Laser cutter vent outlet above the roof line?

[Jack Kelly]

Hi!

We're planning to install a laser cutter in our school's new maker space.  The school's building is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment.  As part of this refurbishment work, I'm wondering if we should install the necessary pipework to allow our laser cutter's vent to exhaust above the roof line (like a chimney for a wood burning stove).  Some folks have told me that laser cutters produce some nasty smells so if you just vent your laser cutter out through the nearest external wall then you're likely to get nasty smells wafting back through the window, or into the playground, or into a neighbour's garden etc.  Hence why I'm considering venting the laser cutter above the roof line.  Does this sound sane?!?  Has anyone done this?  Or am I overly paranoid about the nastyness of the smells (and hence venting through the wall should be fine)?

Many thanks,

Jack

[Laurel Bleich]

We initially had it venting outside and the odor was horrible and eventually spent the $$ to vent out and up above the roof line. The alternative is getting an indoor filter which was costly.

So suggestions: 

1) above roof line, far away from any other intakes

2) be positive the CFM of the fan meets or exceeds the requirements for your laser cutter...otherwise the smells well not be evacuated and will linger in your laser cutter and hence in your room.  

Hope that helps!

Laurel

Mrs. Laurel Bleich

Middle School Math Teacher

STEAM Curriculum Coordinator/Innovation Educator

Westminster

1424 West Paces Ferry Road, NW

Atlanta, GA 30327

P: 404-609-6186

website | facebook | twitter | instagram

--
For a compilation of resources/links/etc mentioned on this forum, visit: https://sites.google.com/site/k12makers/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "K-12 Fab Labs and Makerspaces" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to k-12-fablabs+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to k-12-f...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/k-12-fablabs/88194f8e-c11b-40b0-abd2-9e9cfec457cf%40googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[Diego Fonstad]

Jack,

Short answer: yes, take advantage of this building project and vent from the roof if you can.

Our Makerspace is in the basement of a 3 story building.  When we first set up our laser, we vented out a window well in our floor... and the smell would waft up to the classrooms (who didn't mind as much when we were cutting wood but acrylic ...).  I even once had the Palo Alto Fire Dept show up once when I was cutting a holiday project right after school had let out before the holidays... the neighbors thought the building was on fire.

We now duct it all the way out the roof.  

Also, to be clear, you need an active venting system with a fan to draw the smoke, no matter which route you take.  Make sure you make space for and/or anticipate for that equipment was well.

Diego

--

[Joe Donahue]

We are in the process of moving into a new space too. In our temporary space we vented to the outside, not through the roof and we had to wait until school was out to cut acrylic because the smell was powerful in several classrooms even though they were pretty far away. It was just the way the prevailing wind blew. We also spent the money for a filter and in our new space we plan to vent the filter exhaust up through the roof. But the filter does a great job by itself. They are spendy, but definitely worth it if you can swing the cost.

[Jack Kelly (aka Daniel)]

Dear Laurel, Diego & Joe,

Thanks for much for the very speedy and informative replies... I'll get to work right now on seeing if we can vent to the roof.

Thanks again,

Jack

--

For a compilation of resources/links/etc mentioned on this forum, visit: https://sites.google.com/site/k12makers/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "K-12 Fab Labs and Makerspaces" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to k-12-fablabs+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to k-12-f...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/k-12-fablabs/eeabc199-db1a-444d-983c-00adb255bc1a%40googlegroups.com.

[Jack Kelly]

Sorry, I forgot to ask: what diameter duct did you guys use to exhaust your laser cutters to the roof?

[Joe Donahue]

4 inch

On Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 5:53:46 AM UTC-7, Jack Kelly wrote: