Reuelt's post links to an excellent website with loads of information about dust collection. Well worth reading. A couple of points made it clear that I need to find a way to vent exhaust to the outside. After reading, I think I'd be wise to add a small outside housing for the entire DC system, including chip collector with a small port for flex hose attachment coming through the wall so it can be moved to any tool. This will also open up floor space.
As I look at my shop with fresh eyes, I can see sawdust in crevases, behind and around objects on shelves, and mixed in with cutoffs and other small items laying on the floor in difficult to reach areas. This suggests a serious cleanup is in order. The shop is designed with a 16 inch clear space between floor and any shelving or hanging tools.
My Rockler ventilated mask is great, but lives in a dust free tub, so I often forget to use it. So I'm creating a simple and very accessable spot to store it in easy reach. I can also see that I need to establish an iron clad rule: Walk in the shop and put that mask on before doing anything else.
I have a cutoff bin, but it is not handy, and if uncovered, that bin is a dust trap! Needs to have some sort of cover. All stacked wood in the shop is a dust trap, so it has to go, or be stored in a closable shelf. Some original though is overdue. There's a 4 ft. wide space between my outside shop and a small office shed. By putting up a simple roof over that space, I can store items out there, or even put the DC unit there. It is about 10 ft long so I could also store wood there, and even use the space for the DC unit. I'll have to enclose that space, which may be a challenge since nothing's really square there.
I'm having breathing problems these days, and I've been working in my dusty shop for a little over 10 years now. If I'm going to continue, it's urgent that I take action on this now.
I also bought a dust collection hood for the table saw and it sits, uninstalled, collecting sawdust, in my shop. It's a must to get that installed. There's a device called the Shark Guard that is simpler and cheaper that has a decent reputation for pulling top side dust off the table saw blade.
Since we're musing here, the most serious offender in the shop is the sliding miter saw. By building an 8-8 foot square "porch" onto the shop, I could easily move it outdoors for use, and that alone would go a long way toward cleaning up the shop air.
All of this is closing the barn door after the horses were stolen, so I'm sharing it not just for me, but for all of us who love woodworking and want to keep at it for the long haul.
First thing is fessing up to the reality of my shop conditions and my careless ways...and I'm more careful than most, yet cleaning out the shop is almost impossible given its present messy condition. And one thing you can now count on, I'll have that mask on during the cleanup and from now on, every time I step into the shop.
The WEN ceiling mounted air filter will also be running at least 4 hours after doing any project in there. I'm tapping my "secret" money stash to get started right away. I'll try to take pictures as I go. Thanks reuelt for the wake up.
Here's my action list:
Set up an easy access box for my dust mask.
Cover the space between sheds.
Put a level plywood floor under that cover.
If there's room, move the DC out there
If there isn't room, build a lean-to on the back of the shed for DC.
Punch through the wall and install a 4 inch port.
Build an 8x8 platform level with the shop door
Remove the present miter saw DC station
Relocate the sliding miter to near the door
Level floor and platform so saw rolls out easily.
Gather all cutoffs and place in a handy bin.
Use canvas or some other material to cover the bin.
Clean out all other items that fill the 16 inch clear space.
Suck up all sawdust hiding in corners and behind/beneath tools.