[Greenbuilding] ventilating a tiny shop space

[Clarke Olsen]

One of those air cleaners has been hanging from the ceiling in my  
shop for 8 years - I haven't used it because although it is not
particularly noisy, it's enough to be annoying, annoying, annoying,  
annoy....
Exhausting the shop vac to the outside is a way of losing those fines  
that get past the filter, and pulling air in - preferably through
some semi-conditioned space.
Clarke Olsen
373 route 203
Spencertown, NY 12165
USA
518-392-4640
colsen at fairpoint.net




On Oct 22, 2010, at 1:12 PM, Brian Milani wrote:

> Hi,
>
> In our almost complete reno of an old semi in Toronto, I am  
> converting an old basement Cold Room into a small workshop, for  
> mainly woodworking.  The basement is now well-insulated, and has a  
> new radiant floor.
> I am having trouble finding reliable information on ventilation for  
> the shop.
>
> The proposed shop is very small---8 feet by 10 or 11 feet--and has  
> no windows.  I want to be able to close the door and keep dust out  
> of the rest of the house.  I'll be using mainly small tools, and a  
> small table saw and perhaps a compound miter saw.  So a shop vac  
> (along with whatever comes with the tools) will be my main dust  
> collection system, and I'll be using a respirator when doing my  
> cuts, routing and sanding.  But intuitively, one would think that  
> bringing in some fresh air would be a good idea too.
>
> Some people have proposed a simple larger-capacity bathroom exhaust  
> fan.  Others on the web seem to say that a second fan, to draw in  
> supply air, is necessary.  A fellow from a local industrial supply  
> store has told me that we don't need fresh air, just a slick air  
> cleaner like this
> http://www.general.ca/site_general/g_produits/dust_collector/ 
> 10-550.html
> which is recirculating, and doesn't require makeup air or change  
> the room temperature.
>
> I've seen advice for larger home workshops, but, much of it doesn't  
> seem relevant to my situation.  Especially after finishing the  
> reno, building some storage, etc., the shop will be for occasional  
> use.  And I haven't seen much advice for such small shops, except  
> for Bob Villa recommending an exhaust fan, without elaborating  
> about size, makeup air, etc.
>
> Besides the new radiant floor, we have a new heating system---rads  
> with a little radiant flooring--along with a new HRV and  
> ventilation system.
>
> Any suggestions for inexpensive ventilation measures that would  
> work for this small workshop?
>
>                            Brian M., Toronto
>
> -- 
> Brian Milani
> www.GreenEconomics.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Greenbuilding mailing list
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
> Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
>
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/ 
> greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org