Choice for Ceiling Mounted Fine Dust Filtration System
jimhelminski
| Posted in Workshop on
Can anyone suggest a good 110 volt fine dust air filtration unit that hangs from a ceiling that will clear fine particles in a standard 2 car garage?
Replies
I have an old Jet model that works fine, but it is not what they currently sell. One word of advice is look at how easy the filters are to change/clean. On my old Jet, it isn't terrible but it's painful enough that I end up not using as often as I should, because I hate the thought of having to get into it.
I also have a Jet, not sure if it's the same model. On mine, filter change is not difficult though, so maybe they updated it. It works well at cleaning fine dust from the air. 3 speeds (not too loud, pretty loud and 747). The noise is the main reason I don't use it more often (plus, I mostly use hand tools, with much less fine dust). However, when planing, or using the TS for more than just 1-2 cuts, I will use it. I made a down-draft table for sanding, so have less need for whole shop filtration.
I have a grizzly unit in garage but dont work in there for long periods - I’m not sure how effective it is. I’ve often wondered if ceiling units are really the way to go? Are the fine particles we should fear really up there? In my walkout basement shop area i have a powermatic HEPA round unit sitting closer to chest high - it seems to work quite effectively but isn’t cheap.
Powermatic makes this. It's pricey, of course. I can't vouch for it either as I don't have it, but it's been sitting in the back of my mind. It's only a matter of time.
Looks simple enough to mount anywhere or keep mobile.
https://www.rockler.com/powermatic-pm1250-micro-dust-air-filtration-system?country=US&promo=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&utm_campaign=18291976996&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=18291976996
I have this hunk of junk on the ceiling right now. It's unreasonably loud. I honestly hate it, but it does work. I turn it on when running the planer or drum sander, and it does a pretty good job, I guess. You'll need custom-size replacement filters, though. They aren't any more expensive.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BPP6DS4W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=a7b2c4d8e96-20
After doing what I do so well "over think issues," I purchased the Powermatic 1250. I will let you know what I think Bentusi.
Please do; I see its speced at 65db, aka normal conversation level.
I would be very curious to know how loud you perceive it and at what distance from you it is.
I'll try to hold off until you report back, lol. If it's the same noise as my junker, I'll probably just save the 600 bucks.
My shop is super tiny (talking around 450 sq/ft...yes my life is a game of Tetris), and it would sit mere feet away from me.
I know it's obviously subjective without a dB meter, but I would love to know how its low-speed sounds, as that is what I'd like to leave it on constantly.
Edit: Oh, you got the one I linked. Nvm, what I said above. I'm still interested to hear how you like it later, though.
The PM 1250 is what I have - round. I do think it works well, and it is pretty quiet. Much quieter than dehumidifier i run in spring/ summer/fall
I've been happy with my JET AFS-1000C, but have not as of yet done anything like use a particulate meter to check its effectiveness. It seems to keep things generally less dusty and is largely inconspicuous in my 2-car garage shop.
It has several speeds and its own particulate sensor that lets it ramp up and down based on what it sees in the air. The casing is also plastic, which made one-person installation much easier than with a heavier unit.
Filter replacement is easy (in my opinion) and JET offers washable filters that you can hose off and replace. I bought two so that I can have a fresh one in use while the just replaced one is drying.
i have a pm1200 hanging from the ceiling. my shop is 24x24 with 12 foot ceilings. yes, a bit pricey ($629 on amazon right now), but works flawlessly. my one and only advice if you get one of these units is to keep a good supply of filters on hand.
Thats exactly what ive been wanting for a while.
getting one.
is it loud? can you keep it running 24/7 and still talk or hear a TV?
If you would consider a DIY unit check out the following video by Matt Montavon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOecQZZR5kA
I installed HRV (heat recovery ventilator) in both my shops with a custom built furnace filter on the exhaust side. Rather than recirculating stale air it brings in outside air with little heat loss. A lot of dust is generated sanding bowls in spite of point source extraction and the HRV filters effectively remove the fugitive dust based on the frequency of replacement. Better in the trash bin than in my lungs. Some climates might suggest an ERV to moderate
humidity as well.
I found this excellent consideration of the factors you may like to consider:
https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/woodworking-tips-1605may/dtew/dtew1.html
Personal commentary follows:
I will start by saying that I have no personal experience with these units.
This is partly because I have a bit of an airy shop (pole barn) but mostly because I remain unconvinced that they will actually achieve anything, in particular, reducing the need to clean and reducing risk from dust exposure.
Firstly, when I am using a power tool, even with high quality extraction, they do spit out dust. I am generally close to the tool and without a mask can invariably smell the dust, so I know it is there. An air cleaner is not going to remove that dust before it gets to me, so I have to wear a mask if I want to be free of inhaled dust.
Secondly, much of the dust is going to settle close to where it is produced. Some will move with air currents (such as are generated by air cleaners) and some will settle on horizontal surfaces in the shop. This means that I am still going to have to deal with dust on my surfaces, regardless of any filtration.
Thirdly, filters undoubtedly collect some dust as they get dirty, but the chances of them removing enough dust to make air safe in any reasonable time is small. Cheap filters probably don't remove a significant amount of nuisance and health concern dust. If you don't believe me, try an experiment - clean your shop. 2 months of average work later, do it again - collect the sweepings and fine dust you brush off surfaces - no way any filter is going to hold that much, and few will be changed that often. Most dust won't be a big risk, but much of what settles will be.
Finally, the risks of wood dust are probably overstated. Controversial, I know, but the best data we have shows a very small increase in rates of lung and nasal cancer in professional woodworkers, and the data is quite inconsistent. Some (Nordic countries) may even have a reduced risk of cancer. Dust is absolutely best avoided and can certainly exacerbate asthma but there is no plague of home woodworkers getting lung diseases from their hobby. What is criticial is avoidance of cannabis and tobacco use as these are both known to cause lung cancer and lung disease and inhaled smoke is known to be synergistic with many other carcinogens. It is likely that the difference in cancer rates between woodworkers in the USA and Nordic countries is more reflective of the relative smoking and cannabis use than the proposed difference in wood types. USA for instance is at 21% cannabis use, compared with Sweden's 3.8%; and 16.8% (2014) to 12.4% (2011) for tobacco - synergistic effects of smoke are impossible to control for - you can only control for the cancers that occur as a direct result of the habit, rather than the extras that occur by combination so it is probable that the observed risk is due to smoking various substances more than it is to wood dust.
So:
1. Collect as much dust as you can at source, but recognise that a lot of the 'worst' dust will still be ejected into the air.
2. Only a good mask will protect you from wood dust in your lungs. Yes, wood dust is not that dangerous (trivial compared with driving for instance) but it is still best avoided. There is no evidence that it is good for you!
3. Even if you have a top of the line filter, simple physics will mean some dust still ends up contaminating your surfaces - the filter is only going to pick out the very small airborne detritus - the larger dust will fall out onto things anyway.
4. 'affordable' filters probably don't make even the slightest difference as they don't collect enough dust fast enough to compensate for the additional risk posed by air circulation.
5. Don't smoke anything. Ever. Good advice even if you don't woodwork, but if you do, It's extra foolish.
You make a lot of good points, for sure. I agree with most of them. Especially the health ones.
I'd like to offer a counter viewpoint, though.
Many of us aren't as fortunate to have a lovely barn shop like you.
My shop is tiny and attached directly to my living space as well.
I have many computers and sensitive electronics throughout both spaces, and I'd like to be able to keep other surfaces as clean as possible besides my immediate work area. Such as my kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, ect.
Also, in a small space like mine, running a larger machine, even with good dust collection, can cause the air to become choking rather quickly.
I can attest that any and all attempts and investments I've made to combat dust have been effective. I change filters weekly, sometimes twice a week. They absolutely collect huge amounts of dust and make a massive difference for me. I have a well plumbed 1300CFM collection system and if i DONT run my overhead while using some machines ill have wood boogers for a week.
If I run the overhead, I'll be able to breathe clearly and won't have those wood boogers. Also, my other filters do not instantly clog when utilizing my overhead filtration, particularly my AC return filter. Reducing the load on that filter ultimately keeps my evaporator in better shape. However, it certainly needs to be cleaned at least once a year, which is another thing to consider for anyone who has AC in their shop. This applies even for mini splits. You really don't want dirt on your evaporator OR a dirty return filter; even a small suction pressure loss causes a significant increase in the compression ratio..thus reducing its lifespan.
The OPs garage would be small enough to suffer some of the same issues. I counter it is more than worthwhile for anyone in a similar position and certainly for the OP in a small garage.
Bentusi
Please be aware Rob_SS is a Physician. Knowing what sacrifices, work ethic, and personal capabilities are required to become a Physican - a "lovely barn shop" is the minimum he deserves.
Thank you for your kind words.
I am nothing special and personally do not feel I am more or less deserving than any other human being.
The privilege of being able to help others is a high reward. That I get a decent income with it is icing on the cake.
I never indicated otherwise. It was a compliment not a jab.
I know - really need reaction emojis on this page. Truly appreciated.
I'd hardly call my shop 'lovely' - it's a tin shed!
Great to hear you are finding your filters useful - you are certainly changing them more often than most people would be likely to do so.
Even though I am skeptical of the health risks of wood dust in the home shop, I think it would be wise to use a mask at all times, even with an air cleaner, given the things you have said.
Clearly the effectiveness of an air filter is going to depend on a number of factors including the size of the shop and in particular the distance from the sources of dust.
When I looked into them a while ago (but never purchased on as exclusively hand tools at the time), I found one of the major wood magazines had done a review on many of the name brands. Can’t recall which was their top pick but shouldn’t be too hard to find and that would be the direction I would likely go in. As for inside the home, we have a Rabbit A2 minus air filter in the bedroom and family room (sometimes California has bad smoke due to wildfires); I’ve been happy with those.
Found the review.
https://www.woodmagazine.com/tool-reviews/dust-collection/air-filtration-systems
I bought a Rikon 1100 on sale at W___ft last year. in ~ 1 car garage space.
Pro: according to the PM 2.5 meter that I have, it does clear the air when I turn it on. usually in a few minutes.
Cons: it is noisier than I expected even at the lowest setting. you can barely have a "normal" conversation. the remote control had very poor range; so poor I contacted Rikon and they sent out a 2nd. one. it worked 3 ft. away with direct line of sight. I needed to buy an IR extender for the remote control to work as expected.
Whatever model you end up with you can improve filtration with a Wynn filter. That's true for most all cyclone dust collectors also. It made a big difference on my Oneida.
https://wynnenv.com/
I rely on my dust collector to clear the air. I believe it works better than any filter fan can. In fact I clean my shop with it and an air hose. Turn on the collector, open 3 floor sweeps and two head height collector ports, then go after everything with an air hose. Come back 10 minutes later and do it again. Any air born dust settles on the floor and I sweep it into the floor sweeps all the while hte collector is still running. I have a clear view dust collector and it sucks enough air through it that it effectively cleans the air. You will not see any dust in the air through a sunlight beam 10 minutes after I clean the shop. That is something you cannot say about many houses. Once all is settled there isn't anything in the air to settle anywhere. My shop is 24'x36' and the dust collector with 6" pipe can suck some air for sure. It is one of the claims they made on their website and after testing a few times I believe it. I even had an engineer friend test the airflow at each machine etc and pipe leg. Their research is accurate. So when in doubt run your dust collector with some ports open if you have one with a fine filter.
When looking at air filtration systems for my basement shop I came across several articles on a Corsi Box - 4 20x20 Merv 13 filters and a box fan. I built a frame in which to insert the filters and install the fan. Total cost was about $65. I’ve been quite pleased with the amount of dust it removes from the air. Mine sits on the floor so does take more space than a ceiling hung box. https://engineering.ucdavis.edu/news/science-action-how-build-corsi-rosenthal-box