Good exhaust for welding?

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Would this Sears portable shop vac make a usable exhaust system for TIG welding if I removed the bag and ducted the exhaust outside my workspace?Sears item #00921335000 Mfr. model #OR65000http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=YesA man who can't weld is as poorly educated as a woman who can't sew
Reply:TIG welders don't make much fumes, just leave a window and a door open or something.  Maybe, put a fan in the door.
Reply:If you're doing SMAW or FCAW, it would probably be really helpful. Otherwise, like GMC stated, just leave a windows cracked.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:...that, and a shop vac probably won't have the duty cycle.  I know for me, running lower amperage, it gets easy to weld,.. and weld... and weld... and weld..Get a bathroom fan and some flex ducting... probably cheaper, and most likely, much quieter.  ( just my .02)
Reply:I second what slamdvw says,A bathroom fan or any other small squirrel cage blower with a decent sized chunk o' duct on the intake will be more effective and quieter.  You have to be careful to move a decent sized volume of air at a velocity that won't disturb your shielding gas.  A shop vac is good at moving a small volume at high velocity, and to be effective at evacuating fumes would have to be too close.  It would almost certainly disturb the shielding gas.good luck,cricman
Reply:In the old days when I was just using stick, I rigged an exhaust system by using a squirrel cage fan out of a discarded clothes dryer.  The lid from a galvanized garbage can became a hood.  I cut a hole in the lid to attach a 4" flexible vinyl dryer duct that ran to the fan, mounted on a rafter.  Another flex duct ran from the fan to outside.  The hood was suspended via nylon rope through a couple overhead pulleys with the counterweight hanging in a corner.  I could just reach up and pull the hood down over my table when I had a project going.  Worked really great to keep fumes to an acceptable level.  Today, the same fan and ducting extracts paint fumes from my paint cabinet.
Reply:Argon gas is generally heavier than most particles in the air ,so any vacum or vaporizing system should be sucking the air from benieth the workpiece , I once  thought of making a 4" hole with densed metal net on my table's surface ,and a flex ducting with a cone on the other hand ,connected to a pull-side fan to suck the fumes &Ar downwards, Also this wil prevent outer breeze/air from a window to distract the shielding gas , as the sucktion will be downwards and it will increase the gas direction to the workpiece.
Reply:Originally Posted by ChenSArgon gas is generally heavier than most particles in the air ,so any vacum or vaporizing system should be sucking the air from benieth the workpiece , I once  thought of making a 4" hole with densed metal net on my table's surface ,and a flex ducting with a cone on the other hand ,connected to a pull-side fan to suck the fumes &Ar downwards, Also this wil prevent outer breeze/air from a window to distract the shielding gas , as the sucktion will be downwards and it will increase the gas direction to the workpiece.
Reply:Isn't it a squirrel cage blower on this particular Sears unit? And could I not use a blast gate to regulate the air flow? The size of ducting on this thing would suggest to me that it has a lower velocity air flow compared to your regular shop vac.What are the specs on those $1000 portable fume extractors anyway?Last edited by woof; 02-15-2007 at 10:34 PM.A man who can't weld is as poorly educated as a woman who can't sew
Reply:I was gonna say the noise would drive you bananas, but somebody beat me to it.  For tig, you dont want alot of wind and air flow around you.  just an open door or something should be adequate.  Make sure you have an opening near the floor though, just to disperse some of argon (it floats to the floor)..(If you dont mind the noise, you could allways rig up a leaf blower or something like it).. heh.  Really, dont get carried away with the air.  If you were stick, flux core welding or brazing, then yes, you definately need some way to disperse the fumes.Various GrindersVictor Journeyman torch200cf Acet. 250cf oxygenLincoln 175 plus/alpha2 gunLincoln v205t tigLincoln 350mpEsab 650 plasmaWhen you can get up in the morning, Its a good day.Live each day like its your last.
Reply:You could use something small like this, just to displace the air: Or, something like this (this is a 20" unit), which I was leaning toward but in a 12" unit: John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:I did the following a few years ago because I got a lot of requests for air cleaning units but didn’t want to go into the business.  There are a lot of good outfits in it already. tom Air Filtering EquipmentEquipment ChoicesYou can start as I did with a simple fan and a metal stovepipe.  This is very easy and cheap to install.  The drawback is that it usually sucks a lot of warm air out during cold weather.ConsultantsMost states provide free consulting.  If you are in British Columbia then you can contact the Workers’ Compensation Board at (604) 276-3209.Three Excellent Articles1.One is by John Ashe of AAF (American Air Filter) International in Louisville, KY.  (305) 443-9353.  His article is Controlling Welding Fumes in the July, 1997 issue of  The Fabricator.  Reprints of the article are available by calling (800) 477-1214 and asking for reprint # APC-4-905.2.Another good article was in the December 1996 issue of the same magazine.  It was written by Joe Topmiller who is Director of Technical support for United Air Specialists at (800) 551-5401 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The article is Addressing Air Quality Issues in the Workplace.3.The third article is on new respiratory standards by Jay G. Mears in Modern Woodworking.   (248) 244-6439.  It was called: Intelligence Report: Getting Ready for 42 CFR part 84 call MSA and is available at (888) 867-0602. Equipment Suppliers:1.  AAF International (American Air Filters) –(305) 443-9353 – small line but appropriate for most shop applications – great technical support – (see articles section above).  Excellent technical advice.2.  Abicor Binzel (301) 846-4196 Frederick, MD - They only supply fume extraction guns for welding.  Great product if you need it.3.  Airflow Systems (214) 503-8008 Dallas, TX – wide variety of units, overhead units, downdraft tables, and portable units – “Dust and fume Exhaust” pamphlet has good technical information.  Recommended for literature.4.  Coppus (508) 756-8391 Millbury, MA – unique, portable dust collection systems – also employee coolers for hot areas.  Unique products.5.  Dust Vent, Inc.  (630) 543-9007 Addison, IL. – Wide range of equipment and good literature.  Recommended for literature.6.  Eurovac  (905) 850-9828 in Ontario.  –Central vacuum cleaner systems and other dust collection equipment.7.  Farr Pollution Control Products (800) 479-6801 Los Angeles, CA. – Overhead cleaning with or without arms.8.  Gardner Environmental Products (414) 485-4303 Horicon, WI –Ceiling mounted and portable units.9.  Industrial Ventilation Group (800) 610-6010 Harbor Springs, MI –Central and portable units, downdraft tables.  Recommended for literature.10.  Lincoln Electric (216) 481-8100 –Offers a central collection system and portable units –just one mention in their catalog.11.  MAC Equipment, Inc.  (800) 821-2476 – Huge, complete catalog.  Excellent information, great source to build your own system.  Recommended for literature.12.  Nederman (313) 729-3344 Westland, MI –Nice literature –looks like nice overhead arm extraction equipment –good information on Do It Yourself. Recommended for literature.13.  Plymovent (732) 417-0808 New Jersey –good equipment –great free booklet “My Pocketguide to Clean Fresh Air”.  Recommended for literature.14.  Sly, Inc. (216) 891-3200 Cleveland, OH –Shop size central collection systems to huge industrial systems.  Recommended for literature.15.  Trion (800) 421-3956 Greensboro, NC –Overhead units –they advertise a free clean air guide.16.  United Air Specialists (800) 551-5401 Cincinnati, Ohio –Invented the original smoke eaters for bars, etc. –Good equipment –good literature and great technical help.  Recommended for literature.
Reply:yaknow... I guess I should have looked at the link, instead of going off of 'shop vac'From the looks of it, that is a low rpm blower.  Maybe 3450 or so..  shouldn't be all that noisy.  But i'd bet it'll move a LOT more air than u'd need to move.Me personally would find that much air overkill, but then again a unit like that could suck up the welding smoke, then when done vacuum up the mess from grinding and cutting...
Reply:forget the vac, they are all noisy and if not high enough frequency, to annoy you after a while, plus the duty cycle is not going to work either, they are not made to run straight for hours. a discarded bathroom fan, or these other suggestions, plus the vac uses a lot more watts. But I think you want the vac for another purpose also. like vacuuming?