Cheap and Easy Shop Air Dust Extraction With No Filters!

In this video I use a 150mm (6inch) in line extraction fan to vent air out of my shop by mounting the fan in a window with no adjacent neighbors. I'll put a link to the fan I used below. I found similar fans on U.S. Amazon, Ill link to one of those as well.
Ireland/UK
YJHome 6 inch Inline Duct Fan High Efficiency Extractor Fan with Timer Smart Controller for Office Hotel Library Hydroponic Room (ø150mm)
by YJHome-UK
Learn more: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GP1K2X...
USA
(I struggled to find one with a timer, I think this one is overkill. If you dont need a timer you can find one for a fraction of the cost)
VIVOSUN 6 Inch 324 CFM Inline Duct Fan with Temperature Humidity Controller Ventilation Exhaust Fan for Grow Tent
by VIVOSUN
Learn more: www.amazon.com/dp/B08XBPT7L4/...
USA No timer
Wireless Remote Controller 6” Inline Duct Fan with 3 Variable Speed Ventilation Exhaust Blower for Grow Tents Heating Cooling Basements Workshops HVAC Exhausting and Intake Hydroponics - White 6 Inch
by SAILFLO
Learn more: www.amazon.com/dp/B0932S2RTX/...

[@coreygrua3271]

GENUINE & HONEST. I’m more than happy to help you grow your channel and appreciate your contribution to my woodworking moments.

[@ieenz]

Just got one of these fans a while back! Looking forward to installing it. Greeting from NZ

[@NautilusElectrics]

Really helpful tip man thanks for making this video! I am always trying to control the dust in houses during rewires + renovation work and this could definitely make a portable solution. Nice one 👍

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

Cool, thanks for the comment!

[@michaellionart4841]

Oh I like that thank you. Specially as they also do a 4” version. I work in a 15x6 shed and “box fans” are way too big. Sub’d 👍

[@Amy_McFarland]

This is a great solution! I just may do this! Thank you, new subscriber!

[@sandman2651]

Great idea and works out cheaper which is a bonus, liked and subscribed

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

Thanks for that, this addition is super effective especially where it's located over the chop saw. It's only 33db, but I do find it a bit annoying if I don't have hearing protection in. I only wish I had done this sooner!

[@njbaquatics4827]

First off love the workshop I’ve also got mine in a loft space. But when it comes to this air cleaning idea man I did try it on and it did clean the air but it also sucked all of the heat out of the entire house. Living in the UK with cold winters and the amount it costs us here to heat our homes it just wasn’t feasible so I ended up using a similar fan to make my own air cleaner which recirculate the air in the room don’t get me wrong in the summer it was great but summers are a very small window here

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

They make similar fans called heat recovery vents (HRV) that recover up to 80% of the heat using heat transfer. You may want to look into it.

[@thecarweewoodworker8629]

Great to see it implemented, I have thought of doing it but it was put on the backburner. I will look at doing this soon. Sub'd

[@hollandcustomwoodworking5932]

I did a very similar think with a slightly larger inline fan, only I run it through a chip collector barrel first, and then it’s vented outdoors. It’s powerful enough for most operations, and keeps the fine dust down in the shop.

[@ronaldderrez9683]

Are you using some ducts for yours?

[@STANWoodwork]

You have lovely view around. Great video some time ago I was thinking about that resolution to my small garage but i have neighbours gardens just behind two walls, so blowing dust in to them garden could be to much 😂. I should be happy they don't mind when i am miling wood😉. Great video.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

Thanks. I know I am very fortunate to have this view. I try not to take it for granted.

[@Follower_of_The_Word]

With 20 years experience in the fire service, I assure you that if you reverse your fan and turn it into a clean air intake to pressurize the shop, you will greatly increase the efficiency and effectiveness. The concept of positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) is widely known and is the standard practice for clearing buildings charged with smoke. I use this in my shop and it works perfectly, as long ad I adhere to 2 important principles. 1. The perimeter of the air inlet must be reasonably airtight to avoid a slipstream of inside air from blowing out through the entrance opening. This is simple with an installed fan such as yours, but firefighters use a floor fan that positioned 6-10 feet outside the doorway so the "cone" of air being blown covers the entire opening. That way there is no air coming out the large doorway opening, creating positive pressure inside the building. 2. The exit opening where you want to exhaust the smoke/dust must be smaller than the entrance in order to maintain positive pressure and suitable flow rate to rapidly evacuate the hazardous atmosphere. You can have multiple edit openings, but the total area should not be larger than the opening in order to maintain positive pressure and a good rate of air movement. Sucking air out of the room is much slower, but in you situation that may be the necessary if you want to keep the fan mounted above your chop saw. After you get that hooked up to your dust collection system, then consider reversing the fan for positive pressure ventilation.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

Thanks, that was explained very well and it makes a lot of sense. Hopefully I can get to implementing something like that sooner rather than later! I could make the exit above the chop saw.

[@allanwalker5305]

It may be the case that it works better, but any man that has a workshop in the house, AND a wife, should not do this before making damned sure that the door to the rest of the house is 100% sealed 😂

[@Follower_of_The_Word]

@@allanwalker5305 I don’t have that situation but I 100% agree with this!

[@mrkrause3]

This all well may be correct but what about controlling the temperature/humidity inside the room? The outside air conditions will quickly dictate the temperature/humidity inside. I’d love to hear your feedback.

[@harveysmith100]

Subbed just because of this novel idea

[@munitaamalia8352]

Beautiful place

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

It really is!

[@brucebonkowski7253]

I love it

[@SVTShane361]

I have two of these in a piece of wood that the window closes down on. So I can use it when I need it and then stow it and close the window. Working out of a two car garage and the dust gets crazy.

[@pemtax557]

Very clever idea ... now that's it been awhile since you did this video, is there anything worth updating us on? Are you still as happy as you were in December with the concept and implementation? Thanks so much sharing your idea with the community, I can see this being a viable solution for many DIY woodworkers. Cheers!!

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

I am still happy with it. It makes a big difference in the amount of dust that gathers on everything. I still have dust, just not nearly as much. There are some insightful comments about methods of retaining heat and even turning the fan around to use positive pressure. It’s worth reading through them if you’re looking for a similar solution.

[@davidvangeytenbeek8239]

I must admit that my fire service experience tells me there is danger of a fire and/or a dust explosion using this method. Unless the fan is rated for this use. I like the previous idea of using the fan to pressurize the workshop. Easy enough to fit a filter on the exit side of the air flow. My old workshop had a roller door on one end and a standard sized door on the other. Open both for doors for good air flow that took all the dust out the door. I did live in the bush kilometers from neighbours, and the trees caught most of the dust anyway.

[@bigdaddyhoggnutz144]

I’m not sure how this poses a dust fire/explosion risk. This actually reduces that risk because it decreases the concentration of particles in the confined space.

[@lestercuebas7864]

collection of dust wood on the motor is a possible fire hazard other than that seems good

[@Amy_McFarland]

I just looked up the fan! Noise for the UK 33, noise for the US is 61. WoW! Big difference!

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

Where are you located?

[@Amy_McFarland]

@@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683 New York, USA

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

I spent some time at fort drum up in Waterville and a summer at West point.

[@Amy_McFarland]

@@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683 Nice! I'm just south of Buffalo along lake Erie.

[@jameswhitt7921]

Thanks for the video. I've been wondering if this would work. I have an inline fan wasting space that will now be put to use. Can you please make a video about the dust collection system you're using now and show us the upgrade please!

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

This little fan is making a huge difference. The weather is mild all year here so I don't have too much issue with the cold. I do need to get a cap for the fan though, the wind blows in when it's not in use.

[@jameswhitt7921]

@@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683 That makes sense about the cap. I was thinking about how I was going to use my fan, and I think I'm going to vent into the attic and let the passive vents exhaust my airflow. Designing a scrap wood filter box too, but that is a summer project. For now, no filter. Thanks again for the video.

[@BlakePizzey]

Your on the right track and way better than a filter box (cancer box)... BUT I recommend an HRV as it will do the same thing your doing but you won't loose your heated or cooled air. I recently put one in my shop and during our freezing Canadian winter I recovered nearly all my heat.

[@Follower_of_The_Word]

Good point. I put a wood stove in the middle of my shop and don’t mind the fresh air, but if I was paying for that heat it would be a very different story!

[@lestercuebas7864]

cancer box? is there a possible hazard with a filter box? seriously let me know please, hmm maybe voc's or other vapors coming off filtered material circulating back into the air???

[@BlakePizzey]

@@lestercuebas7864 I'm being too harsh, thats for sure... but I don't like the idea behind those filter boxes. They do a great job at removing the visible dust but nearly all of them do nothing to collect the harmful-fine-invisible dust. Instead they circulate that fine dust around and around while you walk freely thinking your space is clean and safe. Instead, do your best to collect it at the source THEN use an HRV to capture and dump that the fine invisible dust outside before it settles.

[@HRConsultant_Jeff]

This may be a nice addition to my shop as well. no louder than the radio or tv in my shop and you only run for a little while. I question whether you could not have achieved the same thing by turning on your shop vac and venting outside? It has a slower air flow, but it does move out and exchange air as well.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

The shop vac is much louder, at least mine is! The 6" fan moves much more air, but I agree that a shop vac would move a fair amount of air out of the shop, giving you that fresh air intake and moving out the super light nano particles that do so much damage. Keeping it low also pulls everything down away from your face and lungs. Let me know how you get on.

[@HRConsultant_Jeff]

@@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683 I got my fan today and it is pretty strong. I was going to put it in one of my windows to exhaust air, but I am also tinkering with attaching it to my downdraft sanding box. I think it would create better fine dust removal than my vac. it is the old volume vs. pressure conversation between vacuums and dust extraction fans. I may hook it up to see the difference.

[@benjaminreinhardt259]

Might I suggest a duct off the fan to the area immediately behind the miter saw? I am going to do a similar thing in my garage soon and think it will remove all of the miter saw dust quickly. Right now you are relying on the dust to rise up to the fan. The saw is blasting it right behind the saw. Or, I might be way off. Good content, thanks for posting it.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

I was thinking the same thing the other day. I also thought I might keep a longer hose to reach the area I hand sand at.

[@bobbuilder69]

I have a question. I have a 12’x10’ workshop. I have a record dx1000 which is great for the larger sawdust from my band saw and bench top sander but the fine dust is bothering my lungs. I have been looking at a filter system and came across your video. Common sense that an extractor would work. My only question is…..Is there much dust deposited outside? Thanks for the great idea.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

Not much dust gets deposited outside. It does collect a little bit on the edges of the window, but I’m not bothered by this. It is fairly windy where I live which may help, but the dust being extracted is really fine, so it just blows away. Also my shop is on the 2nd floor so I think that helps the dust to travel further away. Thanks for watching.

[@cerberus2881]

I'd do that same thing if I were up at home on the farm. Where I live, neighbors could see the dust from their kitchens.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

I live in a very rural area with neighbors that are far enough away. Where do you live?

[@cerberus2881]

@@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683 Home is Kentucky though I now live in Orlando FL. I'm completely surrounded by those who don't appreciate the noise or the dust.

[@ronaldderrez9683]

Would you say this would suck up some plaster dust let’s say 30ft(10m) away if there are some pvc ducts attached to it?

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

It wouldn’t work great as a vacuum but it would pull light dust away. The fan has a good bit of power to it.

[@Jestey6]

I’m assuming it gets cold in the winter in Glenbeigh, if so I see a problem. If you suck dusty warm air out, won’t you draw cold air in? I have a dust extraction system and a Chinese diesel heater in my work shop, which work well. I would expect to see a noticeable increase in heating costs if your system was used.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

It stays in the upper 40's F during the day most of the winter. I'm right on the ocean which keeps Glenbeigh a bit warmer than some other places in ireland. I very rarely heat my shop, only if I'm gluing up and it's cold out. I stuff an old shirt in the vent at night (I should buy a cap) to stop cold air coming in.

[@Jestey6]

@@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683 Hi. Upper 40’s (8/9C) sounds nice, but I’m sure I’ve read it comes with a fair amount of the wet stuff to balance things out. The good news is the it’s Spring a we will be more concerned with getting the hot air out.😀

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

@@Jestey6 we do get plenty of rain! I open the skylights when it gets warm. Then, inevitably I forget to shut them and it rains.

[@BlackForestDesigns]

Won't it suck all the heat out in the winter?

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

It’s always mild here, winter is like 50F today was 40F, and summer is 70F. I bring my glue ups into the house over night if it real cold. But yeah, if it’s cold where you live it will suck the heat out. Read through the comments on this video, there was a guy that recommended a similar product that uses a heat exchanger and returns a percentage of the heat leaving.

[@MrMNRichardWright]

Interesting idea, could get expensive if you are heating the air in the shop.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

Someone told me about an HRV (heat recovery vent) that somehow retains a good percentage of the heat. It’s never very cold here so not a big issue for me, but worth a look it you live where it gets cold.

[@russellfabry5727]

Look at you, reading my mind... very nice. couldn't tell from the vid... how do you keep rain from coming through the fan (or the skylight vents)? Or worse, dust from blowing back in? Don't you need something outside to direct the dust away from your shop's openings?

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

The window is recessed into the side of the house a bit so it is shielded from the weather. The weather generally doesn't come in that direction either. I do need to get a cap to cover the inside when it cold and I'm not in the shop, I have been stuffing an old shirt in the opening for now, it does the trick! There has been no dust build up outside, the wind just takes it away.

[@DESCARADOSif]

From your example it looks like it only has the power to suck up things that are close to it.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

I’m mostly concerned about particles 1 micron and less as these are what will get in your lungs and stay there. They are basically microscopic and will get sucked out. The bigger stuff will settle around the shop and I can sweep it up/vacuum it up.

[@Linrox]

Pipe the dust into the public environment. I hope there is no one living near you.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

I have no immediate neighbors. I did mention that in the video, I would never put anyone's health at risk.

[@heatoncustomwoodworkingflo1769]

😶😶😶....that's not how this works.... You're just blowing air out of your shop....indiscriminently. Are you filtering the air that's still there, that you're still breathing? Cause that's what an air filter does.

[@breakingwavecustomwoodwork8683]

I'm removing air and the fine particles that are in the air and replacing the dirty air with clean air. There are some insightful comments from people with experience in ventilation that could improve this system. If your interested in a system like this you should check them out. Direct venting is a known method of getting rid of airborne particulates and I always wear a respirator in the shop.