PMAC...(Poor Man's Air Cleaner)

[Salty]

Edit…
Sorry, my mistake. I should have waited longer before being so presumptuous. My humble apologies. I thought there was only ridicule where the intent was to contribute something.

Edit
No real interest.

Edit…(original post text follows)
All you folks got me wondering and worrying about the dust cloud that forms in my little shop in the corner of the basement. I have not yet noticed an increase of dust in the house but I really haven't gotten serious yet about wood working. I got my router table built and it is functioning so it is time to get some projects going. I had looked at the $200 plus air cleaners on the market and just could not justify the cost. But, as usual, I had an idea, and that is usually either dangerous or hilarious. This one however may just work out.
I had a 134 CFM blower that was used years ago to cool a computer. Don't ask, it's a long story! Anyhow, I had fashioned the blower to blow air directly into the case and the air was first filtered through furnace filter material. It worked great and there never was more than a very small amount of dust inside the computer.
So, I adapted this same setup to make an air filter. Seen here is the outside where I used a plastic crate and lined the inside with furnace filters, cut down to size. The top and 2 sides are lined with the filters. One end is the outlet and the side against the block wall is blocked with a piece of masonite.
Under this exterior is the smaller wooden box, covered with a section of high quality furnace filter material.
As the blower pushes the air through the unit, the larger particles will be picked up by the cheaper filter material first and then any smaller particles will be caught by the smaller box and the better filter material.
I'm going to watch it over the next few weeks to see just how much dust is collected by the outer filters.

[Hoover]

"I had looked at the $200 plus air cleaners on the market and just could not justify the cost."

I must be missing something here, you can't justify the cost!!! Just wait until you develop a dust sensitivity, or asthma, then say that. My lungs are precious to me. I have asthma plus a dust sensitivity. Try coughing for air until you spit out blood, and you are about to pass out for the lack of oxygen.

Yes, my answer may be considered to be feisty, but I intend on staying around a while. I believe air quality in my life to be extremely important. I also have a breathing machine to reduce any possibilities of asthma attacks, in the event of any occurrence.

I take breathing each breath, not for granted anymore.

I hope your device you have works, but $200 is a rather inexpensive investment, in my mind.

[gjat]

I didn't see the original post, but $200 is relative. Not everyone can afford $200 so the choice is then to not do wood working?

I cannot afford $200 for a dust collector. I make do with a shop vac, fans, and/or moving stuff outside, and wearing a dust mask.

[final_t]

Kinda rude and childish to delete the orignal post, but I can pretty much guess that the orignal post was "why should I spend $200 for an air filter?"

Dust and health: See http://billpentz.com for more than you ever care. Still think $200 is too much?

You probably have spent $250 or more on your saw. Go over to the "other site" and say you've got a Bt3 and see how fast you get flamed for not spending more. Still think $200 is too much?

You *can* make your own ambeant air filter. I've done it. Cost me about $75 in parts. It worked quite well, but it didn't have the biggest chunk of the $200 cost: the pleated air filter (mine was three stacked funace filters). There are several simple designs using a standand window box fan.

[Joes Junk]

Poor Man's Air CLeaner

I made mine out of a furnace blower and several furnace filters. Got the furnace blower for free at a heating and air conditioning place. Asked and did some dumpster diving. I mounted it in a 1x12 pine board frame. It is a little noisy. Maybe some day I will research a speed control for the furnace motor.
Can send pictures .

Seems like there was some discussion about this a few years back.

Joe's Junk Raleigh, NC

[leehljp]

No real interest.

Salty,

I wish you had not deleted your post. Some people are only able to get on here every two or three days when busy. I have been traveling for the past six weeks from coast to coast and know how hard it is to get on at times. Often, the daily and hourly posters don't relate to evey post.

I am interested in a portable air cleaner and have looked at the Delta triangular one to move from room to room during allergy seasons (year round). We have several room air cleaners with ion makers, but it still seems like dust builds up too quickly.

For that reason, I have been thinking about how a good WW air cleaner will stack up against a HEPA room type with ion generator. To me and my ability to do any kind of comparison (kind of like comparing apples and oranges) It seems that room hepa are more slow continuous types and WW are quick for while working.

SO, It seems like a combination of both wold work real well. I am seriously considering a unit like the portable triangular Delta.

[SteveJ]

air cleaner question

Hi:

My shop is in my garage which is far from air tight.. Fresh air comes in under
the door and through a couple of other openings which aren't sealed tight.
Can someone tell me if an air cleaner (specifically the Delta at Lowes for $200) would do any good in this environment? I've been thinking about buying this model but I've also read in places that it's too small, especially for garage shops like mine.... any thoughts?

Steve

[final_t]

Hi:

My shop is in my garage which is far from air tight.. Fresh air comes in under
the door and through a couple of other openings which aren't sealed tight.
Can someone tell me if an air cleaner (specifically the Delta at Lowes for $200) would do any good in this environment? I've been thinking about buying this model but I've also read in places that it's too small, especially for garage shops like mine.... any thoughts?

Steve

If your shop has a closed ceiling (most garages do), then it might be ok. If you're a lucky dog with a 3-car unit, then no. If you have a ceiling like mine that's open to the rafters, then no.

You might want to look into dealing with the bigger air leaks around the garage door and etc. This will cut down on heat loss during the winter, snow/water being blown in, and critters camping out in your table saw.

[Salty]

I'll put it back up tonight.

[SteveJ]

Thanks for the information. I kind of thought it wouldn't work. I do have an open rafter ceiling. No critters in my saw yet, but many mornings I've gone into my shop when it had snow on the floor from under the door.


Steve

[meika123]

I have plans to build your own like I did. I have them on a PDF file. If anyone is interested, send me your email address, and I will be glad to send them to you.

Dave in NC

[JimD]

Salty,

I think $200 is too much for an air cleaner too. I took an old box fan and built a wood frame for the motor and fan blade so I could put a washable electrostatic furnace filter in front of it. It helps a lot. I spent money only for the fancy furnace filter. It needs washed quite a bit but that only takes a few minutes.

My priority was to get good bags on the DC to minimize the dust in the air and then get an air filter to get most of what is left. I think the important thing is not to breathe the dust. How you accomplish that is up to you.

Jim

[LCHIEN]

I was fortunate and picked up one of the old single speed 800 CFM delta boxy units for $90 when they were being cleared at Lowes.

I feel better to see its clearing clouds of fine dust that used to hang around (but now I'm also using dust collection if I'm not too lazy to turn it on for one cut) .

Just a comment - I think the air cleaning is greatly affected by the CFMs.
Anyone remmeber the alleged recommendations? I think the old adage is sufficient air handling for at least 6-8 changes per hour.

Computed as (CFM) / (room volume) x 60
for a 20'x20'x8' room and 800 cfm that would be 15 changes.

The reason you need so many is because you don't really get all the air every "cycle", some air is missed because its in the corners or not in the right place. It'll stir it up for sure. And of course your adding to it constantly.

I BOUGHT ONE OF THOSE 15-HOUR electromechanical wall-mounted TIMERS like you can get for heaters or lights, put it in a duplex outlet box with an outlet and added a cord and plug. I set it for a few hours when I work, it keeps running for a couple of hours after I leave the shop to catch the last of the airborne stuff. I think a lot of the new Air cleaners have built-in timers.

[final_t]

Thanks for the information. I kind of thought it wouldn't work. I do have an open rafter ceiling. No critters in my saw yet, but many mornings I've gone into my shop when it had snow on the floor from under the door.
Steve

Oh man, been there, done that. Suggest you spend some time with fixing that up right quick. If it's pushing snow in, that's gonna melt and make things rust at the very least.

[Hoover]

I commented on not being able to justify the cost of an air cleaner. In my mind this is different than not being able to afford the cost of an air cleaner. Affordability and justification are two different things.
So if I ruffled any feathers, so be it. I hope Salty's device works for him, and if it does that is great. Innovation that works, helps everybody out when it is shared.