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I have or getting a good downdraft table, and have pretty good dust collector. I am also going to get one of the clearview units soon. My main concern in the air dust and materials. I am wondering about the units that collect the small partical stuff that floats around the air I need to control. If folks can tell me their experiance with these units, types and sizes I would appreciate it. I am tired of layer of dust all over all the time. I know having a shop and what do will always have some, but would like to get some control over it.

I had a demo on a unit called a HYLA, which the guy hooked up put a white rag over the intake and turned it on. In seconds it was filled. It doubles as a home vacuum system also and is like the Rainbow thing where it filters and then into water. and cleans air. But $1700 to $2500 for a friggin vacuum cleaner is out of the question, even if won the lottery. Well maybe, I could do it then if dust got bad enough.

Would appreciate any information. Again not so much on equipment dc or shop clean up.

Dust collectors are good at collecting task generated dust at the source. But you are right there is ambient dust that still is in the air. That is where a air cleaner or filtration unit comes into the process. This is a unit that draws in the upper strata (if that is a good term to use in regards to a shops atmosphere) and continually filters the air. These are not real cheap but not major budget busters either. Depending on the size of the area you wish to filter they range from $300 up. Mine is a small unit and I run mine for 24 hours after major sanding and for 24 hours prior to applying finish.


AFS-100b i think I gave $250 for it sized to clear a 20 x 20 x 8 shop in 5 min. Filter packs run about $40 I change about 4 time a year or when needed based on work load

Michael thanks, yes the ambient air and "strata" is what I am talking about. My shop is my garage and wife really loves the extra dust that floats around. I seen Griz and Delta have them and hang from ceiling. I don't know much about microns or what size should look for. I am having ducts put in for AC and heat. My little portable units don't cool anything or heat in winter much. I didn't know if one ceiling unit would work or need two. I am sure there comes a thing such as overkill and doesn't make much difference.

Stan,

I have the Jet that Michael has. It's excellent in my 12 x 22 ft. garage.

Are you talking about heat and AC ducting from a central system in the house going into your shop? If so, I'd tread very carefully. Some have talked about not using returns from the shop back into the system, but that creates an imbalance. The system will try to balance itself any way it can, including pulling in air from the outside or from your shop.

Just a word of caution.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

If you have a powerful unit to collect at the source, couldn't you just let it run for a few minutes extra to clean the ambient air? My dust collector does a complete air change of my shop in two minutes.

Michael and Pat I want to order a Jet air cleaner for my new shop and I am wondering how loud these are?

Thanks!

Hesh,

On low speed they are a little of an annoyance, but they are quite loud on high speed. I got an oversized unit so I could keep it down to low speed. The volume quoted for the units are based on high speed results.

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Dean

Scrap plywood, Salvaged furnace motor, salvaged squirrel cage fan, switch and two furnace filters: 1" thick. One for big dust($3.95) and the second for small particles ($19.95)

Also, checkout Mario's under bench unit on MMIF

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Hesh,

Like Dean said, they're a bit annoying, but not overly loud . Mine is right over my workbench, and hangs down a bit too low, so it's louder than it might be if my shop were bigger and higher. On low, it's about like my window AC on high. Great unit, though.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com