Dust Extraction

[sploo]

Hi all,

I've just finished setting up a dust extraction system for my workshop. If you're hacking MDF, then hopefully this may be useful: http://spikyfish.com/DustExtraction/

 

[annunaki]

WOW! That is quite a setup.

 

[sploo]

Thanks annunaki.

I've had a similar response from people on another forum I frequent. To be honest, I was a little surprised - I posted the info in the hope it would help, rather than showing off.

I've seen so many 'proper' extraction systems I never really thought of it as impressive, but I'm still pretty pleased with the results.

 

[stratman]

Nice job Sploo. No need to feel you're showing off. If it's nice, it's nice.

 

[sploo]

Thanks stratman.

The plan now of course... is to actually build something useful with the setup! (preferably audio related)

 

[stratman]

I have long wished for a wood shop, all my shop projects were always conceived and executed in makeshift shops. Usually outdoors under a tarp or metal roofing.

 

[sploo]

As long as the weather's OK (probably more chance of that in Miami than the UK) then working outside isn't too bad. With a decent dust mask, and ensuring you change your clothes before you go wandering around your house, it's a pretty safe way to cut.

Assuming of course, your neighbours don't try to kill you because of the noise you're making

 

[audiology]

I love it, it looks fantastic! You could probably sell the plans for it - and include various short and long straight sections, 90 degree and 45 degree bends etc etc and people could measure up their work area and order the appropriate parts to suit!

My only criticism/constructive feedback would be that the clear areas would be fairly quickly covered in dust and therefore over time you may not be able to see into it anymore(ie to see the blockages). It's a little like the clear container of my Dyson Vacuum, it gets quite dirty, but it is cleanable quite easily.

Great work. I do a lot of prototyping work for design in my own (large) garage and should have such a system, though I'm only renting. I have a twin-filter gas-grade mask and this works brilliantly. It clogs quickly with dust though - and a simple trick is to run the vacuum with brush fitting over the outside surface of the filters, and it works like new. Pulls most of the dust/gunk right back out of them!

 

[sploo]

I love it, it looks fantastic! You could probably sell the plans for it...

Thanks.

To be honest, whilst the design is my own, so much information has some from free sources it'd be a bit rude to go selling designs! Plus, I'd rather everyone had easy access to that sort of system, as this is people's lungs we're talking about.

I was planning to post the drawings (note to self)... it may happen at some point soon... PM me if I forget!

My only criticism/constructive feedback would be that the clear areas would be fairly quickly covered in dust and therefore over time you may not be able to see into it anymore

I was wondering about this (static electricity issues) but it doesn't seem to be giving me any problems.

I had to open up one of the flanges at the weekend to retrieve something that it 'stole' (lots of suction here ) so it would be pretty easy to get into it for cleaning.

...I have a twin-filter gas-grade mask and this works brilliantly...

Yea, they are good, though I think most are supposed to be replaced every 28 days. I always do that of course *cough*

 

[Tom Andry]

I have absolutely no need for this... but I want one!

 

[audiology]

Tom, I know the feeling well. I think that feeling is commonly known as 'living in a capitalist society'!

Sploo, fair enough - if a large amount of it's design was from open-source then it's best left that way.

In terms of the dust being attracted to the sides, it's an interesting one as sometimes it doesn't stick at all, and other times you can get away with it. Perhaps just put some of those little magnetic fish tank cleaning things on the clear parts .

Impressive that it can steal chunks of wood, but just be sure to keep small pets and children at a safe distance

 

[Resident Loser]

Ah...

...the sign of a true woodworker: Clamps up the wazoo...

jimHJJ(...nice...)

 

[sploo]

Yup, a woodworker can never have enough clamps

OK, I did say I was going to post some DXFs...

Linked below are two DXF files, one containing the drawings for the 'Y' sections, the other has the right angle bends.

I created these files when I had basically zero experience with CAD packages, and they originate from an ancient version of 3D Studio Max - hence the curves are actually lots of line segments. The parts were also worked out in inches, but have been put into the CAD package in mm - hence the strange sizes.

The 'Y' file contains a matched pair, which were cut out of 1/8" MDF. There is a second layer, which follows the edges of the plates that would have boards at 90 degrees (i.e. the sides).

The paths were cut using a 1/4" bit, and the edge rabbets/rebates cut at 1/16" depth (cutting the rebates along the edge lines left a 1/8" wide rebate around the edges).

Flat strips of 1/8" MDF (117.4750mm or 4 5/8" wide) were cut, and glued to form the sides. This obviously required some bending. Note that I used perspex instead of MDF for one of the faces.

The right angle plates were again cut out of 1/8" MDF, but do not have a rebate. Flat strips of 1/8" MDF (184.15mm or 7 1/4" wide) were cut, with a 1/8" wide, 1/16" deep rebate machined down the sides (I did these on the router table as it was quicker). These were then bent round the plates and glued.

There are three copies of the right angle plates as I needed three of these duct sections, and one set of plates was cut from MDF, the other from perspex (yea, I know, I should've layed that out in the CAM package, but it was the first thing I did with the CNC system, so I didn't know that at the time).

Look at the finished ducting system and you'll see that the CNC cut plates on the 'Y's are at 90 degrees to the CNC cut plates on the right angles - hence the sections with rebates are always on the same 'path'. It's a bit difficult to explain, but if you put it together you'll understand.

http://spikyfish.com/DustExtraction/RightAngle.dxf
http://spikyfish.com/DustExtraction/Wye.dxf

 

[sploo]

To connect the sections together, I made a flanges, which were glued, flush, onto the ends of the duct sections.

This post contains the duct flange pieces. They were cut from 1/2" plywood.

I split each flange into two pieces so I could group them together for cutting, which actually turned out to be a good idea, as it was easier to glue them onto the ends of the duct sections as separate pieces.

The 'bump' on one short face is because I could only obtain 2mm perspex, which mean one side face was slightly thinner than the 1/8" (approx 3mm) opposing side. The bump was to ensure the flange touches the perspex and could be glued.

As with the above post, I'd strongly suggest taking a good look at the pictures I posted, as they'll help you work out the way it all goes together.

http://spikyfish.com/DustExtraction/Flange.dxf