Saw dust

[JoeCool]

I have basically ignored this aspect of scrolling and was wondering how important it really is to my health! I have my saw in the front of my garage area. I have not used anything buta mask as few times and found that it steamed up and I cound not work. Sooooooo, bye to that! I don't have the $$$$$ for a vacuum system but was wondering...do I have to use something? Am I endangering my health? How far do I have to go to help myself if really needed.
I gues s you get the picture.
Thanks in advance,
Joe

[SharonW0111]

Joe -- as one who has all the breathing problems a person needs I must advise you do something for your lungs.
I am on oxygen and a severe COPD patient but my doctors don't seem to throw up to much a fuss as long as I have a exhaust set up and take a lot of breaks away from my shop. I have my shop set up in what use to be the original living room of my home, But I also have made a exhaust system that seems to help. I have a heavy lined drape up over the door into my shop that keeps the sawdust comfined somewhat. I have a standing fan in front of the outside door turned on high with the back of the saw sucking out the sawdust blowing outside the front door between the storm door and the front door itself. I have the stormdoor bottom glass raised so it goes out there and doesn't open the whole door itself. My belt sander is on a table behind the fan to the right on a yable that also houses my dremel. to the right of that is my work table that my scroll saw sits beside. on the left of the fan is another table that I use to do my other sanding--hand sanding and palm sanding. My bandsaw sits at the end of my work table with my drill press on the other side of that. This all seems to work well for me until I can find me a fairly good box fan. It sure beats the nothing I did have that did cause me breathing problems but it took a lot of years along with 50 yrs of smoking. Now my doctors just ask me if I am still working in my shop. I stopped smoking in august and I refuse to give up my sawing- I just am more careful now- I tried the mask but I can't handle those. Later I will try to post a few pics of the way I have my shop set up and you can get some idea.
Sharon

[JoeCool]

Saw Dust

Sharon,
Thanks so much for your quick reply and I think I get your point.
At least do something, right?!! A box fan with a filter nearby while I am scrolling might be the thing. I am in an unheated gararge with the family car, so my scrolling days are limited to the temperature in the garage by the season. I live in SE PA and winter's on the way soon. I dread not be able to scroll all winter long!
Thank again, Best wishes,
Joe

[Gill]

Hi Joe

Have you read this thread?

Gill

[Minnesota scroller]

Does anyone think a mask is all that important for BB plywood? This is 97% of what I cut.

[SharonW0111]

Joe don't give up scrolling just learn how to fix your problems you have-- come to me and I have a answer for most if not me someone will help .. First of all don't run the car while you are in the garage-- the sleep from it isn't nice.Second- get you a electric heater to put in the garage. I know you can get one with a blower for about $30 around here and they are amasingly warm. you won't get enough sawdust on it to cause a fire.
Happy scrolling and please enjoy the fact that you are at least inside --lol
Sharon

Gill my son does hazarous clean out in the big smoke pipes of a lot of the miles around here and he brought me some super good regulator mask -- but I simply can't breath wearing them even on my oxygen... go figure.

[Mick Walker]

Joe, I wear a mask when scrolling. I purchased a 4200M CFR-1 mask from www.westernsafety.com. The mask with filter is $12.50 and 20 filters is $17.45. This mask will not fog your glasses.

Mike, if you wear glasses take them off and look at the lens after scrolling for a short while. You will see what you are breathing into your lungs.

[Indiana saw man]

Saw Dust

Hello Joe
Check out the post i had in here called clean air all the god pepole in gave me a lot of very very good imformation on this . This form is great on helping us all out

[Mick Walker]

Sharon, congratulations on the quitting smoking. My Dad quit cold turkey after 50 years of smoking so I figured I could do it too. I quit March 10, 1969 and have never regretted it. I couldn't afford it now, cigarettes were only $3.00 per carton when I quit.

[Forester21]

Does anyone think a mask is all that important for BB plywood? This is 97% of what I cut.

Not only do you have to tend with the sawdust from the wood, but that from the glue too ~ so I would say "yes" - it is still important.

T

[BobD]

I saw something on TV the other day about reducing indoor pollution (fumes, VOCs, etc) from finishes, wood products, and even building materials. They said that ALL plywood uses formaldehyde (sp?) in the glue. That was enough for me to wear my dust mask!

Bob

[Rolf]

Gill,
Thanks for finding that old thread. Since that discussion I have been using a half mask respirator .
Mike, most of what I cut is Baltic and Finish birch and the dust was starting to bother me.
The half mask ($30 at HD) is soft and doesn’t fog my glasses or magnifier.

[JoeCool]

Saw dust

Okay. Thanks to you all for the varied info and direction. There is NO question that I will do something to improve my situation right away.
The dust bee gone filter mask sounds like the way to go at the moment.
Again, just a BIG thanks to everyone again for the input!!!!!!
Best wishes.
Joe

[Minnesota scroller]

Yeah, you've got my attention too. That bit Bob mentioned about formaldehyde doesn't sound so good. Also, I have heard people can get high sniffing glue. My wife thinks I'm already goofy enough. Tomorrow I'll check out our local home store and then probably order something online. I promise.

Joe, After checking the website for Dust Be Gone I found out they are not NIOSH approved. For less money, check this out http://www.discountsafetygear.com/nocfcofitres.html. It's the same one Mick mentioned except for less money. The respirator is only $10.80 and the pack of 20 filters just $13.50.

[JoeCool]

Saw dust

Well, here I am back from our local Woodcraft Store and used my DustBeeGone and some $40.00 later to tell ya all.......I tried it and my glasses kept getting fogged up. I readjusted it and the same thing happened or it compromised the function of the protection by creating an open space near my mouth or nose!!
Is it me..."guaranteed not to allow fogged lenses"!
I'm concerned but I'm afraid I'm not gonna find something that works for me and I'm NOT gonna stop scrolling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!
Joe