Is it safe to use a dust collector on a grinder?

Widerstand

Widerstand

Joined
Feb 23, 2010
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I was wondering if its safe to use a shopvac or dust collection system on a grinder, I envision hot sparks getting sucked into an inclosed space with other stuff and smoldering. Is this the case or am I way off.
 
I would think that it would most-likely be fine considering that the sparks would be cooled by the time they're in the collection container. But, depending on what else is in your shopvac (dry sawdust or other flammables) it would be a bad idea. But, use discretion, last thing you want is a fire on your hands.

-Best
 
Look at using an add on cyclone water trap between the grinder and shop vac.

You have to maintain it.
It doesn't work if you fill it up above the waterline with flammable wood dust.
Wood dust is very absorbant, you can run out of water.

The airflow means dust collector fires grow quickly.

Some industrial setups here catch on fire on a regular basis and have fire detection and suppression built in.

.
 
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Like the count said, you need a water trap.
I used to work in a woodworking shop and we never hooked up the sanders to the dust collection system. We knew it'd just be a matter of time before someone's decided to sharpen a chisel on the sanders and set 200 lbs of wood dust on fire.

I have a 5 gallon bucket with water under my grinder. A PVC pipe holds an upside down water bottle (acts like a funnel) that feeds into the bucket and a shop vac is hooked up to pull air through the bucket. Sometimes metal dust collects in the funnel. The air flow will cause a spark to set the dust on fire. Without water it'd be a horrible situation. When it does catch fire I just knock the dust loose and it gets pulled into the water trap.
 
fumbler said:
Like the count said, you need a water trap.
I used to work in a woodworking shop and we never hooked up the sanders to the dust collection system. We knew it'd just be a matter of time before someone's decided to sharpen a chisel on the sanders and set 200 lbs of wood dust on fire.

I have a 5 gallon bucket with water under my grinder. A PVC pipe holds an upside down water bottle (acts like a funnel) that feeds into the bucket and a shop vac is hooked up to pull air through the bucket. Sometimes metal dust collects in the funnel. The air flow will cause a spark to set the dust on fire. Without water it'd be a horrible situation. When it does catch fire I just knock the dust loose and it gets pulled into the water trap.
Click to expand...

I would love to see some photos of your setup, I am having a hard time picturing your vac/water trap setup.
 
Here's a pic. It's not pretty but it works.
Basically it's a funnel on the end of a PVC pipe. The bottom of the pipe has about a 5" long section cut out of the side, basically so the end of the pipe can rest on the bottom of the bucket without the air flow being cut off. Just cut a hole in the top of the bucket just slightly undersized then push the pipe through. It makes an air tight seal. The shop vac is hooked up to the top of the bucket and doesn't extend into the bucket more than an inch of so. I fill the bucket with an inch or two of water.
I've taken a piece of plastic, cut a few holes in it, and duct taped it in the bucket to act as a baffle. Without it the vac will slowly pull the water out of the bucket. With it in the water seems to stay in the bucket. I plan on making a larger version and I think I probably wouldn't need a baffle simply because the vac will be farther from the water.
photo.jpg
 
I use a system similar to fumbler's. After I learned the hard way. A straight hook up will not work. I had the hot metal going straight into my vac system. Luckily, I had lots of floor space and a bucket of water close at hand, sorry large bucket of water. I drowned everything. At the point of ignition all I could say was, Wow pretty flames.

I keep the remains of this dust collection system to show others what not to do.

Several safety things to point out, I unplugged the blower first. Water and electricity don't mix. Second a fine metal dust can not be put out with water. You have to remove all the O2. Enough said, Search a good system and spend the rest on a good fire extinguisher.

Dave from Diller
 
Just a little shop note... Sparks and any combustible dust, even flour, when airborn can be explosively flammable. Its not an explosive per the definition of true explosives (x ft per sec burn rate) but will blow the top off a silo or all the windows out of a building. Dust mitigation is a serious safety issue....

There is a cool experiment with a coffee can, birthday candle, tablespoon of flour and a straw out there that is pretty cool... Should be able to google it. Heck, I remember it from Mr.Wizard back in the day!!
 
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