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Grinding concrete silica PPE

MajorLeeGassole

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2010
Messages
392
Location
Fairmont, WV
I was looking around on Amazon for some PPE for grinding the epoxy off my concrete floor. I have too many friends who have had silica-related illnesses to mess with this stuff. And asthma. And COVID-19. The CYA trifecta. ;)

I was hoping to find recommendations for the best place to pick up effective masks and what type of additional filtration I can get to put inline with my Shop Vac?

Thanks in advance!
 
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benwah

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Joined
May 21, 2014
Messages
980
Location
Crested Butte, Colorado
Try to find a 3M half face respirator with 6001 filters.

If using a shop vac, I highly suggest the Fine filtration bags. If you can build or buy a dust collector to go in line with that that would also be beneficial
 

dirtydrew420

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2020
Messages
78
Location
Danbury
When I did mine I wore a 3m respirator. As far as the shop vac goes fine dust filter (HEPA) plus a disposable bag plus the dust separator. Worked wonders and didn't blow up my vac!

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LegacyIndustrial

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Jun 7, 2010
Messages
7,994
Location
deerfield, IL
Open the door, put a large fan behind you and ******** the elusive N95.

Of course, the better option is a DustDeputy with your shop-vac (fines bag) & the elusive N95.




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MajorLeeGassole

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2010
Messages
392
Location
Fairmont, WV
I've been looking at some of the cyclone dust capture systems on YouTube. There is a DIY wet setup called the "Bong-Vac" to capture gypsum dust. I think I will probably make some sort of capture system to help alleviate clogging up the ShopVac to early and too often.
 

DHCrocks

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Joined
May 2, 2008
Messages
1,349
Location
Hawaii
for the shop vac, get an extra long 2-1/2" hose and connect it to the outlet port. Run the hose outside. This will 100% get all the dust away from you. even with the bags and filter some stuff might get by. not to mention by not having the exhaust in the room it will not kick up more dust.
 
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SGKent

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Joined
Feb 12, 2010
Messages
1,959
Location
Citrus Heights CA
for the shop vac, get an extra long 2-1/2" hose and connect it to the outlet port. Run the hose outside. This will 100% get all the dust away from you. even with the bags and filter some stuff might get by. not to mention by not having the exhaust in the room it will not kick up more dust.


towards the neighbor you don't get along with. :lol_hitti
 

cstmg8

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 7, 2018
Messages
518
Location
Pickerington, oh
When I used to have to cut/open up plaster walls in condo units, I would put a carpet/squirrel cage fan in the window sealed to blow out. Then tape one end of an 8" flex ductto the intake and run it to your work area. Block the other side of the fan with cardboard.
Works very well.
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ConCretin

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Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
3,378
Location
Central Maine
The first line of defense should be purpose built dust collection system consisting of a shroud and vacuum. Unless you are going to do a proper test fitting. I'd wouldn't rely on a respirator alone.
 

Prototyper

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Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
77
Location
Kalispell, Montana
I have done a bunch of grinding in the course of my shop build. I found the dust deputy cyclone separator to be incredibly effective at keeping the dust from plugging up the shop vac filter. It literally captures like 95% of the **** before the vacuum.
 

FJ4FUN

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
625
Location
NorCal
No personal experience but I've heard good reviews of the Dust Hopper available at HD. Snaps on a 5 gal paint bucket and performs as well as the more expensive Dust Deputy from Oneida.

Also, for those renting diamond grinders such as the Edco single and twin head units popular at most big box store tool rental centers, make sure that the rubber skirt that seals up against the floor is included and in decent shape. If it's not, which is likely the case, you'll need to fashion one out of duct tape in order to make the dust extraction feature work properly.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dustopp...ia-with-2-5-in-Hose-36-in-Long-HD12/302643445
 

dirtydrew420

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2020
Messages
78
Location
Danbury
The only reason I personally opted for the dust collector over water is to avoid the concrete slurry staining the asphalt driveway, if you don't care or it doesn't apply, water is definitely the way to go, and it will make the tooling last a bit longer.

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benwah

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Joined
May 21, 2014
Messages
980
Location
Crested Butte, Colorado
Yeah, I hate cleaning up a concrete slurry. Maybe on a 300-500 sq ft garage it would be "OK". But on anything larger than that you need a team of guys constantly cleaning the slurry and keeping the floor wet so it doesnt dry.

Best method I've found is to have a a guy with a squeegee pushing the wet slurry into a line or pile, and having a second guy shovel dump the slurry into a 5gal bucket. Then wet the area with a pump sprayer and have a 3rd guy wet vac as much as he can.

Then you have to go back and either pressure wash the rest of the **** outta the concrete, or give it a light dry grind anyway.. This method adds way too much water IMO, making you wait a week for it to dry out.

Find a 250 CFM HEPA vac (if possible) and you'll be in great shape. If you're not far from Denver, call Jondon and you could probably rent one
 
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