Separation between garage and workshop

2029 Views 29 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Pagan Wizard, 4 mo ago

genaccmiller

Discussion Starter · 5 mo ago

Today was a great day. I am using a two car garage and splitting as one side containing a workshop and the other side the gym and most often than not the wood dust goes to the gym area. Additionally I was having an extremely hard time finding stuff. So I first built a French cleat wall and got all my tools on the wall. Next I wanted a partition to minimize wood dust going to the gym area. So today I installed a curtain track and two tarps as curtains. Getting the curtain track level over 20 feet required the use of a laser level. Since the depth of the garage is about 20 feet, I got two tarps and attached them together with ball bungees (linked below). It looks great. I am happy to provide additional information if anyone needs it. Also for dust collection I already integrated a cyclone dust collector with my shop vac.

Even with the cyclone it does not collect 100pct of the dust and I see particles floating. Any recommendations? Also any recommendations for a good ventilator I can wear that's not too expensive?

https://www.lowes.com/pd/KUMA-10-8221-Tarp-Canopy-Bungees-12PK/5005484451

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bryansong

· #2 · 5 mo ago

That looks good.
Do some exercise for me as I don’t really like doing it myself. I could use it.

Reactions: 3

mtlakejim

· #3 · 5 mo ago (Edited)

Sounds like the prime spot for one of those hanging filtration units?? Should be really effective in the relatively small area.

If it was me though I would sell those weights, get a gym membership (if I was really into it) and use the entire garage for a workshop! Pay for the gym membership by selling a few woodworking projects per month. But then you will be so busy woodworking there won't be time for the gym LOL......

All kidding aside, good job on coming up with a solution to a very common problem. Everyone deals with fine dust regardless of how well they design their shop.

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DesertRatTom

· #4 · 5 mo ago

Really well done! Simple and leaves lots of working space.

Reactions: 1

jw2170

· #5 · 5 mo ago

Welcome to the forum @genaccmiller

Reactions: 1

genaccmiller

Discussion Starter · #6 · 5 mo ago

mtlakejim said:
Sounds like the prime spot for one of those hanging filtration units?? Should be really effective in the relatively small area.

If it was me though I would sell those weights, get a gym membership (if I was really into it) and use the entire garage for a workshop! Pay for the gym membership by selling a few woodworking projects per month. But then you will be so busy woodworking there won't be time for the gym LOL......

All kidding aside, good job on coming up with a solution to a very common problem. Everyone deals with fine dust regardless of how well they design their shop.

Which ones are the hanging filtration units? Nah I wouldn't want a gym membership. This is so much more convenient.

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genaccmiller

Discussion Starter · #7 · 5 mo ago

DesertRatTom said:
Really well done! Simple and leaves lots of working space.

Thanks.

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genaccmiller

Discussion Starter · #8 · 5 mo ago

jw2170 said:
Welcome to the forum @genaccmiller

Thanks

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mtlakejim

· #9 · 5 mo ago

Quite a few variations on the hanging dust filters. Several companies make sell them and even some DIY versions out there. Basically it is a box with a fan and tight micron filters. I built one a while back out of a simple box fan with a tight micron filter.
You can get versions that hang from the ceiling and have remotes. The idea is that the fan circulates the air (and the tiny particles that your dust collector misses) and filters capture them.

This is something we have yet to get serious about in our shop and I can tell you that we have a LOT of fine dust all over our machinery and tabletops. We will be addressing it very soon as the fine dust is the most dangerous to health.

I recommend that you take a look at Grizzly for a good price on one of these units. Reviews are very good for their equipment and hard to beat their prices.

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old55

· #10 · 5 mo ago

Welcome to the forum @genaccmiller

genaccmiller

Discussion Starter · #11 · 5 mo ago

old55 said:
Welcome to the forum @genaccmiller

Thanks

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NDWoodWorker

· #12 · 5 mo ago

I’m also in a two stall. I recently bought and am using a WEN overhead air filtration unit. I like it. I use that in combination with a small dust separator connected to shop vac, plus respirator. I feel that dust has become more manageable since buying the WEN.
for the respirator, I use a 3M brand with the cartridge filters on the side. I try to change those every few months. It’s my hope that by doing all these things I’m minimizing lung damage… time will tell.
The fun thing about a garage is I can open the door occasionally and use a leaf blower to get a bunch of dust out. I probably scare the neighbors with my respirator on and leaf blower in hand, but oh well.

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Pagan Wizard

· #13 · 5 mo ago (Edited)

Your workshop is looking really nice, but I don't think that curtain is going to do much of anything, as far as dust control is concerned. If that was my situation, I would build a non load bearing wall to separate the two halves of the garage. You could add a doorway to the wall, but dust will travel under it if you don't have a good weather seal on it. I think that's about the only way to keep 100% of the dust out of your gym, AND it would also give you more wall space for even more Freedom Cleats.

kcortese12

· #14 · 5 mo ago

Love your shop, looks like a Ryobi store. My garage is 1 1/2 car the entire space is pretty full with wood working equipment and shelving units loaded with everyone’s stuff. We are lucky to have a walking path. All my equipment is on casters which makes it nice to Be able to move around. my shop is closed for the winter, will be up and running again in the spring.

LouisianaJoe

· #15 · 5 mo ago

When we built our house, I had them build a 15'x8' "man cave" in the rear. I put a portable A/C there and I reload there, keep all of my tools there and only take them out to use. Dust generating tools such as table saws and wood lathe are along the walls of the garage area. I also have a dust separator like yours.

I agree with Pagan Wizard that a building non load bearing wall to block off the exercise equipment would be a good idea. We don't want to get splinters when we exercise, do we?

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Alphonse53

· #16 · 5 mo ago

genaccmiller said:
Which ones are the hanging filtration units? Nah I wouldn't want a gym membership. This is so much more convenient.

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Welcome to the forum! A lot of the regulars on here are old retirees with a lot of highway miles. Looks like you're on the right track with everything organized! I know about dust settling on everything, including places you wouldn't expect. I hung a WEN 3410 overhead air filter circulator in my 390 S.F. shop. It does a great job but because I have so many machines and only a 5 micron bag on my dust collector, the 1 micron filter gets dirty really fast. I went with WEN because in that capacity, all the brands have about the same specs, and the WEN is quite a bit cheaper (they're just about all made in China). For your situation, a model 3410 would be about perfect for what you're in need of, up to 400 s.f. Bonanza.com's price is about $123.

MarkJonesRanger

· #17 · 5 mo ago

This is what i came up with for about 20 bucks.
(11) Box Fan Air scrubber - YouTube

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4DThinker

· #18 · 5 mo ago

I've got a hanging Wen box filter with a remote control but so far haven't bother putting it up. As for garage space I was lucky to find a garage 2-car deep and 2 car wide 20' x 40' roughly. Still park 2 cars in the front but use the back half for shop tools. My challenge though is finding floor space or even clear bench space to work on new projects. Add that to a 15 x 20 basement room that has my 25" x 50" CNC and some support tools like benchtop drill press, bench with a router built in, benchtop bandsaw, and small benchtop jointer.

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genaccmiller

Discussion Starter · #19 · 5 mo ago

Pagan Wizard said:
Your workshop is looking really nice, but I don't think that curtain is going to do much of anything, as far as dust control is concerned. If that was my situation, I would build a non load bearing wall to separate the two halves of the garage. You could add a doorway to the wall, but dust will travel under it if you don't have a good weather seal on it. I think that's about the only way to keep 100% of the dust out of your gym, AND it would also give you more wall space for even more Freedom Cleats.

I cannot get 100pct. This would certainly minimize the dust than having nothing.

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genaccmiller

Discussion Starter · #20 · 5 mo ago

Thank you all. Let me look into the Wen.

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