Dusty Area

The dusty area (some project background) is where most sawdust-generating in the workshop area should take place. This is to prevent this dust getting to more sensitive equipment, such as laser cutters (obviously) and metalwork machinery (mill, lathe) where sawdust could attract damp and cause rusting. It is the main woodworking machine shop for the hackspace and houses its most dangerous tools.

Dusty Area Should Not Be Dusty

Each tool has extract associated with it or can be quickly configured with one, look around for the vacuum and dust extraction equipment and hoses which may be shared between equipment.

Looks Like

For now, the area simply contains the dust created. Sweeping up and vacuuming is still necessary, as is the wearing of breathing-protective masks (available in the Safety Equipment area), especially when working with more hazardous material such as MDF, plywood, and some toxic natural woods.

We now have a large industrial dust/chip extractor hooked up to the Kity table saw, this chip collector has 3 inlets so could be used for other tools in the dusty area such as the planer, or a floor dust sweep so that dust and chips can be brushed and collected by the extractor.

Maintenace

Machine bases, under bench areas including the table saw, require periodic vacuuming to keep the place clean and reduce fire risk, of-cuts can be taken to the red bins on Roden Street using trucks and wheeled hoppers available, normally in the workshop. The base and blade chute of the table saw can be accessed via the LHS panel which is on thumb screws, check the condition through the window on the panel using the provided lamp.

Plans for the dusty area

As of 2018, The woodworking team expanded the area into was sheet storage doubling the size of the dusty area. increasing the space around the table saw e.t.c.

To Do

Sanders will be arranged in a line thus allowing better dust extraction from the fine particle dust extractor (green P&J) Blast gates will be fitted, and an automatic system for the extraction is being considered to ensure it is used. AIr filtration will be looked at possibly using one of the centrifugal blowers from downstairs, hopefully, this will reduce the amount of airborne dust and help prevent the settling of dust on the tools.

• infrastructure tag
• why it's cool
• why it's there!
• using it
• etiquette
  • other people's projects
• PPE gear
  • masks
  • goggles
  • ear defenders
• etc!