Woodworking Dust Collector
What, exactly, is a “woodworking dust collector” and why is it so crucial to the success and safety of a woodworking area? In general, the average woodworking dust collector exists for the purposes of making woodworking itself as safe and efficient as possible.
Woodworking, the activity of making items (pieces of furniture, decorations, etc.) from wood carving and joinery, is an extremely popular pastime in not just the United States, but the entire world. Indeed, woodworking as both an industry and a pastime extends as far back as Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome. However, woodworking in our modern age benefits from one particularly unique difference: the existence of the woodworking dust collector.
One of the biggest downsides of woodworking, as any enthusiast or carpenter is sure to tell you, is the by cleanup of the massive amounts of wood dust generated in the production, shaping, and finishing of wood sculptures and furnishings. Wood dust can easily coat a surface, and is notoriously difficult to sweep up and dispose of by hand. This is why dust collectors for woodworking are so beloved and essential to any professional or amateur woodworkers home. Most woodworkers know that dust is a major nuisance in the shop. But how many realize that excessive exposure to wood dust poses a health risk as well? According to the Centers for Disease Control “Exposure to wood dust has long been associated with a variety of adverse health effects, including dermatitis, allergic respiratory effects, mucosal and nonallergic respiratory effects, and cancer.”
Using flex ducting as floor duct or piping to absorb large quantities of wood dust has become a staple feature of woodworking studios everywhere. Often attached to motor vacuums and collection bags for storing dust, these collection ducts function extraordinarily well to keep workplaces and studios free from wood dust accumulation which can potentially damage sensitive equipment such as precise machine parts and joints. These are serious adverse health effects that many suffer from, which is why taking proper precautions when woodworking (such as utilizing a woodworking dust collector) is so important.
Incorporating dust collectors for woodworking in commercial situations is especially important simply because of the greater amounts of people that may be present in these areas versus in residential woodworking dust collector areas. As mentioned, having the right kind of collection ducts in place for the storage of vacuumed dust is critical; without sufficiently sized storage bins and flexible hose for woodworking, you will be putting the safety and efficiency of your construction area in jeopardy.
Remember: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Installing and using proper dust collectors for woodworking is a clear cut example of how prevention can lower health risks to you and your employees, while maintaining quality of work and efficiency of labor in your workplace. No matter how you look at it, it is not difficult to see just how critical the woodworking dust collector and its accessories are – it is just one more example of the sheer variety of situations in which flex ducting makes our lives (in work and play) easier!