Home-made dust collection system

[Mike313]

Hi Folks.
I've only very recently turned my first pieces on the lathe and have been surprised at the amount of shaving and dust generated (feel free to laugh at this newbie's ignorance!). I have a good dust mask but having seen how much dust hangs in the air (very scary to see it in sunlight coming in the shed window) I am looking at trying to put together a DIY dust collection system (as I've seen on YouTube) using a regular domestic vacuum cleaner with the mouth of the suction pipe close to the work and a 'collection bin' installed on the suction pipe before the vacuum cleaner to collect as much dust and small shavings as possible so that as little as possible goes into the vacuum cleaner. So, two questions, if I may:
(1) Has anyone done this and, if so, how did it work?
(2) I'm not sure how much fine dust might get through a regular domestic vacuum cleaner, or whether the 'exhaust' from it will only raise more dust that's probably lying in the shed so would it be worth my while fixing the vacuum cleaner to the shed wall with a duct so it 'exhausts' outside the shed?
Thoughts, comments and advice much appreciated.
That's my last post of this evening, a glass of wine awaits me. Happy New Year everyone!

[fuzzyturns]

Forget about domestic vacuum cleaners, they are not designed for this job and in consequence won't be any good.
In essence you have to differentiate two things here: shavings and dust. Shavings are not a problem. Just let them fly and collect them whenever it starts to bother you. Dust is a problem. There are several solutions to this.
1) Buy a decent chip extractor (CamVac is a very popular and good choice) and somehow either use a poseable hose or some other collection hood behind the lathe bed. This should primarily be used when sanding. It will take care of about 80% of the dust during sanding.
2) You can use a face mask to prevent breathing in the other 20%. Options range from simple one-off paper masks for £5 for 2-3 units right through to £200+ for a battery powered full shield. Put a price on your health and make a choice.
3) Since the face mask only eliminates the dust while you are wearing it, it is generally advisable to have a micro dust filter in the workshop. These can filter anything down to 1micron in size, and they come in prices from about £50 for a really small workshop right through to several hundred pounds for large workshops. They are generally turned on when you switch on the lights and go off with the lights too. Rule of thumb is that the filter should have enough capacity to filter the entire volume of the workshop about 3-5 times per hour. This will become increasingly important as you move towards putting surface finishes onto your work, as settling dust can (and will) upset the surface of your finish.

[Mike313]

Thanks Fuzzyturns,
That's a great help. Regarding the second filter you mentioned that comes on/goes off with the lights, at the cheaper end of the scale what models would you recommend I look at. My workshop is also the shed and is about 12' x 9', so quite small. I want to do it right, or as best as I can on a budget. Thanks.

[fuzzyturns]

Have a look at the units sold by the toolpost.

[Mike313]

Will do. Thanks

[seventhdevil]

i currently run this setup but am having to move workshops.

it's for sale if you are interested.

[Tim Cornwall]

Hi Mike, yes get yourself a decent dust extractor and hang from the roof, and have running all the time you are in the shed, i work in a very dusty environment (concrete Plant) and was getting some cement dust in the batch cabin, i got the boss to  buy me a
http://www.axminster.co.uk/jet-afs-500-air-filtration-system-310483  which pretty much eliminates the dust in there batch hut is about 16' X9' i have it on 1st setting and it also has a timer on so it will run for a couple of hours after you leave the hut, good bit of kit, record power do something nearly the same    for about half the price http://www.recordpower.co.uk/product/two-stage-air-filter-with-remote-3-speeds-and-time-delay#.WkojF99l9PY  , one of these are next on my shopping list, as i reckon if it can filter cement dust, dood dust will be no problem

[APH]

Dealing with dust protection is a complex issue. Unlike the sorts of violent immediate injuries that come from a lathe ejecting something hard and fast like a bit of wood or lathe jaw, dust is a 'soft' problem where the hazard isn't instant, but may develop with increased exposure.
(There's a remote possibility of having an extreme immediate allergic reaction to wood dust, but I've yet to read of anyone needing a trip to A&E from that yet.)

Recently there's been a trend online to recommend 'industry best practice' for respiratory protection, which is great in theory, but there's a risk of making it seem all too expensive, difficult and ultimately not relevant to hobbyists.

As said previously, the main risk to health comes from sanding dust, rather than shavings. A face mask is a great first step to reduce your exposure, a powered respirator is even better.
However it's better to trap as much dust as possible before it gets into the workshop air in the first place. A domestic vacuum cleaner might not be 'industry best practice' but can make a substantial difference to the amount of dust in the air for a modest cost. Some will get finer dust than others, but anything is better than nothing. They are also very compact compared to industrial units.
I use a cheap Lidl wet and dry unit in the workshop and it does a good job, it's long hose allows you position the cleaner head in the optimal position.
Some sort of moveable arm to hold the hose head exactly where the dust is coming off is the perfect answer. It could be home made or you could use a commercial product. I use a Manfrotto magic arm and it does the job wonderfully.

What isn't really clear is how great the dust exposure risk is to occasional amateur turners. Most literature I've seen referenced to refers to workplace exposure, often dating back many years when exposure levels would have been much greater than today. I don't know how much that sort of regular high level dust exposure would compare to the risks of occasional DIY exposure.
It would be great if the AWGB started to collate information from member clubs to see if amateur woodturners really do suffer long term respiratory issues from their hobby.

[Mike313]

Seventhdevil, thanks for the offer but I think your set-up would be too big for my shed, which is the general shed as well as the place I have my lathe, rather than a dedicated workshop. But thanks, I appreciate the offer.
Tim and APH, I can see from your advice how dust should be tackled in two ways, first right at the source and then the general air quality, I'm going to look at those links to see how and where my budget will do the most good.
Thanks to all for the useful advice. Enjoy your New Years Day !