Dust Extraction Systems: Working in a Clean and Safe Environment

If you’re sawing, cutting or drilling, dust always presents a problem.

It can turn squeaky clean workspaces into disaster zones in an instant and can take hours to properly remove, if it doesn’t work its way into crevices where it could stay permanently.

But if you want to keep your work environment safe as well as clean, a proper dust collection system is essential.

If you’re a working professional or a DIY enthusiast and you often have an issue with wood dust, concrete dust or any other kind of dust in your work, keep reading.

What is dust extraction?

When tradesmen use power tools to cut things like wood, stone, brick and concrete, it’s only natural that the materials suffering the wrath of the blade or drill bit disintegrate to make way for the cut or hole, creating dust.

Dust extraction is the process of removing dust from workspaces, either during the work process or in a clean-up effort once the work has been completed. This can be done using a wide range of tools, from standard vacuum cleaners to specialist dust extractors.

Some dust collectors hook directly up to our tools, capturing much of the dust before it has the chance to escape.

Why is having a dust collector important?

Dust isn’t just annoying and messy, it’s also a serious health hazard that can ruin air quality.

Regularly breathing construction dust can cause diseases like lung cancer, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and silicosis, according to the Health and Safety Executive.

This poses a significant risk to construction workers and similar tradesmen, who are exposed to harmful dust daily, making the need for protective gear essential.

This includes protective eyewear, facemasks and, of course, dust extraction.

Then, there’s the obvious cleanliness issue - nobody enjoys working in a messy workspace. Dust can also cause serious slips if it’s left on the ground and not collected. It can also cause damage to tools and accessories if it’s left to lie and set in without cleaning.

But even if you’re not a construction worker or tradesman and consider yourself more of an occasional hobbyist, if you’re dealing with dust, you need to protect yourself from the dust you’re producing while cutting, sawing and drilling.

Dust extraction options available to you

If you’re working in a professional environment - on large-scale projects which produce a lot of dust regularly - chances are you’re already working with (or need) an industrial-level chip or fine dust extractor.

But these options don’t suit individual tradesmen or DIY heroes at all - they’re far too large and expensive and offer very little in the way of portability.

There are smaller, more affordable portable dust extractors that'll help you collect dust and keep a clean and safe work environment.

Consumer vacuum cleaners

Vacuum cleaners are a quick and easy clean-up method for most messes. But can they serve you well for dust extraction?

Well, yes and no. 

Technically, a consumer vacuum cleaner can clean up dust produced on worksites. If they’re reasonably powerful, they’ll do a good job. Especially if they have a detachable hose or additions you can use to work your way into tight areas.

But the problems will begin after you’re done vacuuming…

When fine dust (dust particles that are particularly small, almost invisible to the naked eye) is collected with a consumer vacuum, if that vacuum has HEPA filtration, the fine particles will easily work their way through the filter and into the vacuum’s motor and other parts.

This will cause serious damage to your machine and, over time, will render it completely useless, forcing you to fork out for repairs or a new vacuum entirely.

You won’t find the same issue with the classic vacuums with dust bags, but they’re a rarity in houses these days. So your best option is always to invest in proper dust extraction equipment, rather than using household appliances.

Evolution workshop vacuums

At Evolution Power Tools, we offer dust extraction options to help keep your workspace looking like new.

Our R15VAC 1000 Watt 15L Wet & Dry Workshop Vacuum Cleaner With 1700W Power Take-Off is ideal for individuals and professionals that don’t want dust to get in the way of their work, or to leave a client’s house or personal space looking like a bomb site.

The super strong 1000w motor has a superb 42.5L/s of airflow that’s built to withstand and capture everything from large chunks of debris like wood chips and shavings to finer particles, for reliable clean-up every single time.

It’s incredibly versatile, too. The 1,700W power take-off socket works a dream when connecting the vacuum with a power tool, so all your dust and debris can be collected at the source, instead of having to tidy up later. It’ll work with any brand of power tool up to 1700w in power. 

With both wet and dry capabilities, it can handle virtually any type of mess you make during work, liquid or solid.

Plus, as soon as the tool starts up, the vacuum will begin working, so there’s no time gap where the dust can escape.

The R15VAC vacuum works just as well as a blower as well, with enough force to shift dust and debris away from certain areas, or out of small cracks if pieces have gotten stuck.

And with a total weight of less than ten kilograms, it’s compact enough to move between worksites and jobs with ease, so you can take professional-grade dust extraction power with you wherever you go.

Alternatively, if you prefer not to be held back by pesky cables, the Evolution Cordless R11VAC-Li Wet And Dry Workshop Vacuum with an 18v lithium-ion battery is your ideal choice.

You get all the power and advantages of the R15VAC, just with added portability, to help cover your dust extraction needs whatever your environment.

If you opt for our Loaded package, you’ll get the vacuum along with one of our 4Ah battery packs and a single-port rapid charger, which will take you from 0% to fully charged in just 50 minutes. Perfect for those pesky clean-up jobs where time is of the essence.

Looking into dust collector systems? Grab an Evolution vacuum today.

If you’re sick of your worksites turning into deserts, or you’re worried about the long-term health implications of dust inhalation, pick up an Evolution workshop vacuum today and make light work of your excess dust every time.

Or, if you’d like to know more, get in touch with Evolution Power Tools - one of our power tool experts would be happy to answer any questions you have.