dust collector air filter

admin

Does anyone use a dust collector in there shop? looking for something priced for a hobby shop to clear out the dust and welding smoke in the shop, without venting all the warm air outside.thermal arc mst400, va4000 feeder, lincoln 175 min, victor torches, miller s32p feeder, air arc k4000 for work.
Reply:We have used air handlers to do this, They basically have a furnace style filter on one side to catch the larger particles and a HEPA filter behind the pre-filter to catch any other stuff in the air. They work very well on anything from drywall dust to smoke. We use them a lot in hospital construction venting the clean air outside the construction zone to keep the area under negative pressure.They are about 4' tall and draw air in through the top and dump out the side. We also have a few ceiling mount units for long term use.
Reply:It is pretty hard to do this on a hobby level.  Lincoln and other manufacturers supply filter systems that use static precipitators.  The smokey air passes through a series of electrically charged wires and the particles cling to the wires.  They are highly effective but cost dollars.   You might consider a three inch vacuum hose with a funnel end set about six to 12 inches away from where you are welding.  The small amount of air sucked out and discharged outside would minimize your heat loss.