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Metal Dust Collection - Torit

Augus7us

Plastic
Joined
Jul 26, 2014
Location
Ohio
Hello All,

I'm struggling to find first hand info on using these. Not a lot out there for metal aside from the 5 gallon bucket stuff and I'm not interested in that.

I make a lot of metal dust in my shop and in my new shop I'm currently finishing the inside and planning on a torit model 64.

Does anyone have any experience with these?

Will they effectively vacuum up fine metal dust mostly made from belt grinders and metal?

I built a grinding room in the new shop. Its roughly 10'x10'. My plan would be to run some metal duct work from the torit in my compressor room, connected to the grinding room and run maybe 15' of pipe to 4 or 5 tool with gates. Any issue with this?

I plan on calling torit but I'm really looking for first hand experience. Thanks!
 
If all you are grinding is steel or stainless steel it will work. However, if there is aluminum that is being finished and the dust mixes together you have a time bomb ticking. Ever hear of Thermite?
The ducts pick up a nice coating of both materials and when a white hot spark enters it ignites. The fire is drawn into the bags of the dust collector and you have a super charged furnace.
Ask me how I know. After the fire was put out I ordered a wet dust collector for the finishing room.
If your not familiar with Thermite it is used to weld together RR track or at least was. Dangerous stuff. You never want to experiance a metal fire, trust me.

Mr Bridgeport
 
I can say from plastics powder experience that Torit is a top name in industrial dust collection. All of the products operate on similar principals and the biggest factor is affordable and high-quality filter media. We tried washable media with mixed results. Definitely contact their tech people and ask some questions.

Seconding Mr. Bridgeport's comment, we burned a 20,000 square-foot building to the ground because we were pulverizing aluminum and it had a little cutting oil residue, which ended up in the baghouse collector (which we had built ourselves) and when we had some sparks, things got ugly in a hurry. No one was hurt, thankfully. Take that shit seriously. The steel mills I've been around all used wet systems, which is something you should strongly consider. Ideal for metal swarf, simple, safe.
 
I have a model 60. I think basically the same thing. Mine is hooked to my blast cabinet and I think it is first class for this type use. Or say hooking it directly to a sander or grinder. I'm pretty sure this is what they are intended for. I think for a shared system where you have it ducted to multiple machines what I have is a bit small.

The down side to these is that the filter bags are about $300. I bought mine used and the filter bags need to be replaced. I think they hold up pretty well but still. That's expensive. Well made little collectors though.
 
Thanks guys. I'm very familiar with the dangers of titanium and aluminum dust! No intentions of adding either to the mix, just steel.

On a side note, I play with fire a lot (forging) so I've gone out of my way to fireproof the shop. Fire code drywall, covered receptacles, metal wainscoting and so on... About three years ago, when I bought this house and shop, three experienced smiths lost their shops to fire. I take the stuff very seriously!

If all you are grinding is steel or stainless steel it will work. However, if there is aluminum that is being finished and the dust mixes together you have a time bomb ticking. Ever hear of Thermite?
The ducts pick up a nice coating of both materials and when a white hot spark enters it ignites. The fire is drawn into the bags of the dust collector and you have a super charged furnace.
Ask me how I know. After the fire was put out I ordered a wet dust collector for the finishing room.
If your not familiar with Thermite it is used to weld together RR track or at least was. Dangerous stuff. You never want to experiance a metal fire, trust me.

Mr Bridgeport

I can say from plastics powder experience that Torit is a top name in industrial dust collection. All of the products operate on similar principals and the biggest factor is affordable and high-quality filter media. We tried washable media with mixed results. Definitely contact their tech people and ask some questions.

Seconding Mr. Bridgeport's comment, we burned a 20,000 square-foot building to the ground because we were pulverizing aluminum and it had a little cutting oil residue, which ended up in the baghouse collector (which we had built ourselves) and when we had some sparks, things got ugly in a hurry. No one was hurt, thankfully. Take that shit seriously. The steel mills I've been around all used wet systems, which is something you should strongly consider. Ideal for metal swarf, simple, safe.

Can you guys tell me what wet systems you're referring to?

I have a model 60. I think basically the same thing. Mine is hooked to my blast cabinet and I think it is first class for this type use. Or say hooking it directly to a sander or grinder. I'm pretty sure this is what they are intended for. I think for a shared system where you have it ducted to multiple machines what I have is a bit small.

The down side to these is that the filter bags are about $300. I bought mine used and the filter bags need to be replaced. I think they hold up pretty well but still. That's expensive. Well made little collectors though.

Thanks Pete. Would you mind explaining how the "curtain system" works? Looks like all the dust is caught in a curtain and you push the foot pedal a few times to shake it off into the pan beneath? Where does the filter come into play?
 
I don't know about a curtain system. The filter is an assembly of pockets that hang down. And there is a plastic frame at the top that holds the whole filter assembly together at the top (mine is cracked). Almost like file folders hanging down. I think they put some fluffy stuff in the middle of the pockets to keep it from sucking shut, so it stays open about 1/2" or so. The air is drawn up through these pockets. The fan is up above. The shaker just rattles these pockets to knock the dust off them. I can't quite remember how this works but basically it just shakes them. Then there is a little pan in the bottom to catch the dust.
 
That would be a Donaldson, iron was an arse, free graphite went straight through and coated everything, they have special filters available
Mark
 
As a kid there was a company 5 miles away that ground aluminum and titanium into dust for paint. It blew up every five years or so. It woke us up when it was at night. At night the flames were viable, not during the daytime fires.
Bil lD
 








 
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