Safety/Ventilation

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Jspece
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Safety/Ventilation

Post by Jspece »

Could we talk a bit about safety around the shop? Particularly lungs?

I'm wanting to get into CNC Plasma. Major driver behind doing so is I'm physically disabled and since it's computer controlled I can run it no problem. I love building things and tinkering in the shop...typical farmboy...and my family has a garden center so I have a ready market.

My major concern is due to my disability my health is already behind the 8 ball particularly my lungs. I plan to get a table w/ a water pan. From what I understand that will eliminate a lot of dust and smoke. So what other precautions should I take? I'm in Iowa so it does get cold here and I imagine the majority of my production will occur in the cold months.

My shop has a lean-to off the side of it that is about 10x20' low cieling maybe 7' it is heated and my air compressor is in there I'm thinking put my table in there and put a big window between the lean to and my main shop then I can sit in my shop at the computer and run it. Then in the winter I could run an exhaust fan in the lean to and blow the soot outside and if the weather is decent just open the garage door on the lean to.

Some people say grinding will make more soot than a plaz w/ water table. Which I can understand.

Am I over thinking this? Paranoid?

Love the technology and possibilities, but not wanting to jeporadize my health!
vanweld
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Re: Safety/Ventilation

Post by vanweld »

I am working in a fairly small (24'X28') shop doing welding/fab and just recently acquired a cnc plasma. Big concern has always been dust and smoke control to avoid the inhalation hazard. I have tried and I am still working to get things were I feel better about the health of my lungs. I have tried some of the hanging air filter units and they are just not effective for grinding dust and weld smoke. I ended up using a respirator and open doors when I would have to grind a lot or use the hand plasma. I live in South Carolina, so the winter is not a big concern and I can most always leave the big doors open. I am looking into exhaust fan options now and will put together a post when I get a plan together. As far as the plasma with water table, I don't think you have much to be concerned about. This is how my table is setup and get very little smoke into the air, and nothing that a small fan or open window can't clear. I am going to raise my water level up to try to cut down on warping of thinner metals and fully expect that to all but eliminate any smoke. It is a real eye opener when you see what is left in the water pan. Can't believe the amount of crap that was flying around the shop before.
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Capstone
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Re: Safety/Ventilation

Post by Capstone »

Unless you spend a lot of extra money on fairly expensive dust/smoke mitigation measures, anyone with compromised respiratory issues will need to wear a mask pretty much all the time while the table is cutting and as smoke dissipates. The water table will help, but even after just a few hours worth of cutting, you're going to see a black layer of soot pretty much everywhere in your shop on any and all flat surfaces that isn't air-gapped from the table itself.
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KajunKowboy65
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Re: Safety/Ventilation

Post by KajunKowboy65 »

Im using my 4x4 table in my garage. I simply put a good fan on the clothes dryer and turn it on while im cutting, works just fine. POint it right at the table
JohnnyC
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Re: Safety/Ventilation

Post by JohnnyC »

I put a big exhaust fan in my shop to pull the fumes out. With no ventalation when the shop is closed up i will be hacking that night like a 4 pack a day smoker.
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ColoradoWayne
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Re: Safety/Ventilation

Post by ColoradoWayne »

Jspece, You are not overthinking this, it is a real concern. I would think you may want to find some people near enough to you to go spend some time with. Until you've been doing it a little while you really can't understand all the impacts.
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john527
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Re: Safety/Ventilation

Post by john527 »

I have a large blower that covers the top and bottom of the cutting table, I only cut with the garage door wide open, yes I freeze my butt off, but no smoke or dust
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