. That vacuum DA you posted isn't going to work for that job. The vacuum options for tools for grinding are pretty much limited to holding a vacuum next to the tool which works but not great.

I tried to 3d print a mount for the vacuum to connect to the grinder but the results have been less than ideal.

For stuff like that, I like to use an oscillating multi tool to cut it out, then a palm sander or grinder to knock it flush. Cuts down on the dust substantially.

Sean