Outside dust collection in the Northern(ish) hemisphere?

[maddis]

I'm a very lucky man. My better half recently suggested that we spend the money to move my shop from the basement to a freestanding shed. It's a great space, vinyl-sided, separate foundation, about 10 X 12 interior. I'm going to put in a couple of windows and finally have some natural light.

I have a freestanding dust collector that works pretty well in combination with an air filter and a dust mask. But I wonder about the advantages of collecting outside the shed. Currently, every time my unit turns on and the bag blows up, it sheds a fair amount of dust into the air. My question is what the advantages/costs are to external collection and whether the fact that I live in the Northeast US is a factor (i.e., we have real winters and I plan to use the shop year round). Am I gonna blow all the precious warm air right out of my shop? Could I use my current system and rig it for external collection?

[archaggelosmichail]

I do use my dust collector from outside of my workshop.

It's better setup cause of the less noise and filter's dust.

[caskwith]

My plan in the future is to set up a small shed for my dust extractor and compressor. It does worry me though that in the winter all the warm air will be removed. Not quite decided what I am going to do about that yet.

[archaggelosmichail]

I've made a nice box of 18mm thick plywood draw some wide holes(at the side of the box that is facing to the river next to my shop) and left plenty of room to have lot air and not overheat.

At the other sides of the box I glued rockwool so I reduced the noice, and got done with the neighbours.

[Sasquatch]

Yes, dust collection in an "outside" machine will literally suck any warm air out of the shop, to be replaced by..... cold air.

There are much more efficient pleated filters available for most dust collectors, and that in conjunction with an ambient air cleaner would probably be a better bet. Or, you need a serious source of heat to run interlocked with the collector.

[maddis]

I figured it might be a bigger production than it was worth. I have a Delta system that claims to filter down to 1 micron. I also have an air cleaner. I know the AC has a replaceable filter but all the DC seems to use is a cloth bag that apparently lets air but not dust through.

[ToddJohnson]

At The Briar Studio, we keep our dust collectors in an MDF box lined with pink fiberglass insulation. This serves two purposes; first, it reduces the noise to the point that you can carry on a conversation at a normal volume level while the dust collector is running, and second, it keeps the fine dust contained when the bag "puffs up" on startup. You can either cut a small vent to keep from straining the motor, or just set the box around the dust collector without "sealing" it to the wall.

TJ

[maddis]

I might just go with that solution TJ. I have a friend who repairs guitars and he's done the same thing with boxing up the collector. Of course, mine looks like this, not exactly designed to be easily boxed:

http://www.cpodeltamachinery.com/delta- ... map=50-760

[scotties22]

I have been thinking about boxing mine since I put it in. I need to break down and buy a remote for it first. Right now I climb over the machine to turn it on and off.....looks pretty funny with my big ol' belly hanging all over the place and would be impossible if I built the box for it

[ToddJohnson]

I might just go with that solution TJ. I have a friend who repairs guitars and he's done the same thing with boxing up the collector. Of course, mine looks like this, not exactly designed to be easily boxed:

http://www.cpodeltamachinery.com/delta- ... map=50-760

Mine is bigger, and it still has its own box. It lives under the stairs. And yes, you can quote that if you like.

TJ