shop exhaust fan question

I'm thinking of installing an exhaust fan in my garage/shop. Because the exterior walls are made of cinder block (cutting a 4.5" hole through both sides like a dryer vent set up with a fan attached), I was wondering if a bathroom exhaust fan would clear the smoke from welding or cutting with a chop saw and dust from sandblasting cabinet. The fans that I have been seeing exhaust around 70cfm or so. The room is approx. 21' x 11' with a 7' ceiling. Would this be enough to do the job or would I just be wasting money and time installing. Currently, I open the garage door until it clears, but then all my heat I had is gone (the garage is heated by a forced air register from the house furnace) Any suggestions? walt

Reply to
wallsterr
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i forgot to mention that i do not paint in there and keep my use of flamable stinky stuff that may blow me up with a spark from a fan motor at a reasonable level. thanks, walt

Reply to
wallsterr

Keeping welding fumes away is always a good idea. Some places have "fume cabinets" with ducting out the top. You could try blocking off a portion of the garage where you weld with some kind of hanging curtains and then turn the exhaust fan on only when you weld.

Reply to
bw

You could build yourself a downdraft welding table....capture of fumes or vapors at the source is the best way conserve heat or cold (summer is coming).

Reply to
Steve Peterson

I seriously doubt a bathroom fan will move enough air fast enough to suit you, that's a pretty big room. But you could always test it by buying insense and burning it in your bathroom, down low and away from your exhaust fan. If you burn some really stinky stuff and the fan pulls it out before your wife kills you will at least know how long that takes. As someone pointed out, put up some curtains (tarps, whatever) to contain the fumes and try exhausting them. Do you have a window? Set up in front of the window and use a portable house fan to test.

Reply to
AHS

here's another idea, if i used an electric leaf blower connected to a hose that connects to a vent hole outside with a 300-400 cfm, that would circulate the room in roughly 5 minutes. No wiring, just mount the unit, plug it in, and use the exsisting switch. I believe my old craftsman leaf blower is about one hp and about 300cfm output. Any thoughts? walt

Reply to
wallsterr

Hey Walt,

A "standard" home washroom fan has very little "power". Not enough to open a shutter flap on the outside of the building. So that means that if you put one in you would have to leave the exhaust hole open, which would leave a "cold air hole" in the wall. The larger shop type exhaust fans do have enough power to open a vent, or they have a powered louvre.

Take care.

Brian Laws>I'm thinking of installing an exhaust fan in my garage/shop. Because the

Reply to
Brian Lawson

If you're already deaf, or always have hearing protectors on anyway, this might be fine.... I think I'd look for an alternative, myself!

Mickey

Reply to
Mickey Feldman

Reply to
JR North

couldn't too much air suction reverse the exhaust flow of your forced air heat system causing carbon monoxide fumes? (although you have this system and you're not dead...) walt

Reply to
wallster

Reply to
JR North

you must have to bolt shit down with that set up! Nice. i figured it worked okay based on those complete house ventilation systems that circulate an entire house in minutes. My boss has one, that is the cats ass, closes doors if theyre open. walt

Reply to
wallster

I have a similar but different application.

My shop in in my basement. I would a fan to remove the small amount of smoke from cutting oil. Seems like a bathroom fan mounted very close to the lathe or mill would do this. Yes or no?

I also have a small surface grinder and couple of bench grinders. I suspect it would take more air flow to deal with dust from them.

chuck

Reply to
Charles A. Sherwood

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