A preliminary air quality analysis of my shop

[jking]

Maybe I could borrow someone's class-100 cleanroom for the test.

Anyone know how much for a ticket to Oz?

[cgallery]

Interesting deal if we can get a group discount, but I'll bet there's only about 10 of us who are tinkerers and measurers.

Do you have a HEPA filter on the Shop vac? It would be interesting if you let everything settle and then just turned on the shop vac and see what happens... that would tell you if the shop vac is pumping/recirculating dust through its filter.

I'm posting at Woodnet and sawmillcreek, too. So hopefully we can get close to 25.

In terms of the shop vac test, the problem is that the Dylos unit is so sensitive that when I enter the room after the fine air filter has been on all night and the count is something rediculously low like 8/0, the #'s immediately start marching up as high as 80/4. So I imagine just turning on the vac would kick up enough dust (I will admit that there is dust on my shop floor) to make it climb. I could test it w/ the vac in another room and wait to see if any dust migrates, but, dust kicked-up by the exhaust probably WOULD migrate.

Maybe I could borrow someone's class-100 cleanroom for the test.

[LCHIEN]

Interesting deal if we can get a group discount, but I'll bet there's only about 10 of us who are tinkerers and measurers.

Do you have a HEPA filter on the Shop vac? It would be interesting if you let everything settle and then just turned on the shop vac and see what happens... that would tell you if the shop vac is pumping/recirculating dust through its filter.

[cgallery]

I have spoken to Dylos and they have agreed to a group purchase. Kim will even individually ship the units to each purchaser for 2% above actual UPS (doesn't get any better than that).

The discounts are substantial and will depend on the size of the group (obviously), 25 being the minimum.

Here is some pricing:
Qty. 1, 1-micron, $159.95 each (MSRP)
Qty. 25, 1-micron, $103.99 each.
Qry. 50, 1-micron, $99.19 each.

Qty. 1, .5-micron, $219.00 each (MSRP)
Qty. 25, .5-micron, $142.99 each.
Qty. 50, .5-micron, $136.99 each.

Roger (developer) has agreed to go to Home Depot for me and pickup some MDF. He will saw/sand some MDF and some pine and compare and contrast the .5 and 1-micron units to each other. Either he or I will post the results.

Still some details to be worked out, but not a bad deal overall.

Looks promising.

[steve-norrell]

The point is to get a baseline and find out where improvement is needed.

So far I've only cut 12 linear feet of MDF. I haven't tried any tools but the saw. I purposely didn't have a new fines air filter (down to .3-micron) running, cause I want to see before and after.

But in the final analysis, if you wear a respirator, you're probably guaranteed really clean air. That is what I plan to do while I figure out ways to reduce the amount of time I need to wear one by using the gadget.

I will add that I do have a Shark Guard and almost always use a ZCTP. Notwithstanding the merits of the ZCTP, it does inhibit dust collection through the port at the back of the BT3100, leaving plenty dust above the table.

The top dust port on the Shark Guard goes a long way toward fixing this. Mine is hooked up to a large (6.5 HP) ShopVac, but that does not get ALL the dust even when the ShopVac is attached ONLY to the Shark Guard (in stead of both DC ports).

Now that my scientific curiosity (a carry-over from a previous life) I may have to get one of those devices.

Boy, to I love to tinker . . . . As they say, "If in ain't broke you don't have to fix it, but that doesn't mean you can't try to make it better."

Regards, Steve

[cgallery]

Don't get me wrong! This is not a critique of the data, the use of dust collection and air cleaners, or the device itself. Rather, the data show the merit of using respirators, especially when one is sensitive to wood (and MDF) dust.

Regards, Steve

Absolutely, I couldn't agree with you more. The point is to get a baseline and find out where improvement is needed.

So far I've only cut 12 linear feet of MDF. I haven't tried any tools but the saw. I purposely didn't have a new fines air filter (down to .3-micron) running, cause I want to see before and after.

But in the final analysis, if you wear a respirator, you're probably guaranteed really clean air. That is what I plan to do while I figure out ways to reduce the amount of time I need to wear one by using the gadget.

[steve-norrell]

I then switched off the saw and watched the meter spike. Approx. one minute after I was done cutting, the meter hit a max of 1955/515. So 195,500 particles (down to 1-micron) and 51,500 larger than 5.0 microns. Nearly twice the 1000+ reading that garners a "poor" rating from their table.

Subsequent readings:

+3 minutes (from peak): 1001/223
+9 minutes (from peak): 499/91
+46 minutes (from peak): 54/2

Interesting and helpful data. It does show how quickly and effectively DCs and air cleaners work. However it also shows why a respirator is needed.

Right after cutting the MDF, and while the operator is still standing near the saw, air quality was a lot worse than just 'poor'. In fact, it didn't get into the good range for at least 10 minutes. Point is, that the operator is breathing the particle-laden air during and immediately after the cutting operation.

Don't get me wrong! This is not a critique of the data, the use of dust collection and air cleaners, or the device itself. Rather, the data show the merit of using respirators, especially when one is sensitive to wood (and MDF) dust.

Its good and helpful information. Thanks.

Regards, Steve

[cgallery]

So if I'm interpeting your numbers correctly, your shop is doing pretty good and better then you initially thought?

cutting MDF like you did is probably one of the messiest test you could perform and the room returned to 'Fair' in 3 minutes, then to 'good' in 9 minutes?

I think it is doing as well as many shops w/ dust collectors, actually. At least that is what I take away from reading some of the BP posts.

But based upon my observations of not only my shop but others as well, I imagine the single fastest way to reduce airborne dust is to add a Shark Guard with overhead collection. At least on the table saw (which I think is a particularly difficult tool to collect from).

I have nothing to back this up other than my gut (I don't own a Shark Guard and am trying to arrange w/ a friend that has one to borrow his for a day or two but we have both been pretty busy and it has been pretty hit/miss).

[ejs1097]

So if I'm interpeting your numbers correctly, your shop is doing pretty good and better then you initially thought?

cutting MDF like you did is probably one of the messiest test you could perform and the room returned to 'Fair' in 3 minutes, then to 'good' in 9 minutes?

[jackellis]

I don't have room for a dust collector in my current shop. Period. I use a shop vac and probably spend as much time cleaning up (like that master of cleanliness Rod Kirby) what the shop vac does not capture from the dust ports as I do machining stuff. Helps keep the amount of residual dust down significantly.

And then I wear a respirator when I'm doing a lot of machining. I know it works because without the respirator, I'd get terrible sinus headaches from all the sawdust.

The new shop in a home we're hoping to build soon will have a dust collector and an air cleaner.

[lkazista]

It would be interesting to see how the addition of a Shark Guard would have impacted my #'s. A good dust collector is important, but I don't imagine it would have done that much better at getting the dust ejecting from the top of my blade.

Agreed, my point was in the same vein, EVERY bit helps keep the air clean, but a good DC system is the main line of defense. I already run a Delta air scrubber, but my DC is still sitting in the corner of the basement waiting for a 220 line to plug into.

Lee

[LCHIEN]

according to the allergyclean website, the Dylos meter retains a history by the minute or hour so you can see the air quality change as you cut and then the filters do their work. Much better than having to stay around and take readings.

[cgallery]

OK - I am now good and freaked out.

I really gotts get around to wiring up that 220 outlet for the new dust collector.

Happy Breathing.

Lee

It would be interesting to see how the addition of a Shark Guard would have impacted my #'s. A good dust collector is important, but I don't imagine it would have done that much better at getting the dust ejecting from the top of my blade.

[cgallery]

Clarify something for me. You get the reading of 53/4 & compare this to the table to determine "cleanliness ranking". Then you would add the "00" to the end to get the number of particles per cubic foot. Did I understand correctly?

I'm also curious where you bought the particle counter.

Yes, the meter does it work in particles per .01 cubic foot. You multiple by 100 if you want those #'s in particles per cubic foot. The table they supply to give you an idea of the air quality, though, is in the .01 cubic foot realm.

Meter was purchased from www.americanallergysupply.com, but they can be purchased from the manufacturer (www.dylosproducts.com) too. The American Allergy Supply site has some interesting reading and some interesting tests w/ box fans and filters.

[lkazista]

So I switched on the vac and started to cut some MDF. I basically cut the edge off a 3/4" thick piece of 24" long MDF, taking about six swipes. This type of cut (where the blade isn't buried in the wood but rather the left edge of the blade is exposed) seems to generate the largest amount of visible dust above the saw.

I then switched off the saw and watched the meter spike. Approx. one minute after I was done cutting, the meter hit a max of 1955/515. So 195,500 particles (down to 1-micron) and 51,500 larger than 5.0 microns. Nearly twice the 1000+ reading that garners a "poor" rating from their table.

OK - I am now good and freaked out.

I really gotts get around to wiring up that 220 outlet for the new dust collector.

Happy Breathing.

Lee