Hello,

this is my first message

I'm currently renovating 2 rooms in my house, where I want to install my workshop.
I care a lot about security and I want to work in safe conditions for me and the rest of my family.

Which kind of dust aspiration system would you advise me to acquire ?

I've noticed you use a "Plymovent" device when trimming a part using a dremel saw, but it is just an "arm" and I can't see where the dust go. So.... what kind o vacuum cleaner do you use, how do you plug it on the arm, do it require special dust filter, is the start of the dremel triggers the cleaner ?


wooo... many questions huh ?

I’m also very curious about that, we must remember that carbon dust conducts electricity, so if some of it finds its way to the vacuum cleaner electrical engine it will bourn. I know there are filters capable of dealing with that problem I just don’t know if they are hi-tech stuff.

I would also appreciate that the good people of easy composites give us an insight about those vacuum systems prices.

Also interested.

Hi Guys,

We use a fairly simple and robust extractor with that arm,

http://www.recordpower.co.uk/product/fine-filter-45-litre-extractor--hplv1

We have used this type of extractor for years and never had one 'fry' like many things do with carbon dust, these filter to 0.5 micron which is fine enough to remove virtually all the harmful dust, in an ideal setup this unit would be located either in an outside shelter on in a sealed box that exhausts to outside, this serves 2 purposes;

1. The exhausted air from the unit cannot be 100% free from particles, so exhausting it outside ensures that you will not breathe the extracted air.
2. Exhausting the air to outside the work-room will depressurise the workshop meaning that air will flow in through gaps in doors/floors etc. This will contain the dust in that area and help to prevent it from spreading into other 'clean' areas.

Any dedicated fine dust extractor should work perfectly well with dusts produced from composites, the 'bag' type extractors for wood-working are not really suitable for fine dust so I would not recommend using these.

It is worth noting that any electrical device is susceptible to damage by the conductive carbon dust, there are again a couple of points worth considering;

1. keep all tools clean, regular vacuuming and servicing of tools will give them a much longer life.
2. Use air tools where practical - air-tools obviously don't get damaged by the dust, but they do have draw-backs, the often blow dust into the air rather that the extractor, they can also be quite noisy and bulky.
3. Un-plug and switch off any electrical device in your trimming area after you have finished - The only time I have ever seen an electric tool completely fry was a grinder that had been put down 15mins before simply decided to combust! scary stuff and worth remembering that all of these tools still have power while they are plugged in. I will add that that machine had spent 4 years cutting carbon daily without ever receiving a proper clean or service... it's a suprise it didn't go sooner!
4. Lastly, keep the trimming area separate from the rest of the workshop if you can, a simple curtain can perform this task, this will mean you only have to keep on top of the dust clean-up in that area not the whole place.

Paul Statham
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical

Thanks Paul.

Hi Paul,

I thank you a lot for your comprehensive answer, it has all the information I needed

maybe a last one : how do you plug the plymovent arm to the extractor ?

J.

Thanks! 

The extractor connects with the arm with the a coupler you source yourself or use the record power heatsink coupler pictured below the extractor shown on the record power site and can fit the 2 arm models available from plymovent.

Take a look at the end of the arm:http://www.plymovent.co.uk/uk/products/extraction_arms/metal_tube_arms.aspx

They do a miniman 75 and miniman 100 but not sure which model they used.

 I am guessing the miniman 100

Thank you Darknight, sounds good