bciskepottery Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 On the subject of dust, one thing that I have noticed that makes a lot of dust and most potters don't seem to be concerned or aware of, is dust clouds created from slab roller canvases that have dry clay particles on them from multiple uses. Sending the canvas though the slab roller creates dust, as does flopping the slabs and canvas onto tables and general use, I will wear a N95 dust mask if I'm using used canvas, in addition to a room filter. I also hose off the canvas after several uses. When it comes to mixing clay and glazes, I do it next to a strong exhaust fan and plenty of ventilation to rapidly replace room air, and wearing a N100 rubber mask. I've stopped using canvass with my slab roller due to "dust clouds"; I use slab mats instead. Also, I discontinued using a canvass covered board for wedging on and just use the plain plywood surface, washing it down after use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Oz Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 On the subject of dust, one thing that I have noticed that makes a lot of dust and most potters don't seem to be concerned or aware of, is dust clouds created from slab roller canvases that have dry clay particles on them from multiple uses. Sending the canvas though the slab roller creates dust, as does flopping the slabs and canvas onto tables and general use, I will wear a N95 dust mask if I'm using used canvas, in addition to a room filter. I also hose off the canvas after several uses. When it comes to mixing clay and glazes, I do it next to a strong exhaust fan and plenty of ventilation to rapidly replace room air, and wearing a N100 rubber mask. I've stopped using canvass with my slab roller due to "dust clouds"; I use slab mats instead. Also, I discontinued using a canvass covered board for wedging on and just use the plain plywood surface, washing it down after use. Thank you for the info, glad someone else noticed this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 On the subject of dust, one thing that I have noticed that makes a lot of dust and most potters don't seem to be concerned or aware of, is dust clouds created from slab roller canvases that have dry clay particles on them from multiple uses. Sending the canvas though the slab roller creates dust, as does flopping the slabs and canvas onto tables and general use, I will wear a N95 dust mask if I'm using used canvas, in addition to a room filter. I also hose off the canvas after several uses. When it comes to mixing clay and glazes, I do it next to a strong exhaust fan and plenty of ventilation to rapidly replace room air, and wearing a N100 rubber mask. I've stopped using canvass with my slab roller due to "dust clouds"; I use slab mats instead. Also, I discontinued using a canvass covered board for wedging on and just use the plain plywood surface, washing it down after use. Thank you for the info, glad someone else noticed this. I often used a shop vac in the school studio with a hepa type filter on it. This would help with the dust problems. At the same time washing the slab roller down once a day-last period. Usually would keep a lot of the residue dust from building up. It was easy to assign that duty to a student along with all of the other weekly duties I would assign. When you teach Art 1, and Ceramics in the same room, keeping dust down is highly important. Nothing was ever perfect, but the best I could do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivar Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 I clean my workspace and tools daily when I'm finished. I mop the floor, and wash out everything else, mainly because I like to start working on clean surface, but also because I have a dog who likes to eat all of the clay that remains on floor. So I need to clean it all because of him I have ceramic tiles on floor and walls so cleaning is not to hard, just wet mop and wet cloths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJR Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 I like the maid idea. If I hired one, I would make her wear a Hepa approved air filtration-type dust mask. JUST KIDDING! TJR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJR Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 oOPS. i JUST REALIZED THAT i WAS BEING SEXIST IN MY LAST POST, EVEN THOUGH i WAS JOKING. wHAT i MEANT TO SAY WAS THAT i WOULD HIRE HIM OR HER, AND SUGGEST THEY WEAR A FILTER. tjr. Double oops. Caps lock on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Oz Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 On the subject of dust, one thing that I have noticed that makes a lot of dust and most potters don't seem to be concerned or aware of, is dust clouds created from slab roller canvases that have dry clay particles on them from multiple uses. Sending the canvas though the slab roller creates dust, as does flopping the slabs and canvas onto tables and general use, I will wear a N95 dust mask if I'm using used canvas, in addition to a room filter. I also hose off the canvas after several uses. When it comes to mixing clay and glazes, I do it next to a strong exhaust fan and plenty of ventilation to rapidly replace room air, and wearing a N100 rubber mask. I've stopped using canvass with my slab roller due to "dust clouds"; I use slab mats instead. Also, I discontinued using a canvass covered board for wedging on and just use the plain plywood surface, washing it down after use. Thank you for the info, glad someone else noticed this. I often used a shop vac in the school studio with a hepa type filter on it. This would help with the dust problems. At the same time washing the slab roller down once a day-last period. Usually would keep a lot of the residue dust from building up. It was easy to assign that duty to a student along with all of the other weekly duties I would assign. When you teach Art 1, and Ceramics in the same room, keeping dust down is highly important. Nothing was ever perfect, but the best I could do. I see I should have said Some, not most. I think the only way to stay truly safe, is to wear a hazmat suit and work in a wind tunnel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 one quote came back- for 10 12x24 hepa filters $1,000 I'm still looking. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 one quote came back- for 10 12x24 hepa filters $1,000 I'm still looking. Mark I'm guessing that is not all that far off price wise. About $100 a pop. That is one of the reasons why the actual HEPA rated air filtration units are much more expensive than the unit you mentioned to start with. The 99.97% capture at the sub-micron level is not a simple thing to accomplish. Plus that kind of more restrictive flow filter changes the airflow characteristics of the unit based upon the particul;ar fan chosen in the original design. So it is going to affect the volume of air that is actually moved through the filtration unit. best, ..............john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perkolator Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 hepa filters are not cheap. we use a variety of methods in our studio to keep dust down when cleaning up. for sweeping we'll use sweeping compound, N95 respirators and turn on a fan to evacuate the building of most the airborn particulates for vacuuming we have a Nilfisk HEPA rated vacuum which works awesome - very pricey though. wet-cleanup is probably best for airborn particulates and besides a mop for spot cleaning, my preferred method is a small walk-behind Presto wet-vac. I just walk around studio with a watering can and water the floor, then suck it up! (i'm sure you could do this with a shop wet-vac just as well) lastly and what probably helps the most, is 4x a year we roll ALL the studio furniture outside and hose out/squeegee the inside of the building while everyone outside scrubs the ware boards and furniture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 John I finally found a few choices of hepa filters that will fit in front of my delta air cleaner from filters USA The are less than 100$ each-I think a pre filter before the hepa is what I'll do to get the larger size stuff first. Thanks for making me aware of my microns. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karan Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 John I finally found a few choices of hepa filters that will fit in front of my delta air cleaner from filters USA The are less than 100$ each-I think a pre filter before the hepa is what I'll do to get the larger size stuff first. Thanks for making me aware of my microns. Mark Mark, I'd be interested in finding our your source for these filters you mentioned. I have been teaching hs ceramics for the past 13 years... 9 of which have been in my present building. When built, I gave the architects specs on the plumbing concerns, and filtration and venting concerns I would have. I was specific to relate the need to catch the silica, but after reading all these posts, I have fears that resurfaced last night, (as I've had a slight asthmatic feeling in my chest the past 24 hours...)and I lost a good deal of sleep! My biggest fear is that the filters aren't the HEPA type needed, and when it is running, it is filtering the big stuff, and making all the little stuff airborne again. ACK! I am going to contact the manufacturer/installer today- as I was never given info on it. (Imagine that!) I am a little stunned that I never pursued having anything in writing before this, and I just totally believed hook-line- and-sinker that they had my health in mind when they put this in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Karan, I replied in your other thread. Please see there. Also.... if you are feeling "tightness in your chest", or difficulty breathing there are LOTS of potential causes...... some pretty begnign...... some of great concern. One of course is possible cardiac issues. Call your doctor and let them decide the next step......don't assume it is the studio situation. best, .....................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karan Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Karan, I replied in your other thread. Please see there. Also.... if you are feeling "tightness in your chest", or difficulty breathing there are LOTS of potential causes...... some pretty begnign...... some of great concern. One of course is possible cardiac issues. Call your doctor and let them decide the next step......don't assume it is the studio situation. best, .....................john Thanks, John! I'm not normally a hypochondriac- Hopefully just a "bug" going around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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