Care and Feeding a Mill with some wood working in the same room

[Archer60x]

Hello, brand new to owning a mill. I have a PM728VT on order.

In my one car garage i also do some woodworking with hand tools that include track saw and other wood dust making tools.

My one car garage is also attached to the house, but unheated.

So my questions are how to take care of my mill around wood dust? Is a cover enough?

I am in Ohio so i get hot humid in the summer and bitter cold in the winter. Is a de-humidifier, fan enough to keep the surface rust at bay?

Thanks!
Chad

 

[DavidR8]

I have wood and metal machines in my 20x20 garage. I built a wall around the metal working area but the rafters are open so dust still permeates the metal working area.
I just throw a sheet over my mill and lathe when not in use.

 

[projectnut]

In addition to the previous suggestion I would also install a dust collection system. I started with a wood shop. I plumbed in a set of pvc pipes and gate valves and connected them to cheap HF dust collector.

To keep things safe I ran a ground wire through the pipes an attached it to a ground rod. There’s also a wire with an alligator clamp attached to each wood cutting machine.

The mill is only about 10 feet from the table and radial arm saws. I don’t have a problem with dust on the mill or either of the lathes. I do put a cover over the power hacksaw when cutting wood because it’s only inches from the radial arm saw

 

[DavidR8]

^^^ Yes this... I also have a dust collection system

 

[MikeInOr]

Unlike my woodworking machines my mill and lathe always have a decent layer of oil on them which protects them from the modest humidity in my area. Saw dust loves open oiled surfaces and seems to find these surfaces like a magnet. When all my wood and metal machines were in the same space I would keep my metal working machines covered when not in use to help minimize the saw dust that collects on them.

 

[StevSmar]

You can buy drop cloths with a plastic backing, they appear to keep all dust off my lathe (and soon to be mill…)

 

[jwmay]

Sheets used as covers, and a dust collection setup.
It doesn’t have to be fancy. I’ve got the cheapest HF dust collector. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to NOT having one.

 

[Archer60x]

Dust collection i can attach to most of my tools. My track saw and router are probably the main cultprits for throwing dust in the air and they both have ports for dust collection.

Thanks everyone!

 

[DavidR8]

Dust collection i can attach to most of my tools. My track saw and router are probably the main cultprits for throwing dust in the air and they both have ports for dust collection.

Thanks everyone!

Depending on what make/model router you have there may be dust collection potential.
I have a dust collection accessory for my Makita hand held router and it works well. Haven’t sorted that out for when it’s in the table but that’s solvable.
The dust collection on my Makita track saw is excellent.

 

[Archer60x]

Yeah i am Makita track saw. Festool is awesome, but i dont use it everyday to justify it. Of course their hepa filter vacuum system is the bomb also... Just way to expensive.