Welding Ventilation Options.

[MilwaukeeSteve]

Hi Everyone-

Moving my shop closer to home - my basement. I know that not everyone will love the idea of a metal shop inside, but it's my only option at this point. I have the right electrical service sorted out, and an area with concrete floors, block walls, and good space all ready to go. Now, I just want to make sure I have the right ventilation for when I weld. Usually mild steel, sometimes aluminum. Mostly TIG. Some brazing.

Do I spring for an ACE or like fume extractor? There was something used for about $500 nearby. It's expensive, but not contaminating the air seems like a worthy investment. Or, do I rig a system with ducting and an inline fan to blow directly outside? I'd love to know what you all have done in your shops, and what I might not be considering...

Thanks!

Steve in Milwaukee

 

[iroc409]

I would get it out of the house, but if you can get an actual fume extractor that might be the ticket. In my garage I've actually considered getting some flexible ducting and one of those little HF dust collectors to duct it out of the garage. Not sure if that will work, but it's a thought. I can't afford one of those fume extractors.

 

[Thumper68]

In my old shop I had a used restaurant hood that I mounted over the welding table and vented through the wall with a in duct fan.

 

[gorilla]

Using a hood over your welding table is not the best idea, you don't want to pull the welding fumes past your breathing zone. One of the best set ups is the fume extractor with the flexible snout that you can position right next to where you're welding. Many come with a HEPA filter so you don't need to worry about make up air for the room. A low buck approach would be a squirrel cage fan and some flexible tubing ducted outside. If you're TIG welding you need to make sure you're not pulling the shield gas away.

 

[zkling]

What Gorilla said +1. Tig is probably the last process I would worry about. Assuming you are welding clean steel or aluminum and nothing galvanized or plated. What would be really slick would be a downdraft table on a variable speed controller, then duct the output of the downdraft table outside. We had them at a place I use to work, then I finally built one for the house for grinding inside. They are nice for grinding as they keep all the nasty abrasive dust contained. Small shop, machine tools and need to grind are not a fun combo.

Just a word of caution, if you do build a downrdraft table, make sure you provide provisions for a spark arrestor. Don't just copy some plans out of a wood working magazine.

 

[gorilla]

If you are TIG welding stainless steel you do need to worry about ventilation. Tig welding releases hexavalent chromium which is a known carcinogen.

 

[MilwaukeeSteve]

Thanks everyone! I got a great deal on the ACE extractor just before getting the parts together to assemble a vent system. I appreciate all of your help! Now, I get to make a new welding table...