Is a shop air cleaner overkill with Festool

[lumbajac]

I'm getting my new basement shop in order.  It is primarily Festool based as I have the TS75, OF1400, RO150, and DF500Q attached to CT36; and Kapex attached to CT22.  I intend to add a bandsaw within the next 8 months that will be attached to its own stand alone dust collector (that I already have and will add a small cyclone assist to).  I will do all planing and jointing as needed in my Dad's shop down the road a half hour.

I am considering hanging a JET AFS-1000B air cleaner from the ceiling - primarily for peace of mind as I have my family and home above the shop and because my 3 and 7 year old daughters want to spend time in the shop with Dad.  Also, the data in this article http://www.finewoodworking.com/fwnpdfFREE/011213054.pdf seems to support having an air cleaner (so long as the tools have source dust collection, which of course Festool does and excellent at that).

For $315 it seems like a small price to pay for peace of mind and safety/health.  However, if there is no true benefit, I'd rather contribute the $315 and electricity to power the unit to my bandsaw fund.  The one thing that has me leaning towards not getting it at this point is the fact that at the Lebanon training center there are 4 groups of tools running with dust collection with no air cleaner (at least visible) and there seems to be no appreciable fine dust or dust residue - again, even with 4 sets of tools and a Kapex or two operating in a relatively small shop space.

Any thoughts?

 

[Ken Nagrod]

It seems that all of the data supports using the air cleaner, but if from your personal experience you feel it's unnecessary, then by all means put the funds towards the bandsaw or something else.

I've had a JDS 750 I've used for years and love it.  I've even brought it to jobs where I needed extra jobsite protection from drywall dust spreading from the work area.

 

[nickao]

I use two air scrubbers. I use Festools with the CT's(and Fein's) and a 3HP cyclone too. I still would not get rid of the scrubbers. They are the last part of the overall dust collection system and they do help.

I bet if Festool sold them people would buy. They could make both a portable and ceiling mount.

I use the JDS myself also.

 

[Jeff Hein]

The only time my air cleaner runs is if am cutting a lot of mdf.

Mdf tends to produce a lot of fine dust, and the air cleaner makes a big difference. When I am working with hardwood, I never use it.

So, my recommendation would be to get one only if you do work with mdf.

 

[mouppe]

I would say the issue for you is that you are in the basement, and I presume you do not have good ventilation. So how are you going to keep the fresh air circulating?

I would go for the air purifier. Even with all the festool dust control qualities, when I reach for the router table, planer, or mitre saw (not a Kapex alas) the dust just starts flying- and I have sourced dust collection at all three machines.

The air purifier also helps clear the air of finishing odours, which means you can do your finishing in the workshop.

 

[lumbajac]

The only time my air cleaner runs is if am cutting a lot of mdf.

Mdf tends to produce a lot of fine dust, and the air cleaner makes a big difference. When I am working with hardwood, I never use it.

So, my recommendation would be to get one only if you do work with mdf.

I do work with MDF occassionally... and I value Ken and Nickao's opionion so I'm pretty much sold on getting the air cleaner.

Jeff - I know the Rockford area pretty well.  Got my undergrad at GVSU - did a lot of framing during the housing boom during the mid-late 90's in Caledonia, Middleville, etc. and a little bit in Rockford to pay the bills.

 

[lumbajac]

I would say the issue for you is that you are in the basement, and I presume you do not have good ventilation. So how are you going to keep the fresh air circulating?

I would go for the air purifier. Even with all the festool dust control qualities, when I reach for the router table, planer, or mitre saw (not a Kapex alas) the dust just starts flying- and I have sourced dust collection at all three machines.

The air purifier also helps clear the air of finishing odours, which means you can do your finishing in the workshop.

Good info and insights - thanks.

 

[mishle]

I also think an air cleaner is needed. I built my own and there is a huge difference between having it on or off.

My wife rightly bitched till I had built one and am very glad I did.

My Table saw and miter saw were the two tools that made the most dust, and now I have replaced the miter saw with the Kapex.

Your lungs are important. The following is worth a read.

Bill's Cyclone Dust Collection Research

Also I have the ts75 then a year latter purchased  the ts55 which collects dust so much better. Now I only use the ts75 when I need the power or depth.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Mishle, that's kind of funny.  I had a girlfriend who'd flip out whenever I got dust around the house from woodworking before I got the air cleaner.  That stuff flies everywhere and settles where you don't want it.

As for odors, you'd have to have a charcoal filter on the unit to handle that.  I have one for mine but never used it.  I have found that drywall dust is the worst for my expensive main filter on the unit.  Plugs it up pretty quick and taking the filter outside to blow it out with compressed air doesn't get it all out of the polyester.  Sawdust takes a lot longer to block it up.

 

[mishle]

I should probably note that the reason for her bitching was she was worried about my health. I started coughing during and after using the miter saw. And I started noticing some lung problems.

And then I came across that site while doing research.

 

[mouppe]

Mishle, that's kind of funny.  I had a girlfriend who'd flip out whenever I got dust around the house from woodworking before I got the air cleaner.  That stuff flies everywhere and settles where you don't want it.

As for odors, you'd have to have a charcoal filter on the unit to handle that.  I have one for mine but never used it.  I have found that drywall dust is the worst for my expensive main filter on the unit.  Plugs it up pretty quick and taking the filter outside to blow it out with compressed air doesn't get it all out of the polyester.  Sawdust takes a lot longer to block it up.

Before I started woodworking, I bought an air purifier because the lady living in the condo blow us smoked heavily and at times we could smell the smoke. I did a lot of research into air purifiers at the time and ended up buying a Blueair 501 with filters that captured 99% of particles down to 0.1 microns. As you say, Ken, they are activated carbon filters. Most woodwork air filters only go down to 1 micron (such as the Jet model) so if you are using finishes with VOCs etc. you will have to have a separate clean air solution.

Then she moved out, I started woodworking, yada, yada, yada, and the air purifier ended up in my workshop. This air purifier is terrific and I leave it on all the time. It uses the same energy as a light bulb, and is so quiet you can barely hear it. I change the filters every six months and they are quite pricey, but this is the only downside.

For those of us who tend to do all their woodworking and finishing in one place, I can highly recommend this air purifier.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Richard,

She moved out or she went missing? [wink]  [big grin]

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Hey Corey!
That air cleaner is a good investment.  I have one and use it often, even though most of my work is Festool or hand tool.  It really makes a difference.
The other thing is that there just isn't a bandsaw with good dust collection, or at least I haven't seen one.  You will definitely need an air cleaner before you can put that bandsaw to use.
As to the Festool classes, I suspect they have a top notch cleaning crew.  I remember how the LR32 exercise where we were routing out the hinge mortises was spewing dust all over the place, but it magically disappeared that night.  Not putting down Festool, just saying that the cleaner is a good next step.  Wish I had used one when I was your age.  Cough, cough [eek].
Happy holidays!!

 

[mishle]

Thanks for product tip for the blueair 501 I need something for the house and would probably use it with the charcoal filter for cooking smells etc..

 

[mouppe]

Thanks for product tip for the blueair 501 I need something for the house and would probably use it with the charcoal filter for cooking smells etc..

I think they came out with a newer model, the 503 or something like that. It is on wheels so you can move it from room to room.