Sawdust containment

I occasionally cut plastic extrusions into short lengths on a chop saw. Since this makes a fairly big mess of plastic sawdust scattered over a large area, I've done this just outside a rollup door, where I can drag a table, an extension cord, and an air hose fairly easily.

However, my building manager recently rented my work area out to another tenant who is storing pallets of material there. I can easily do the job inside, but the mess would need to be contained to a smaller area.

Any ideas for a breakdown containment system that is inexpensive to make, sets up and breaks down easily, and can be stored in a small space? I have one wall to work with, but can't fasten anything to it.

Reply to
Smitty Two
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Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Maybe some thing with a shop vac?

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However, my building manager recently rented my work area out to another tenant who is storing pallets of material there. I can easily do the job inside, but the mess would need to be contained to a smaller area.

Any ideas for a breakdown containment system that is inexpensive to make, sets up and breaks down easily, and can be stored in a small space? I have one wall to work with, but can't fasten anything to it.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

How about first laying masking tape over both sides of the cut site? We may expect most of the particles to adhere to the tape rather than falling on the floor.

Reply to
Don Phillipson

Did they block the roll up door totally (are they allowed to do that)? I would probably roll the door up and set my cutting in the opening when the wind is NOT blowing in the door and do my cutting there. The dust would mostly blow away unless the storage is piled real close to the door. At minimum, using some dust collection, will reduce the heavier particles allowing the fine dust to naturally dissipate in the air.

Reply to
EXT

The rollup door is not blocked.

One big issue with various approaches suggested so far is that this is a precision job. Cuts have to be absolutely square, and length tolerance is +/- .005". In reality, I hold +/- .002. To accomplish that, I vigorously blow off every speck of plastic dust from the saw, the stop, and the workpiece before every single cut. (I suppose I could do some of that with a vacuum instead, but it would probably take 3 times as long.) So, I'm contributing to the mess with the air hose as much or more than the cutting itself.

So, working in front of the door with the door open is not an option, because I'd be blowing stuff inside. But, maybe I can work in front of the door with the door (almost) closed. I'll survey that option.

A couple of other notes: I do thoroughly clean up the mess, even when I work outside, with a broom and a vacuum cleaner. I'm not sure that this process generates much in the way of fine dust; it's more like small granules. They do tend to have static cling, so cleaning off the saw and work table involve more vigorous blowing.

Reply to
Smitty Two

I think the shop vac idea is a good one, in general, for capturing dust generated by the saw. But, per another reply I just posted, I distribute most of the dust with an air hose, blowing off the workpiece and saw between cuts. Also, the plastic dust is larger and heavier than wood sawdust.

What I keep envisioning is sort of like a wrap-around shower curtain, to make my work room temporarily smaller. But it would have to be readily portable, and not wall-mounted.

Reply to
Smitty Two

Not quite grokking this.

Reply to
Smitty Two

Bag on the saw outlet doesn't collect a damn thing, but maybe a vac would. Worth a try. A giant U-haul wardrobe box might help.

Reply to
Smitty Two

On 10/6/2012 3:05 PM, Smitty Two wrote: ...

There are several portable dust containment systems as far as containing in a work area...and several aftermarket systems for chop saws.

I doubt there's anything that will do much about collecting a very large fraction of the dust at the point of generation unless you can build a specific collection system around the saw that only allows room in for the workpiece and connects to a large dust collection system w/ high velocity--far more than just a shop vac.

Not sure what you're actually cutting as far as dimensions or material--if it's not terribly thick/hard perhaps convert to a shearing system instead of a sawblade.

--

Reply to
dpb

I got ya covered.

  1. Buy some rolls of plastic bug screen material and cut it to 20 foot lengths and make 10 foot long "loops" out of those lengths of bug screen material. Maybe sew the ends together with laminated fine copper wire for winding electric motors or by first stapling and then using a construction adhesive to glue both ends to a line marked down the middle of a 1X4 board.

  1. Buy eight long pieces of 1 1/2 inch ABS plumbing drain pipe and eight 1 1/2 inch ABS elbows. Make two frames, both square. Use 2 X 1

1/2 Fernco couplings at the corners instead of glueing the pipes into the elbows. That way, you can quickly and easily dismantle the frames for easy transport. (I don't know what standard lengths ABS pipe comes in, or how much space you need around the chop saw.)

  1. Slip your PVC pipes into the bugscreen loops and connect the corners so that you have two square frames made of pipe connected with loops of bug screen material.

  2. Connect 4 light duty chains of equal length to the 4 corners of the top frame, and have those chains attach to a central loop or hook.

  1. Have someone help you lift up that assembly and set it around your chop saw.

  2. Now, use an inexpensive electric hoist to pull the 4 chains up, thereby raising the top frame by the 4 chains attached to it's corners. As the top frame rises, it'll eventually pull the loops of bug screen taught, and begin to lift the bottom frame off the ground. That's when you want to stop the hoist from lifting the top frame any higher.

  1. Do your cutting, and then lower the top frame to the ground and step over it to get in and out of the dust enclosure.

Alternatively, you can do something more elaborate:

'PVC Fittings & Snap Clamp Connectors Great for building Greenhouses, Furniture, Cold Frames, Safety Shields and Shelving. - Solution - Simplified Building'

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Reply to
nestork

I watched a machine shop for years cutting plexiglass. I tried to persuade them trying anti static devices. Never happened. Stuff sticking all over the place. They even sell air hoses with anti static adaptors. High voltage ac producing positive and negative ions.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

You can get probably 90% with a quick vacuum and then blow off the rest. You then have 90% of the problem solved.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I'm wondering if just using a humidifier to increase the humidity in the shop air wouldn't have solved the problem there?

Reply to
nestork

It might have added to rust or mold problems if too humid. You'd need to find a balance between the two.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Could try anti-static spray cans made for clothing, and also sold to printers, to see if it reduces problems with plastic dust sticking to everything.

Reply to
EXT

Some or most products are a form of soapy water.

In high dust conditions you don't want high voltage, but here are some antistatic products..

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Greg

Reply to
gregz

We compounded our own anti-static spray. A 1:10 solution of fabric softener and water on the carpet saved many from a surprise shock during the dry, winter days.

Reply to
HeyBub

I use one of these. Works well.

Reply to
krw

Sorry, (damned keyboard).

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Reply to
krw

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