Micro-Mark Desktop Dust Collection System

[eurekapaul]

In my garage woodshed, I'm pretty careful to collect and minimally breathe dust. However, I'm not as careful in the shipyard, although I run a small HEPA filter.

 

To the end of keeping my lungs working well, I'm considering buying the Micro-Mark Desktop Dust Collection System.

 

If anyone has used it, what do you think? In particular I'm interested in how well it works and how much noise it makes. Also if anybody has any opinions on it, please feel free to express them.

 

Thanks,

 

Paul

 

 

[Srodbro]

I spent some years designing dust and fume collection systems for laboratories and research facilities. Most devices like this are of little value; it’s the nature of the beast.
Try this experiment:  Get your vacuum cleaner hose, and hold your hand a 1/4” from the nozzle. Feel the air movement?  Ok, now move your hand 1” from the nozzle:  you probably can’t feel air moving, or just barely. 2” away you feel nothing. 
Now, connect your vacuum hose to the discharge of the vacuum ( if you can). You can hold your hand several feet from the discharge and still feel the air movement. 

Why the difference?  Air best flows to where it is pushed, not pulled. 

The suction of the hose is relying on barometric pressure to push the air into it ( essentially, the vacuum hose creates a “ hole” in the surrounding area near the nozzle that the air “falls” into). On the discharge end, the energy from the vacuum cleaner motor has been imparted to the air and will move with more force. 
To better control the particles in the air, get a small fan to blow across your work surface away from you. 

[Gregory]

Steve,  I use a small USB fan for that purpose.  The dust settles in a corner of my shop, and I vacuum it up.

 

l was a little put off by the price of the MicroMark device, but really couldn’t comment from experience.

 

Your information is very useful.

[Landlubber Mike]

I bought this (or something similar) years ago when I was going to get into carving:  

 

https://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-DC725-Portable-Collector/dp/B000REX1UU?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=AP845MBBUYCQH

 

I haven't used it yet to be honest as I haven't been doing any carving, so not sure how effective it is.  It wasn't exceedingly loud if I remember correctly.  When I do things like sand or drill or work with resin, I found putting my shop vac nozzle in a vise near where I'm working is an easier and very effective method for removing dust.

[Daniel Kimmer]

I wear a dust mask and use a shop vac, it is a little loud but i can direct the nozzle at the location or tool I'm using and it collects most of the dust. I have a clamp that i mounted to a board that holds the hose nozzle in position. I wear ear muff style noise protection.

[paul ron]

if you are using it for when you run tools... your shop vac is the perfect dust collection system... youll have to make adapters for each machine. 

[Jaager]

No way would I pay that much for a machine like that.  I would question its ability to move enough air to do the job.

 

For in the house - at the bench - I use a Kenmore Blue Magic small canister vac.  It uses a collection bag - which is a pain, but otherwise does the job.

 

The handle at the end of the hose has the ON-OFF - which is a slide power control.

I attached the handle to the end of a desk lamp  arm (less the bulb part) using cable ties.

There are desk lamps and THERE ARE DESK LAMPS -  I prefer serious articulation, a desk clamp with some mass,  and arms that will stay in position -no weak wingnuts.

The handle has some weight to it.

 

It took some serious jury rigging to get a hose to fit the opening in the handle and also fit the dust collection port on my Byrnes disc sander. 

I use the tablesaw and thickness sander in my garage.  They are not about finesse.  The disc sander is.

 

An additional advantage is that it can be used to clear stair treads of dust.

[eurekapaul]

Thank everyone for the information.

 

I have decided against getting this tool for several reasons. The cost ($500) is obviously a lot for a tool or questionable worth. Although the tool has the ability to position its collection hose, I think it would just complicate using it. More than likely I'd accidentally bump the model against the hose, which could be disastrous.

 

A year or so ago, I made a sound box for a 4 gallon Ridgid Shop Vac using OSB (because of its density) and MLV (mass loaded vinyl) to connect to a downdraft table. The sound box reduced the noise by 20dB for the vacuum itself. This might have been enough but with the vacuum hose connected, it only reduced the sound by 10 dB. I don't remember the measurement, but it was still way too loud.

 

I think what I'm going to do is make a hood for the little HEPA filter I'm using to better collect the dust.

[Mike Y]

Would recommend to look into decent household vaccuums with some "silent" keywords in the name. I have a Bosch ProSilence (this one or similar https://www.bosch-home.com/ne/en/mkt-product/vacuum-cleaners/canister-vacuum-cleaners-bagged/BGLS42230), very quiet on lower speeds (that are more than sufficient), has a HEPA filter and does not take too much space. It even handles power planing well enough, so unless you do a full scale woodworking - it is more than adequate for the hobby needs. I have it for many years and it shows no sign of issues with wood dust.

 

It is so quiet that I run it at night when modelling in a living room while the family is sleeping in adjacent rooms. Just placing the hose close to the object that I'm sanding - a steady flow of air easily gets all the fine airborne particles, while the heavy ones just drop on the table, posing no risk to your lungs. No visible wood dust floats in the air, which makes it reassuring that the finer dust is sucked into the vac.

 

No sound boxes required. And they are not terribly expensive either (around 200 USD I guess). Not sure why everyone assumes you need a shop vac for our hobby, we are not grinding concrete and not sanding wood panels for hours every day. Despite a small-ish size, it takes a very long time to fill the vaccuum bag when woodworking, and the bags are cheap. Zero issues with clogging, leaking or anything. More than enough power when connecting to our tools.

Edited May 8 by Mike Y