dust collection

[Ken Barnes <barnestrav@zzzzzzzzz>]

Norman,

I had a complete recirculating system that worked great.  I was in an
urban area where I could not have water running down the sidewalk, and
did not have access to a drain line or sewer to dispose of the dust
collection water.  I cut a sump in the concrete floor and put in a sump
pump, which pumped the water into a 35 gallon plastic drum.  (I had
also re-poured the floor to create a slope to the sump).  From there I
pumped the water into a line that led to my grinder and block saw and
outside to the garden (with valves for each option).  I put a nylon
stocking over the intake, to keep out large chunks.  I never sucked up
any large chunks of stone, but somehow little pieces of wood (from
dunnage or my carving table or off my shoes?) would get into the
system.  I was recirculating dirty water with lots of stone dust, but
who cares?  I would attach a direct fresh water hose if I was
polishing, especially light stones or black stones.  I worried that the
stone dust in the water might somehow wear out my tools sooner, but in
fact my tools die for other reasons before they get worn out due to
water abrasion.

I got a good collection of mud on the floor, but I would hose it down
 from time to time (once every month or so) and then shovel it out of
the sump when needed.  The system worked great, and it kept my 8 by 10
foot "wet room" totally free of dust.  The wet room was concrete walls
on three sides, with a very heavy duty shower curtain on the 4th side.
I had heavy duty lighting that I could vary for polishing, and lots of
shielded and GFI protected outlets.  I am in a bigger, and in many ways
better studio now, but I still wish I could have as nice a
grinding/polishing setup.

Ken Barnes