stone sculpture air filtration system
eileen_sculpts
Can anyone recommend a supplier for
an air filtration system for stone sculpture dust?
Would a wood carving system with the vaccuum
and bags for sawdust work? This is for indoor work.
We are located in Canada and are also planning on
purchasing a system from Lee Valley that
can filter dust out of the air.
Any help would be appreciated.
Eileen
Andrew Werby
"eileen_sculpts" <eileen_...@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:4d16ace0.04012...@posting.google.com...
> Hello Everyone,
>
> Can anyone recommend a supplier for
> an air filtration system for stone sculpture dust?
[You might try these folks:
http://www.airflowsystems.com/
They have some downdraft benches with filtered outputs that will catch the
dust as it is being produced. Not cheap, but what's your life worth? If
you're working with silica-based stones (like granite) you should make sure
that any system you use has HEPA filtration to catch the very fine particles
of crystalline silica that do the most damage to the lungs.]
> Would a wood carving system with the vaccuum
> and bags for sawdust work? This is for indoor work.
[It would be better than nothing, especially if you got one that dealt
safely with the output. And if you restricted yourself to calcium
carbonate-based stones (marble and limestone) it might be sufficient. But
silica is another issue entirely.]
> We are located in Canada and are also planning on
> purchasing a system from Lee Valley that
> can filter dust out of the air.
[You basically want to capture it before it spreads all over the place;
that's why a downdraft system is best. Once it's out in your indoor
atmosphere, it's very difficult to remove. If you can work on your
production methods to minimize the creation of dust in the first place (eg
wet-grinding instead of dry) contain dusty processes tightly, and use
air-supply respirators in dusty environments, you'll be better off.]
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Eileen
[Tell us a little more specifically what you're doing, and we might be able
to offer more specific suggestions.]
Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com
Gary Waller
"Andrew Werby" <and...@computersculpture.com> wrote in message
news:hEVPb.124739$xy6.443424@attbi_s02...
>
> "eileen_sculpts" <eileen_...@rogers.com> wrote in message
> news:4d16ace0.04012...@posting.google.com...
> > Hello Everyone,
> >
> > Can anyone recommend a supplier for
> > an air filtration system for stone sculpture dust?
>
I'm glad Andrew jumped in here, my knowledge is limited to a couple of
tricks. The first is to build your shop with 'sluice' channels in the
concrete, and these are connected to outside drains, which collect the
non-toxic sludge in traps. The 'make up' air is high in the building, and
what you are trying to do is get a good airflow from the top to the floors
and out the building - this will need a good seal on doors and windows. Now
once a week you can hose down the whole shop work area, any excess is picked
up with one of those wet/dry vacuums. Turn up the heat overnight - next day
a clean dry shop. Most dust and fumes tend to move 'downhill' so this setup
means you can often work with nothing more than a paper mask or bandana. The
problem is this might not work to well in an area with real cold
temperatures or severe water restrictions.
A second trick is buy custom made shrouds for such things as angle grinders,
and vacuum up the dust as you are making it.
Dust control must be customised to your unique situation. "House of Tools"
is a Canadian source of cheapo (Chinese made) dust collector systems, but
upgrade to the high effiency bags from Lee Valley. Again, much depends on
the volume of dust and your body's tolerances - which can change over time.
Eye protection is the biggest problem - the only thing I have ever found
that works completely is one of those air supply masks, with cooled air,
throw in a good ear cuffs and a mp3 player too. The industrialism of this
type of carving kind of puts people off, but is probably a good habit to
learn
Where did you find some stone Elaine? Get back in touch, still working on
some samples of manmade stone carving blocks (only need wood carving tools
by the way, no real dust, just 'chips) - a bunch of real interesting and
well paid custom carving work has come up and kept me from production
duties.
Happy Chinese New Year too!
Dan S
A powerful boxfan with a frame built around it capable of supporting cheap
filters (you replace these pretty often) can be set very close to the work
in progress. It PULLS air through the filter so a gentle breeze is created
which brings clean air toward your back, say. These are cheep and pretty
quiet.
Dan
----------
In article <9BXPb.4561$oj2.2528@edtnps89>, "Gary Waller" <moz...@telus.net>
wrote:
eileen_sculpts
Thanks for your reply Dan.
We are going to look into all possible options.
Eileen
"Dan S" <arch...@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<6z_Pb.23793$zj7....@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
eileen_sculpts
A member of our group was thinking about building a backdraft system.
He was planning on hooking it up to a vaccuum system with filter bags.
We would be working with limestone, alabaster and sometimes marble.
I do work with soapstone.
We are going to get a room built just for using air tools such
as cuturi air chisels, electric grinders and maybe air die grinders.
Eileen
"Andrew Werby" <and...@computersculpture.com> wrote in message news:<hEVPb.124739$xy6.443424@attbi_s02>...
eileen_sculpts
We are interested in all information about dust control.
I usually get stone from Sculpture Supply in Toronto.
They are not cheap.
When I took courses at Flemming College Summer School of the
Arts in Haliburton, I also purchased stone and tools.
A group that I belong to has purchased stone in bulk from
Vancouver. I don't have the information with here.
My future studio partners buy limestone from Old World Stone.
I tried using plaster and vermiculite with soapstone dust.
It wasn't bad, but I didn't produce any finished pieces.
Eileen
"Gary Waller" <moz...@telus.net> wrote in message news:<9BXPb.4561$oj2.2528@edtnps89>...
Andrew Werby
"eileen_sculpts" <eileen_...@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:4d16ace0.04012...@posting.google.com...
> A member of our group was thinking about building a backdraft system.
> He was planning on hooking it up to a vaccuum system with filter bags.
>
> We would be working with limestone, alabaster and sometimes marble.
> I do work with soapstone.
[Those stones are less likely to cause health problems than granite and
other silica-based stones, although the first three can be contaminated with
silica and soapstone dust (talc) can cause lung scarring. Make sure your
soapstone doesn't contain asbestos (some does). If you always work with
stone from the same source, it might pay to have it analyzed, so you know
what you're dealing with.]
> We are going to get a room built just for using air tools such
> as cuturi air chisels, electric grinders and maybe air die grinders.
>
> Eileen
[That's a good idea; even if your materials aren't particularly toxic, it's
always best not to inhale any dust if you can help it. As well as removing
dust at the source, with vacuum ducts at each tool location, you can filter
the air in the whole room. If you built the whole enclosure to withstand
hosing down, that would be helpful too.]
Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com