tedfmcm Posted November 9, 2014 Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 In the process of setting up my new basement shop and and besides my new table saw and half delivered dust collector (long story with amazon), I am focusing on proper dust collection. This was not the case ripping wood on my fathers radial arm saw with nothing but a window fan in the basement window growing up, unaware of the dangers from dust. My boss was fortuitously getting a new furnace this week so I managed to snag his squirrel fan and was planning to shop make a filter similar to the commercial units to save money for other tools, and let's face it, purely for the challenge. I have located plans online, but the fan I got seems to be quite a bit larger than others referenced. It's about 1.5 feet cubed and I looked quickly at the motor which is a 115v, 10.5 amps GE. Now, it clearly can move some serious air and wiring challenges/research required aside, I'm worried about the potential size and structural challenges with the weight of this unit. Given the 7 foot ceilings and smallish 11x26 foot shop, I'm thinking a vertical mount setup either from the ceiling or wall. Does anyone have any experience or suggestions I should consider as I start designing this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted November 9, 2014 Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 An air filter doesn't do much if it just sucks in the clean air that just passed through the filter. You want to design it so that the clean out comes out in one direction and the fan sucks the dirty air in from the other direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raefco Posted November 9, 2014 Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 I have built a few, as simple as a 20x20 filter attached to a box fan, works pretty well in a smal area, for dad's body shop we build a 6 ft square box 12" thick, it is on casters. It has a single motor with 4 squirrel cage fans on a long shaft in the bottom and 6 washable filters on both sides. It is rather large but works very well in a 2500sq ft area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 Ummmm...that may be too much fan. Most furnace fans have 3 speeds. Even on slow speed, that thing develops a lot of wind. You would be blowing s&%t all over your shop. Save that for a down draft sanding table. Use an attic fan and furnace filters for a room air filter. -Ace- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I made one years ago and it worked great. A few years ago my shop furnaces squirrel cage seized up on one of the coldest days of the year, needless to say I gutted my shops filter and used it to revive my heat supplier. This summer I came upon another free squirrel cage and am going back at it. I have a full loft above my shop so I am going to basically build a U shaped duct which will pull the air up through the ceiling-through the squirrel cage-and return back into the shop, upon entry and exit of this unit will be a filter box. My previous unit was basically the same but hung from the ceiling, I have high ceilings so clearance isn't an issue but it wasn't fun getting it hung and it was an eye sore- this solves both issues;would this be a possibility for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedfmcm Posted November 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Being in the basement, my ceilings are only 7 feet, so a large ceiling mounted enclosure wouldnt be doable. However, I am thinking maybe a smaller one mounted over my extension talble of the table saw...or some larger floor based unit with air inflow/outflows off the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedfmcm Posted January 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Figured I would pick up on the thread as I started construction today. Ripped 2x4's into square stock and used the dado for half lap joints on the main frame corners. Used 18 gauge brads to hold the corners for the screws with glue. The cross braces for the two frames were glued and screwed. I bolted the fan cage with four 3/8 inch bolts into t-bolts which sit flush on the other side. Seems pretty sturdy and with the to-be-attached 3/4 ply skin, don't think it's going anywhere. Also picked up a two speed switch and plan to have two filters on each side...hopefully finish construction tomorrow. Any suggestions on how to hang to the ceiling joists to limit vibration? Thinking there is something I could add besides the standard chain/eye hooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Lawn chair webbing ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 I would not have thought about chain and eye hooks. Sounds good to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 How about some tool dip on the s-hooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodbutcher74 Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 How about hanging it from some of those screen door springs. The kind that comes with aluminium storm doors. Might take some of the vibration out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 There are loads of options. You want rigging made for suspension. If it falls on someone, your insurance will dig. There are all manner of isolation mounts. I googled "vibration isolation hangers" and things like this pop right up. http://www.zoro.com/i/G2019236/?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Feed&gclid=CNec7oHmnsMCFQaOaQod3xsApA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 With the power of the furnace motor. I would think about a stiff mount and not worry to much about vibration. You put that thing on chains, it will probably swing on you when it turns on and off. Furnace motors move a lot of air. -Ace- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raefco Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 I finally started my post construction cleaning and organization of my basement shop, the dust storm was terrible, a lot of stuff is leaving, anyway I gathered up some stuff that was laying around and I built a air scrubber/ sanding table out of stuff that was in the shop I only had 2 filters on hand, I will also put a baffle inside the box to direct the air toward the bottom before exiting through the fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Very well done. No more (less) wood colored snot and buggers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Maxa Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 You may want to check out the three YouTube videos showing how to build a filtration system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weithman5 Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 i would think with that fan you could put it on the floor and rout the ducting suction and ejection many feet away. why risk it falling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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