Dealing with dust

[wizardgoat]

I work out of a little shed, small, dusty and not ideal but it's what I've got.
The last while I've really been feeling the effects of dust, probably the yew.
I always do my sanding and real messy stuff outside in front of a fan, but in this craft, dust is a reality.
I don't have the option of a big fancy dust filtration system, and my beard prevents
a tight fit with most respirators.
Any advice from bearded bowyers out there?
Is there any respirator out there that's still effective with a beard?

[DC]

Is there a full head one? Like hazmat gear but with just dust filters? Be a PITA but what are you going to do? Is it possibly other allergies? It is that season.

[osage outlaw]

Check out the resp-o-rator

https://ww w.amazon.com/Resp-O-Ratorhttps-Dust-Respirator-Model-JR-7/dp/B002KA0CMO

[osage outlaw]

There used to be a show on TV about a guy who made giant swords.  He had a similar style respirator

[penderbender]

Beards and respirators don't mix. I have a beard too so no go unless like Don says there might be some type of full head gear. I don't know doesn't sound nice though haha like you say I try and keep any sanding even rasping outside. That fine dust gets everywhere though. Maybe make some custom filtered bandana? Cheers- Brendan

[DC]

Check out the resp-o-rator

https://ww w.amazon.com/Resp-O-Ratorhttps-Dust-Respirator-Model-JR-7/dp/B002KA0CMO

That looks pretty slick

[Pat B]

Goat, I gave up my pesticide license because the only breathing protection I could use was a full hood with air supply. It just wasn't worth it.
 One thing I've done in my shop was to get an inexpensive box fan and attach an a/c filter over the intake side. This will still circulate air in the shop but traps some of the dust. It isn't a complete fix but it does help. 
 Yew dust is very toxic. Some folks react more to it than other folks.

[PatM]

The smaller portable collection system from Lee Valley would likely be a great help.

[osage outlaw]

With your HVAC experience you could make a ceiling mounted air cleaner very easily.  I made one for my workshop and it works pretty good.  There isn't much to it, just a squirrel cage blower in a box with an air filter. 

[DC]

I made one a few months ago. I just made a box the size of a filter and used the old squirrel cage fan out of our gas stove. I didn't think it was doing much but I just went and knocked the filter out. Got a surprising amount of crap out of it.

[Dakota Kid]

See if you can get your hands on an old blower motor and fan from a forced air furnace. If you know any HVAC guys let them know you're looking for one. That's what I used in my homemade paint booth. It moves a ton of air. An effective filter is one of those real cheap wispy furnace filters, but load the side facing out toward the dust with spray adhesive. If you use a couple filter a few feet apart, you don't even need to vent to the outside and lose any heat, provided we're not talking about solvent fumes just plain dust.   

[Marc St Louis]

I use a couple shop vacs, one is attached to my bandsaw and the other is for multipurpose use.  I have found that I have become a bit more sensitive to wood dust over the years.  Some of them make my eyes itchy and irritate me in other ways as well.

I have watched wood dust particles in the sunlight and the stuff seems to like me, when it gets close it homes in on me

[stuckinthemud]

I don't turn out many bows, but, I am really paranoid about making sawdust - the only stages I make dust particles fine enough to be airborne are sawing and end-stage sanding and I prefer gravity to take particles away - do you think the fan might be part of the problem by stirring fine particles into the air? I just kinda shake myself down when I'm done with the rasp/scraper/sanding mesh? Having said that there's lots of examples of home-made dust collection systems using vacuum cleaners and bins - a lot of builders put the motors outside to reduce the noise levels in the workshop

[willie]

I presume you are using powertools? I don't go above 50 grit with the belt sander anymore, 36 actually makes "shavings" when tillering. Have a makita orbital with a dust intregal dust collection bag that seems to help for finishing with the finer grits. Band saw makes more dust than you would think. I reserve some work for outside, when the wind is blowing good. Fans don't do much, especially inside. The dust masks with the better exhale valves work much better than the one without, especially with a beard.

[Ruddy Darter]

Thought I'd mention, have you tried one of those cycle filter bandanas, I've used one for my road bike and when I sand my carvings, they work pretty good and are roomy around the chin, or a dampened regular bandana, with maybe an extra tissue folded inside, be good enough say to keep the worst out...,(and look cool to boot.)    ,
Here's one off amazon.

 R.D.