Air Filtration System for a Small Shop

Al Launier

Member
Messages
1,683
Location
Bedford, NH
I have a relatively small shop, only 16'W x 22'L x 8'H. I don't use it much compared to you guys, perhaps only 2-3 hrs/day only when I'm working on a project. The dust producing equipment is basically centrally located so the dust is concentrated in the center of the shop as well. I have a HF 2 HP dust collector at one end of the shop & I plan on getting a Wynn 35A filter for it.

My daughter is wondering what to get me for Christmas & I don't want her to spend much. So, I was thinking of a small air filtration system that could be set up near, but on the other side of the dust producing equipment to draw the particles away from me when using the equipment, or if ceiling hung, centrally located over the equipment. I found these two small systems & wonder which you would recommend, or another if in the same price range. One consideration would be http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2083293/45254/Rikon-3-Speed-Air-Cleaner-400-CFM.aspx and another would be http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Fox-W1746-Fine-Filter/dp/B000QD7YRS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top .

My inclination is towards the Rikon which would produce a room air change every 7 minutes, whereas the Shop Fox would take 14 minutes. I could ceiling install the Rikon pretty much central to the equipment, whereas the Shop Fox could be placed at will next to whatever equipment is running.

I think i have answered my own question, so now I wonder what your opinions are, and if you might have other recommendations that are similarly priced.
 
Thanks Jim, that model would no doubt be a great system. I looked at this model, but I don't use the shop as much as most woodworkers so I have less exposure than most and I will be wearing a respirastor (as was recommended), plus it is much more than I want my daughter to spend
 
If you really want to go a cheap route (like I have done), you can use a 20" box fan with an A/C filter on its intake side. I was amazed at how much junk that simple arrangement can remove from the air.
 
If you really want to go a cheap route (like I have done), you can use a 20" box fan with an A/C filter on its intake side. I was amazed at how much junk that simple arrangement can remove from the air.

That's what I do with my box fan:D Just point it out the door and slap a 20x20 pleat filter on the intake side...el cheapo, but it's a great backup to the Jet ;)
 
That's what I do with my box fan:D Just point it out the door and slap a 20x20 pleat filter on the intake side...el cheapo, but it's a great backup to the Jet ;)

If you're pointing it out the door, why hamper its airflow with a filter? :huh:

Al, the Rikon looks like it could help somewhat in a small shop...much more than the Shop Fox. One thing to think about with any fitter system is the size if the filters and how easily replacements can be found. For example, my Jet takes a 12" x 24" filter...easy to find replacements at the Borg or Wally World. I can't tell from the User Manual what size the Rikon takes. (The 12" x 24" filters listed below it on the Woodcraft site are not for the 62-400 filtration unit.)
 
First year teaching wood turning at the HS, every hour I would have to wipe the dust off of my glasses. Bought the bigger sized JET that Jim suggested, can work all day in the shop and no dust at the end of the day to wipe off of my glasses. Really shows what went into my lungs! Now that I have it, I know how to construct the box with a squirrel cage fan for my home shop. I assume our lungs do what the filters do and they are quite gross when I change them every 4 weeks! (the filters, not my lungs!)
 
If you're pointing it out the door, why hamper its airflow with a filter? :huh:

The way our house is arranged in relationship to the shop means it would blow into the breezeway door and mean more crap to clean up. :(. And using those cheap pleat filters enough that Mrs Burr stays happy :thumb:
 
Well, good news & not so good news.

The not so good news is that my daughter called me immediately after I left the previous post "demanding" :rofl: that I tell her what she should get me for Christmas. And, since she's arriving home this coming Monday with a lot of work left to do at ABC 20/20 before she leaves, she has no time to "dither". So, that left me no time to read & consider your suggestions.

The good news is that I gave her the Rikon web site for the 62-400 Air Filtration System. Within 15 minutes, she called back happy as heck to say it was a done deed. Now how good is that! :thumb: Daughters are great aren't they? Wives are too - can't wait to open up the presents from the LOML. :thumb::thumb::D

Thanks to all for your suggestions. As for the box fan idea, I do have a 20" sq. box fan that I could convert in the future if I ever needed to, But, right now, things are looking goooood!
 
First year teaching wood turning at the HS, every hour I would have to wipe the dust off of my glasses. Bought the bigger sized JET that Jim suggested, can work all day in the shop and no dust at the end of the day to wipe off of my glasses. Really shows what went into my lungs! Now that I have it, I know how to construct the box with a squirrel cage fan for my home shop. I assume our lungs do what the filters do and they are quite gross when I change them every 4 weeks! (the filters, not my lungs!)

I put my cage right on the wall, no need for filters, everything fly's right out into the traffic on the service drive behind my shop :D
Next to the wagon wheels> mini-DSCF2707.jpg main thing to remember on any of these things is, they don't work worth a durn if one forgets to turn them on DAMHIKT :D
 
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