NO CA Allergies with Vac/DC

[leehljp]

CA finishes have caused me all kinds of problems with allergies - 1, 2, 3 days of flu like symptoms. Pens are only a hobby, but my best stress relief from work. And I like CA finishes and don't want to give them up.

WHAT TO DO ?
Triton helmet and also a double canister mask.
The Triton helmet - Too hot in the summer. Rest of the time it is OK. Doing one pen at a time means applying CA with helmet on, - take it off and come back 10 minutes later, put helmet mask on and apply second coat in 1 minute. Take helmet off while waiting for a few minutes to let CA cure. Put helmet back on, repeat two or three times with sanding in between.

Second pen, forget helmet and get flue like symptoms! Too much trouble taking it on and off, on and off, on and off for one minute at a time.

NEED DC SYSTEM, but they are TOO NOISY for after 8 PM use (and mid day use for neighbor's baby. - Neighbors homes and bedrooms too close - 8 feet to the rear and 8 feet to the side. (This is Japan, but this noise problem could apply in many city ordinances and home basements & garages.)

ENTER VAC MUFFLER - scroll down to the second project in the link below:

http://www.rd.com/17685/article.html

I have a small 65mm (2 1/2 inch ID) Makita DC system that is NOISY. (size and looks similar to this: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94029

After seeing the vac muffler, I decided to place my small Makita in a similar box under the lathe itself and it does SUPER. It SUCKS Great and is very quiet in a carpet enclosed box. The box is modified from the one listed in the first link above and is more complicated. I used 65mm sewer pipes inlet wrapped in felt and taped on.

I made one pen already and have not had the faintest hint of allergies. DC systems are great. I have long wanted one and now I have one, albeit small. And Knock on Pen Wood, so far no allergies and no loud noises.

 

[les-smith]

That's pretty neat Hank. I've been looking at a DC similar to that because of its size. I don't have much room either. So my interest is peaked as to what you have done.

How did you handle the DC bag? Is it inside your box or outside?

 

[leehljp]

Originally posted by les-smith

That's pretty neat Hank. I've been looking at a DC similar to that because of its size. I don't have much room either. So my interest is peaked as to what you have done.

How did you handle the DC bag? Is it inside your box or outside?

Dust Bag - I custom made one, and will make more as needed.

My actual set up is a little convoluted but it works. I put a shelf about half way up inside the box and put the DC on it. The space below is approximately 18 by 20 inches by 14 inches high. The exhaust of the DC goes into a 2 1/2 inch pipe and down to the bottom and the bag is hooked onto that.

The custom made bag is the size of the bottom section. I found some speciality window screen cloth here that lets air flow through. It feels like a slightly thinner version of the original bag and is fine woven. The air flows through the bag, and then from there - back up to the top where the DC is sitting, and then out a vent with a second set of filters on it. (The air flowing back up keeps the DC motor cooled.) I am going to keep a check on this to see if the fine dust does anything to the motor.

Since I don't turn a lot of pens - 1 or 2 a week at the most, that small bag should last me a few months.