dust collection myths

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
L

LEAP

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
1,938
Location
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
I am in the process of setting up a dust collection system in the shop and decided to do a little research on the static hazards involved. I've heard many experts on the subject pontificating about the hazards and risk of explosion and wanted to find out a bit more. anyway I came across this web page that was very informative.
http://home.comcast.net/~rodec/woodworking/articles/DC_myths.html
Take it for what its worth.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
I've always known that the risk of an explosion due to static electricity was overblown (pun intended). HOWEVER, if you're going to use PVC pipe for your ducting, be prepared for some annoying little shocks whenever you open a blast gate. I had PVC in a shop years ago and ended up running a bare piece of #12 wire INSIDE the pipe to prevent getting shocked. Something to consider if you're gonna use PVC. It's also ALOT easier to run the wire DURING installation instead of trying to do it AFTER.
One more tip, DON'T glue anything!:D
 
Originally posted by rherrell

I've always known that the risk of an explosion due to static electricity was overblown (pun intended). HOWEVER, if you're going to use PVC pipe for your ducting, be prepared for some annoying little shocks whenever you open a blast gate. I had PVC in a shop years ago and ended up running a bare piece of #12 wire INSIDE the pipe to prevent getting shocked. Something to consider if you're gonna use PVC. It's also ALOT easier to run the wire DURING installation instead of trying to do it AFTER.
One more tip, DON'T glue anything!:D
Click to expand...

I agree with everything except the annoying little shocks part. For me it was an BIG SHOCK!. When I redid it I ran a copper wire through the ducting and never had another problem.
 
I hate static shocks too so I grounded mine.

If you haven't seen how combustible fine wood dust is...do a simple experiment by throwing a handful to a tiny fire. BEWARE...it burns like gasoline!!! Is static electricity enough to create a spark? I don't know but I don't want to find that out in my house/shop...especially with all those HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE fine dust. Better safe than sorry. JMHO.
 
I haven't had any problems with static shock in my set up, but I used the soft aluminum expandable dryer hose from the collector to the first "Y" that connects to my flex hoses to the tools... any my collector is housed outside the shop.

Back when I was still working and in SF, my office had a cheap nylon carpet that just walking on would build a static charge... I developed the habit of slapping the side of the file cabinets before I reached for the handle... the slap discharged my hand so I didn't get that zap everytime I went into my desk drawer or a file cabinet.

Fun thing was when we would get a salesman calling on us, we shuffled our feet across the carpet [}:)] and then when we shook hand, we could get a visible spark from us to the salesman... [:p] discouraged a lot of salesmen that way.:D[}:)][}:)]
 
A good book from Grizzly called Dust Collection Basics. Get the book or a book on dust collection before you go any farther.
 
Books, How 20th century. I'm sitting in front of the biggest library in history. Seriously though there is a lot of information both good and bad on dust collecton in the web not the least the vast experience available right on this forum. As the folks above mentioned I'm much more concerned with the prospect of getting a shock while working with the equipment than blowing up my shop. I'm leaning towards a metal trunk line and flex drops. Partially because I have about 40 feet of 4" round aluminum duct. Now its just a matter of putting it all up.
 
Just read the reference on dust collection grounding that you referred to. ALL THAT KNOWLEDGE AND NO PRATICAL EXPERANCE. Have you ever seen wood dust cling to PVC? I have. Get a book written by someone who knows something about wood dust and how to move it. AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BURN DOWN YOUR HOUSE/SHOP, ignore that so called expert and ground your PVC system. PVC is the least expensive dust collection system material, but use caution. Ground inside of it with bare wire, also ground the DCS to each piece of equipment and to the Dust Collector as well. As an added precaution I also drove a 8' ground rod next to the building my DC is in and grounded everything to that. I know overkill, but after a house fire that destroyed half of my home and took two years to repair, I take no chances.The house fire had nothing with the wood shop as it is in a seperate building. The fire was electrical in nature and was caused by a wire staple being improperly installed by contractor 16 years ago inside a wall.
 
But the biggest library in history cannot always be trusted to provide good informed information. At best you have to sort through alot of BS and opinion. Better to read something that has been vetted, than accept that if they wrote it on the Internet it is fact. The more information the better.
 
Mine was as Scott said, "BIG" shocks. Through my shoe and hurt my toe type of big. Not hurt, just hurt at the time. No lasting damage, but it sucks. It throws you off your game too. Moving along, having a nice day turning, stop to switch a gate or clean up some dust and "POW".
Ground your system just for that reason. You'll be glad you did.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom