Bob Santerre on mon 23 feb 04
To all,
A question about silica dust and air filters. Does anyone have any
experience .. or thoughts .. regarding this new air filter sold by
Sharper Image called the "Ionic Breeze"? Sounds like a good idea, but
my question is, do silica dust particles have an electronic
charge that would allow them to be picked up by the charged panels of
the filter?
If not I guess the best air filtering is still HEPA filtration systems.
Any experienced users with product recommendations?
Bob (thinking about my lungs over the long haul, mom died with COPD a
few yrs ago, smoking not clay-related)
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Lee Love wrote:
> Silica dust is the single most hazardous material every potter
> has to deal with. The old dirt floors in the traditional Japanese
> potterys are excellent for keeping silica dust out of the air.
> Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.
wayneinkeywest on mon 23 feb 04
The ionic breeze "air purifier" from Sharper Image
works extremely well....for things like smoke,
candle soot, normal household dust. The collection
surface, and the collectors, however, were NOT
meant for silica dust, or the amount of dust generated
in the average studio.
I would not recommend its use for dust collection.
There are too many good products out there
specifically for that purpose. Even those cheapo
shop dust collectors that Harbor Freight sells are
better at that.
Using the ionic breeze would be akin to shovelling
feces with a teaspoon against the tide, IMHO.
YMMV.
HTH
Wayne Seidl
> A question about silica dust and air filters. Does anyone have
any
> experience .. or thoughts .. regarding this new air filter sold by
> Sharper Image called the "Ionic Breeze"? Sounds like a good idea,
but
> my question is, do silica dust particles have an electronic
> charge that would allow them to be picked up by the charged panels
of
> the filter?
>
> If not I guess the best air filtering is still HEPA filtration
systems.
> Any experienced users with product recommendations?
>
> Bob (thinking about my lungs over the long haul, mom died with
COPD a
> few yrs ago, smoking not clay-related)
Ron Roy on tue 24 feb 04
Hi Bob,
I'm not sure that silica is the most dangerous material we have to deal
with - it depends on what other materials are around. I have to think that
Manganese would be one for instance.
Some of the electronic air cleaners produce ozone - and anti oxidant and to
be avoided when possible.
The problem with the hepa filters in a clay studio situation is - they will
clog up very fast and lose efficiency.
I still think a central type vac system which exits the dust outside is the
best.
RR
>To all,
>A question about silica dust and air filters. Does anyone have any
>experience .. or thoughts .. regarding this new air filter sold by
>Sharper Image called the "Ionic Breeze"? Sounds like a good idea, but
>my question is, do silica dust particles have an electronic
>charge that would allow them to be picked up by the charged panels of
>the filter?
>
>If not I guess the best air filtering is still HEPA filtration systems.
>Any experienced users with product recommendations?
>
>Bob (thinking about my lungs over the long haul, mom died with COPD a
>few yrs ago, smoking not clay-related)
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Phone: 613-475-9544
Fax: 613-475-3513
Lee love on tue 24 feb 04
Bob wrote:
>A question about silica dust and air filters. Does anyone have any
>>experience .. or thoughts .. regarding this new air filter sold by
>>Sharper Image called the "Ionic Breeze"?
>
Hi Bob, I am not familiar with this specific product. We do have
an ionized dust filtration air cleaner in our house (we live in the
country and there is lots of dust from the fields in the summer. We
keep the house closed and use the air conditioner and this filter to
help keep the dust out of the house..) We also had a couple ionizers
in our studio loft in St. Paul. What we noticed after starting to use
these, is that the surfaces in our loft and in our house started looking
dustier. The dust particles pick up a charge and it keeps them out of
the air because they are clinking to surfaces instead. It is better
to have the dust where you can see it than floating invisible in the air.
Ron Roy wrote:
>I'm not sure that silica is the most dangerous material we have to deal
>with - it depends on what other materials are around. I have to think that
>Manganese would be one for instance.
>
>
How many potters have manganese in their workshop, raise your
hands? (I don't. Not everybody does.)
Now, How many potters have silica dust in their workshop?
(Every one raises their hands. If you work with clay you have silica dust.)
I didn't see Bob or anybody else say that "silica is the most
dangerous material we have to deal with." Two tons of metal that we
call a car is probably the most dangerous material most people deal with.
Using common sense: If you think about it, everybody has
to deal with silica dust. Everyone should take a statistics class in
school. A basic knowledge in it is very helpful in risk analysis.
At my teacher's workshop, air quality is tested by an outside
lab at least once a year and all the workers and students also had their
lungs tested for silicosis once a year. Having potter friends back
home come down with silicosis, has encouraged me to keep the studio
cleaner and get my lungs check annually.
We shouldn't play down the hazards of something that
effects us all. Dealing with this issue is the single most important
way to help people protect their health who work with clay.
You don't have to pay a lot of money for a central vac
system. Actually, they can suffer some some of the same problems as a
HEPA vac, because usually the vacuum unit is inside the house. If the
filter gets clogged or the seal to the dust canister is not sealed
correctly, it can vent dust into the house or studio. I use an
inexpensive alternative: A shop vac and a hose extension, with the
canister outside of the studio. Because you only have suction inside
the studio, there is no chance of silica dust being vented into the studio.
Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.us "It seems to me what you lose
in mystery you gain in awe" -- Francis Crick
John Jensen on tue 24 feb 04
I have a couple of those recirculating Hepa filters cost about
$150...$75 for the filter alone. I used one constantly for a year and
at the end of the year it looked like new. I replaced it anyway, but I
wonder if the cleanliness of it suggests my dust control is not too bad
in the first place. Or does it mean the filter just doesn't do much.
Anyway, it was far from clogged.
John Jensen, Mudbug Pottery
mudbug@toadhouse.com , http://www.toadhouse.com
>>RR said:
The problem with the hepa filters in a clay studio situation is - they
will
clog up very fast and lose efficiency.
I still think a central type vac system which exits the dust outside is
the
best.
RR
Jennifer Boyer on wed 25 feb 04
Consumer Reports rates the Ionic Breeze as a poor performer. I think
they are getting sued for their test results!
Jennifer
On Feb 24, 2004, at 9:44 AM, John Jensen wrote:
> I have a couple of those recirculating Hepa filters cost about
> $150...$75 for the filter alone. I used one constantly for a year and
> at the end of the year it looked like new. I replaced it anyway, but I
> wonder if the cleanliness of it suggests my dust control is not too bad
> in the first place. Or does it mean the filter just doesn't do much.
> Anyway, it was far from clogged.
>
> John Jensen, Mudbug Pottery
> mudbug@toadhouse.com , http://www.toadhouse.com
>
>>> RR said:
> The problem with the hepa filters in a clay studio situation is - they
> will
> clog up very fast and lose efficiency.
>
> I still think a central type vac system which exits the dust outside is
> the
> best.
>
> RR
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
> _______
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
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>
>
************************
Jennifer Boyer
Thistle Hill Pottery
Montpelier, VT
http://thistlehillpottery.com
Gary Harvey on fri 27 feb 04
I did some research about the ionic type of air filters the EPA said their
is no evidence they are good for anything. Some may disagree but I didn't
buy one because of the reports I found at online. Good luck GH
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Santerre"
To:
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2004 9:57 AM
Subject: Re: Silica dust - was- painting floors
> To all,
>
> A question about silica dust and air filters. Does anyone have any
> experience .. or thoughts .. regarding this new air filter sold by
> Sharper Image called the "Ionic Breeze"? Sounds like a good idea, but
> my question is, do silica dust particles have an electronic
> charge that would allow them to be picked up by the charged panels of
> the filter?
>
> If not I guess the best air filtering is still HEPA filtration systems.
> Any experienced users with product recommendations?
>
> Bob (thinking about my lungs over the long haul, mom died with COPD a
> few yrs ago, smoking not clay-related)
>
>
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//////
>
>
> Lee Love wrote:
>
> > Silica dust is the single most hazardous material every potter
> > has to deal with. The old dirt floors in the traditional Japanese
> > potterys are excellent for keeping silica dust out of the air.
> > Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
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