Shop exhaust set up for lathe or mill ?

[OrangeAlpine]

Ok Gang, what am I missing here. What needs venting when running a mill or lathe?:think1:

Randy, I think we are out of step here.If I get smoke, its time to slow things down, not turn on the ventilation. If I wanted a ventilation system, I'd reopen the woodshop. But then I'd have to count fingers and eyes at the end of each work session. That's a drag.

Bill

 

[RandyM]

Randy, I think we are out of step here.If I get smoke, its time to slow things down, not turn on the ventilation. Bill

Thanks Bill, I guess I have never run things to the point of needing a ventilation system either.

 

[kkcalvin]

The only time I ventilate my garage when working on mill or lathe is when I'm using torpedo heater. I raise the garage door about two inches and open back door.

 

[twstoerzinger]

I am also feeling the need for a local exhaust pick-up near the cutting tool when turning with sulfur based cutting oil.
I like to use the dark cutting oil on steel when a smooth finish is desired. I use regular old "pipe threading oil" from the hardware store.
I don't have to cut very fast or deep to make what appears to be smoke. When you watch the Kieth Fenner vids on YouTube, you see the same type of smoke when he uses dark cutting oil applied with a small acid brush. At one point he mentions starting an exhaust blower to make for a better camera view.

If I am working within about 12" of the chuck, the chuck jaws act like a centrifugal blower and pull the smoke into the chuck and then blow the smoke in my face. I find myself holding my breath, or moving my head off to the side to get out of the smoke. Yet, the room never seems to get smokey which makes me think the stuff is dropping out of suspension. There is regularly enough oily film on the lathe that it is impossible to tell if any of it is due to "condensed smoke." I figure it's probably not a good idea to breath the stuff.

I am leaning towards Oldgascar's idea of a small exhaust blower. Probably with a small "elephant trunk" flex pick-up that can be located near the cutter (within a few inches). I am thinking that 10 - 30 cfm with a high velocity intake is all that is needed to capture the smoke and exhaust it outside.

With oily smoke, I can also appreciate the comment on avoiding a flammable mixture when handling the exhaust stream. For sure, the motor needs to run outside the exhaust stream. The exhaust duct needs to be able to be opened for inspection and cleaning in the event that oily slime should build up inside the duct.

Terry S.

 

[7HC]

I can't speak with any authority on this, but unless your shop is pretty much running at a commercial production rate, rather than the usual hobbiest's speed, I doubt that there will be so much atmospheric pollution that just cracking the door and maybe a window wouldn't clear it.

Another alternative might be to use a water based flood coolant/lubricant which would prevent the formation of smoke and fumes in the first place.

Just a thought,


M

 

[RandyM]

I can't speak with any authority on this, but unless your shop is pretty much running at a commercial production rate, rather than the usual hobbiest's speed, I doubt that there will be so much atmospheric pollution that just cracking the door and maybe a window wouldn't clear it.

That is what I am thinking. I just don't run my machines that hard. But, then again I am just playing.

 

[PurpLev]

I dont find a need to vent, and have moved to using lard as cutting oil so any minimal smoke from that is less smoke coming from the kitchen for same ingredients

 

[Corm]

In my basement shop, I open a window on one side of the shop, open a window on the other side and put a box fan in front of it blowing out the window. The fan draws air thru the shop. Simple, but works for me. I use this in the winter also, as long as the outside temps are above 35-40 degrees. For as long as I need to run the fan, it doesn't cool things off to much.

Corm

 

[DaveD]

Couple of things to keep in mind...

Dont use flammable cutting fluids.

if you get enough fumes exhausted over a long period of time they may just coat the first thing they see (like the outside of the house) with a very fine coat of oily film that will attract dirt like crazy. Two years from now the area around the exhaust port will look like it has 5 o'clock shadow.