Fume Extraction System For Fab Shop

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Hi, I have an awning shop and we are in need of a fume extraction system for our two welders. Our welding area is roughly 30' x 40' with 14' high ceiling. We primarily do MIG welding on 14 or 16 GA galvanized tube steel.Due to the type of work we do our welders never weld in the same spot day after day: some frames or pieces are as small as 10", others can be as large as 15' x 20'. As a result we don't have workstations or tables that they weld at exclusively. I've been looking into some portable systems that the welders can move around with them. I'm hoping some of you on the forum may have had some experience with either of the systems we're looking at.  Kemper's Filtermaster looks like a pretty good, inexpensive option: https://kemperamerica.com/filtration...master-mobile/. It costs about half as much as the ones made by Miller or Lincoln. Not sure if the quality is as good compared to Miller or Lincoln though. For about the same price as a Miller Capture 5, you can get two welders set up with the Robovent extractor that is built into the gun: https://www.robovent.com/products/th...ent-extractor/. This ain't cheap, but for the ease of use, it seems like it would be the perfect scenario as you don't have a vacuum head you are constantly repositioning every time you move to a different spot on your frame.Any input would be greatly appreciated.Thanks
Reply:The RoboVent Extractor seems like a no brainer for your operation!
Reply:I've used one of those systems before, it did work.....but. The corrugated hose was a PIA if you were working over the edge of something, it was hard to move smoothly as the corrugations made it rough..............Mike
Reply:

Originally Posted by mrmikey

I've used one of those systems before, it did work.....but. The corrugated hose was a PIA if you were working over the edge of something, it was hard to move smoothly as the corrugations made it rough..............Mike
Reply:This was 15+ years or so ago so things may have changed. It was a central system a 20 or so HP electric motor operated vacuum that was mounted outside, noisy as he77. It was plumbed thruout the shop using 6" plastic pipe with individual drops using 2" pipe in various places. To be brutally honest, the system didn't work worth a damn. 'Wouldn't pull a sick wh**e off a pi$$ pot' was the favorite saying. The theory was you'd mount small portable hoods over someone welding, more than 12" above the weld smoke....forget it. It did work better with the gun mounted source capture but as I said, the corrugated hose was a pia and it was heavy and stiff. Try using that under a truck welding a frame, not fun.I was told the reason it didn't work is that it was a high velocity low volume and what we wanted was a low velocity high volume. Not being a HVAC guy I said sure.As I said, it was many years ago so take my comments with a grain of salt as things may have improved...............Mike