A new kind of dust collection…

Feeling a little inspired after listening to Dave Noftz’s recent podcast: Watch Out for Falling Clamps, I started thinking about the non spinning blade dangers in my own shop. I have really good dust collection since it is a smaller shop and my 1.5 HP collector is only ever hooked up to one machine at a time. I have a Festool RO 150 sander and dust extractor for my sanding needs and that produces practically no dust, and I do a lot of hand tool work that makes shavings and not dust. However, I still find myself using the ShopVac to clean up the floors constantly.

I’m not cleaning up wood dust though, but something just as dangerous for the respiratory system, something that contributes to even more allergies, and something that is really slick on an epoxied concrete floor when it piles up. What is the vile substance you ask???

Golden Retriever hair!!! It is everywhere I look and all over my clothes. I find it statically attached to my chisels, clinging to the table saw rails, sticking to wet finishes, inside drawers, inside the mask of my respirator (yuck!), and constantly clogging the intake on the Jet air filter. So until the fine folks at Festool turn their brilliant dust collection minds to veterinary practice I think I am on my own in finding a solution for this one.

Anyone remember the Flowbee?

Maybe just a good haircut is all he needs.

Here is my best attempt at the solution. I have always embraced the dust collection at the source methodology. Now I just have to make sure the hose is long enough and can withstand excited 120lb Golden Retriever speeds and g forces!

**************DISCLAIMER************
No animals were harmed in the creation of this blog post. In fact in an illustration of karma, Alex shook off his dust collection rig and preceded to tackle me, drool on my face, and shove a sopping wet squeaky toy into my hand.

All is right with the balance of the universe now.