Ventilation Suggestions

CrossFire ® PRO
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As I’m waiting for some finishing touches on my new work shop, (which includes tin on the wall behind the table), I’m trying to decide on the best solution for an exhaust/ ventilation setup. I do already have a Wen 3417 air filtration system, but I was thinking about a 14" exhaust fan and ducting to over my table, and eventually adding some sort of hood. I plan on doing welding and other fabricating in this work space, so may eventually want to do some more duct work to those areas. I also plan to build curtains around the cutting area to keep the smoke/ fumes isolated to that area. Looking for a more “budget friendly” option at the moment, that could potentially be upgraded in the future.

Since I live in western NY, I also am trying to avoid sucking all my heat out, and have also looked into fresh air exchangers, but not sure if that will work in my shop space (40’x30’x10’ish).

Link below is the fan I have in mind.

https://www.amazon.com/…/B001Q…/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1…

Thanks for any input! Any pictures would be helpful in visualizing what’s best for me.

plasma table pic
plasma table pic2048×1536 474 KB

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I live not that far from you…Ottawa Canada…so I know what you mean by heat loss…
I am going to put a heat exchanger in my shop with the intakes over the table and where I weld… I am also putting some prefilters to help prevent clogging of the heat exchanger…
at least this way I am exhausting most of the fumes but not loosing all the heat

look at this for your large shop maybe

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We are already experiencing frost in the mornings…freezing starting soon…working on the new in-slab heating for the shop…almost ready…

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That looks like a good solution, would depend on cost at this point, I did request a quote, so we’ll see.

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Unfortunately since the two back windows are blocked off and the door is about 30 feet away from where I plan on having my table, I think some solution out the back wall is my only option at the moment.

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they might be a little costly…but if you installed a high volume heat exchanger over the areas where fumes are concentrated it will help …

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Are you doing this more for smoke or fumes? For me grinding is where the dirt and grime come from, not that much from welding. But I am not welding everyday.

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grinding produces metallic dust…this usually settles in the surrounding area…but a good respirator is something to wear…not the cheap little dust masks…the little white ones do very little…

I use exhaust for fumes…smoke from cutting or welding…

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i was going to try a soft hose like 1 1/2’ and hook it up close to my torch and route it to a small shop vac…not sure if that would work

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shop vac will not eliminate the fumes…just the particles…and if it does not have a HEPA filter or the super fine dust bags it will destroy the motor with the metal dust.

I saw one person take a tin floor vent boot and fasten it to the Z axis and then run a plastic dryer hose from there to a small exhaust fan to the outdoors.

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That’s what I’m talking about when I say a soft hose. I’m just talking about sucking up the smoke not the sparks dude. To each his own

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Toolboy is referring to the large amounts fine metal dust produced during the plasma process. Much of it is captured in the water table but a significant portion makes it’s way into the air. The first time you clean out your table you will see what he means. Allot of what you see in the air is not gas fumes it is the dust. You will also notice it on flat surfaces around the shop.

The dust, even when wet is pretty hard on shop vac impellers and motors.

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Shop vac would not work very well. But sucking up metal particles wont hurt the motor as its not exposed to what your sucking up.

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so I belong to several forums…and have been cutting for 2 years…all I am offering is some advice from what I have learned and talked with others about the hazards and issues with plasma cutting…
you can ignore me…you can take it to heart and do something about it…

the dust from plasma will get into motors and as it is metallic it loves magnets and motors and grinds away at parts.
the fumes…well…here is a great little page on it…

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This link is very good information to identify hazardous fumes and gases and systems that can remove these from your structure.

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It’s good advice. Do appreciate it. It was also a good read.

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I think i’ve decided to section off and area around my table for the time being and building some sort of down draft system around my table to vent outside. I’m hoping the sectioned off area will help keep the heat in the rest of shop and confine the fumes to that area.

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I was thinking of that yesterday as well. What came to mind was the clear industrial plastic flaps that hang from the ceiling or a shop made frame. Sort of like a shower curtain. Then with some sort of exhaust set up. How many of you guys have these crossfire units in your home garage like I do?

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I have one in my garage…I live in Ottawa Canada…and it it already getting close to freezing here…
that is the reason I bought a water table unit…to cut down on the amount of fumes and smoke…but there still is some…

A down draft table is good…but it still draws a lot of air out of the shop.
I do have plans to mount a exhaust line right to the Z axis for now…but I am looking at building a welding blanket enclosure around the top of the table…something along the lines of a shower curtain design…with a duct hood at the top of the enclosure…this will allow me to draw minimum air out of the shop but maximize the venting of the smoke and fumes

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I’m doing the same.