A Contentious Issue?

[Bill21]

I saw this online the other day.




I’ve spent money on a dust extractor and an air filter in my shed to keep the level of wood dust down to a minimum.
The last thing I’d want to do (and I do have a blow gun and compressor) is to fill the air with dust by blowing out a hollow form.

It may be that this particular user is not doing that but perhaps uses it for some other reason? Although it does seem handily placed on its own hook for immediate use? Having said that I’ve read comments from at least one professional turner that does indeed do this.

I must be missing something as I’ve not experienced too much difficulty removing wood dust with a shop vac, it’s obviously much safer. Any thoughts?

[Wood spinner]

I agree totally , I use a Sundstrom sr500 system ALL the time I am in my workshop , Not just when turning and also do a lot of wet sanding to keep fine dust to a minimum.

[jay]

   I have a blow gun just as handy by my lathes to empty hollow forms . However  I have drops from my 35cu/m per min dust collector behind each lathe  so any particulates that are airborne  vanish immediately. Downside is one cannot open the door when the collector is on    and with a vent open the  total workshop air changes in a few minutes . Looking at the photo above I see a convoluted hose behind the lathe so possibly some form of extraction is available when using  the blow gun 

[Bourbon25]

not really ready for 'immediate use' It's not plugged into an air line.

[jonas]

Not a speck  of dust visible in the photo so he must be doing something right.

jonas

[Bill21]

not really ready for 'immediate use' It's not plugged into an air line.

Check the picture again, it clearly is plugged into an airline. 

[John Peachey]

I have a feeling that when I started out the advice was not to use an extractor to suck the debris out, because the shavings can be hot, and you wouldn't want hot debris in the extractor. Trouble is I can't remember where I saw the advice, or whether I dreamt it.

I think in all likely hood, anything being hot enough to either ignite something in the extractor is low. I'm not sure whether the air/dust ratio in the bin of an extractor could ever get to the point where it might explode.

I see people use air lines to clear debris and shudder. I don't think it is any slower to have a fine nozzle on the extractor and suck up the rubbish. I certainly don't want dust that has settled back in the air again.
Just my two penny worth.

John

[Bill21]

That sounds highly unlikely.
I suspect very hot metal from a grinder is far more likely to cause a problem but in spite of this Axminster sell an extractor hose for their Ultimate Edge.

https://www.axminstertools.com/axminster-professional-32mm-flexible-hose-non-flammable-107753

I suspect that there is more than enough time for the debris to cool sufficiently before it enters the extractor bin to be an issue?

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

I have a feeling that when I started out the advice was not to use an extractor to suck the debris out, because the shavings can be hot, and you wouldn't want hot debris in the extractor. Trouble is I can't remember where I saw the advice, or whether I dreamt it.

I think in all likely hood, anything being hot enough to either ignite something in the extractor is low. I'm not sure whether the air/dust ratio in the bin of an extractor could ever get to the point where it might explode.

I see people use air lines to clear debris and shudder. I don't think it is any slower to have a fine nozzle on the extractor and suck up the rubbish. I certainly don't want dust that has settled back in the air again.
Just my two penny worth.

John

John may I add that sawdust and shavings in the same bin have been the cause of many fires within the woodworking industry over the years.

[John Peachey]

John may I add that sawdust and shavings in the same bin have been the cause of many fires within the woodworking industry over the years.
[/quote]

Thanks for that. I have been doing some hollowing recently, and was quite surprised at how warm the shavings in the vase were. As I said the 'not to use the dust extractor is something half remembered from way back.

John

[MarkBeckett]

Hi,
I'm a professional turner and I happily use an airline to clear shavings from the many vessels I hollow. It's quicker and more efficient than using a vacuum to clear out. I have a dust filter running all day over my lathe and I wear a versaflow system whenever I'm turning. Yes it throws out more dust using one of these air-lines, but I don't work in a surgical sterile environment, I work in a woodturning workshop, dust just exists and I work around it. I don't earn money for sweeping up....

[Bill21]

Amateur turners probably outnumber professionals by many thousands to one. And whilst not excluding professionals I thought this forum was largely for hobbyists, perhaps I’m wrong? The average hobbyist doesn’t need to turn anything quickly and doesn’t need to worry about efficiency either as you put it. Safety is, or should be far more important. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all afford a Versaflow. It sounds like you workshop is a mess and I do understand why, it’s not something anyone should boast about though. My workshop does get dusty but as it’s at my residence I try to keep it reasonably clean so I don’t carry too much dirt or dust into the house. Like many others I also do other hobbies in my shed so I normally try to clean up after myself. I suggest the “surgical sterile environment” is a rather puerile comment from someone that perhaps doesn’t understand the circumstances under which the average hobbyist enjoys their wood turning?

[Paul Hannaby]

As far as I know, the HSE advice is not to use an airline to blow wood shavings/dust around because it puts more dust in the air and also could result in having a foreign object in the eye. No doubt wearing suitable PPE addresses both these but there are other (safer) ways of removing shavings from a hollow form without having to resort to using an airline so why promote what is considered a dubious practice?

[Wood spinner]

I do not use an air line to blow out shaving and dust , also never sweep my workshop floor, I allways use a vacuum , Lots safer and better for your health .

[Bill21]

I was fortunate enough to receive comprehensive H&S advice about compressed air safety many years ago. Even in workplaces where wood isn’t used the practice of “cleaning” down equipment etc with a blow gun is frowned upon.