Actually, you can design a filtration system that uses filters available at Lowe's, Home Depot, or Amazon that will work every bit as well and at much lower cost. The cost is only outrageous when purchasing filters from the OEM, and that's your only option to get filters that fit the machine. However, you should never run a laser without filtration - even as a hobby - due to the hazards. The exhaust contains carcinogens and elements which can cause brain damage with long-term exposure. Venting this exhaust into the outdoor air without filtration is irresponsible and could result in fines and/or financial damages in a civil suit.
Nice vid, wonder if you have considered cutting open the carbon filter and dumping out the carbon and refilling it with bulk activated charcoal from amazon for a portion of the price?
Hey, At least you filter. I know so many people who just dump it out the window because "Outside == Not my problem" Which, For most, works. But apartment setups or close-houses setups, someone outside on their deck may not enjoy acrylic smoke. I live out in the country, no one near by, so I do tend to just go after the "Dump it outside" method. As in the past I built a filter box and dumped the smoke through 3 HEPA+Charcoal filters. And swear to god, if I was cutting wood, I could have the filter IN THE GARAGE amd put my nose right to the end of the filter box and smell NOTHING. But guess what? After literally 4 large projects, I could visably see wood particles on those filters ( Had transparent window ) and the filters plugged up stupidly fast and airflow suffered to near useless within a couple months. So I decided to just scrap the project and return to just 8" ducting and 8" fan blasting outside. But yeah, I see you have to due to living in a city, so it can get costly.. My successful DIY was $30 for 2 HEPA filters ( Used 3 in my box ) so $45 per every 3 months..and I'm not someone who profits off my machine, its pure hobby "For fun" to aid in building projects. Back at the maker space years ago, we were lucky the maker space was in an industrial park. As we dumped the wood smoke outside no filtering and it was acceptable because no worst than a house with a fireplace.
Totally agreed. I am in a new location but have pretty close neighbors and that acrylic smell really carries far. I tried to make a DIY setup to filter before exhausting outside but I couldn't figure out the "airflow science" to make it work. My fan wasn't strong enough to pull it through the filters.
@@justinlaser No matter how powerful the fan it can only pull as much air through a system as it can intake. If the room is well sealed, then the fan cannot pull in enough air to replace what you're attempting to vent outside.
Nice video and a great setup you got there. Just about to pull the trigger on a desktop laser Aeon Mira 5 at £5100 in the UK. The Omtech is cheaper but too big and the addons do add on. As I live in a block of flats, decided to inquired today about the price for an air filter from filtrabox, I was quoted £4104.00 what a killer 🤕. It's now all up in smoke. Alternatively I have to look into a cheaper laser and filter. Cheers .
Ouch yeah the filters are so expensive. There are some cheaper companies out there maybe look into BOFA I think they have worldwide distribution unlike Filtrabox which is from Canada only.
It seems to be part of the cost of rent. In many places the perfect place for laser cutting would be much more expensive than the amortized costs of filters.
I imagine it also lets you run your laser in an air-conditioned area without killing your electricity bill by constantly pumping conditioned air outside?
The activated carbon filters used for grow houses are only intended to capture odor causing particles. The "sock" filters they include as a prefilter are not suitable for use in trapping laser exhaust. The activated carbon filters themselves will do the job they are intended for, but you would need to add a coarse prefilter, a MERV-13 2200 filter, and a HEPA filter inline and before the activated carbon filter.
By the time you can smell chemicals in the exhaust airstream the activated carbon filter is no longer functioning properly. If the filtration system doesn't include monitoring devices, then you should purchase air quality and carbon monoxide monitors.
Any recommendations for laser engraving leather and dealing with the smell? I’m planning on ordering a falcon 2 40w machine for my first machine but I’m looking at posts saying that the smell of burning leather isn’t great. Problem is I work out of a garage bay attached to my friends shop that he runs a storefront out of. I want to minimize the smell as much as possible so I’m looking at the cabinet that shuts the machine away and a fume extractor of some sorts to help mitigate the smell of the leather being engraved on. I just want to make it tolerable for all parties involved as the exhaust will be getting vented out of the garage bay door that sits about fifteen from his front door and don’t want to be stinking out his customers by having unfiltered stank blowing into their faces. Will one of these units help with the smell from that? Even to help lessen it considerably? I also wouldn’t have a problem putting a more powerful in-line fan in my ducting to help force the air into or out of the fume extractor. I just want to know if it would help the smell or if it would be a waste of time/money to build this setup.
A good design for an air filtration system features a cheap pre-filter (G5 rated will suffice), a MERV-13 2200 (will remove smoke and most contaminants typically trapped by a HEPA filter), a HEPA filter (to trap residual fine particles 0.3 micron and larger), and an activated carbon filter (to trap single molecules smaller than 0.3 microns). The filters should not be encased in disposable aluminum frames. That's just a bad design that fails to consider either cost or the environment. As for the activated carbon filter being $375, that's outrageous. A well-designed filter would permit replacement of the activated carbon, which can be purchased in 100-pound bags for a bit over $1 per pound (retail pricing at Home Depot or Lowe's) since it is used for whole house water filter systems.
Using that sort of carbon has issues with the material placement and lots of dust, which is conductive and corrosive. And I am betting the aluminum frames are there because large filters that get lots of pressure want to move. Its an issue with surface area. Pull apart a BOFA filter some time, they are industry standard and usually are like these stages, in one steel box. also consider how you will need to work with and dispose all of that gunk. If you have thousands of contaminated carbon pellets, you will need to take care not to let it make more dust when dumping them out.
If you buy a high quality setup….less than 0.003% as the best filter systems use HEPA CERTIFIED filters and a carbon filter. The filters alone can weigh as much as 100lbs in some setups
You’ll be creating severely bad fumes and toxins. Do not just rely on them to dissipate inside your spare bedroom office. It sucks but you’ll need an expensive multi thousand dollar system most likely
![Laser Air Filtration DIY [Home HVAC filters]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GQHXRIHA72U/mqdefault.jpg)
Thats good information for anyone looking at buying a fume extractor. Its definitely important to consider the costs of replacement filters.
Thanks kindly for the honest info - very helpful for sure. Cheers!
Sounds like I should start a business making fume extractor filters. Will be in touch :)
Actually, you can design a filtration system that uses filters available at Lowe's, Home Depot, or Amazon that will work every bit as well and at much lower cost. The cost is only outrageous when purchasing filters from the OEM, and that's your only option to get filters that fit the machine.
However, you should never run a laser without filtration - even as a hobby - due to the hazards. The exhaust contains carcinogens and elements which can cause brain damage with long-term exposure. Venting this exhaust into the outdoor air without filtration is irresponsible and could result in fines and/or financial damages in a civil suit.
Nice vid, wonder if you have considered cutting open the carbon filter and dumping out the carbon and refilling it with bulk activated charcoal from amazon for a portion of the price?
Hey, At least you filter. I know so many people who just dump it out the window because "Outside == Not my problem" Which, For most, works. But apartment setups or close-houses setups, someone outside on their deck may not enjoy acrylic smoke. I live out in the country, no one near by, so I do tend to just go after the "Dump it outside" method. As in the past I built a filter box and dumped the smoke through 3 HEPA+Charcoal filters. And swear to god, if I was cutting wood, I could have the filter IN THE GARAGE amd put my nose right to the end of the filter box and smell NOTHING. But guess what? After literally 4 large projects, I could visably see wood particles on those filters ( Had transparent window ) and the filters plugged up stupidly fast and airflow suffered to near useless within a couple months. So I decided to just scrap the project and return to just 8" ducting and 8" fan blasting outside.
But yeah, I see you have to due to living in a city, so it can get costly.. My successful DIY was $30 for 2 HEPA filters ( Used 3 in my box ) so $45 per every 3 months..and I'm not someone who profits off my machine, its pure hobby "For fun" to aid in building projects. Back at the maker space years ago, we were lucky the maker space was in an industrial park. As we dumped the wood smoke outside no filtering and it was acceptable because no worst than a house with a fireplace.
Totally agreed. I am in a new location but have pretty close neighbors and that acrylic smell really carries far. I tried to make a DIY setup to filter before exhausting outside but I couldn't figure out the "airflow science" to make it work. My fan wasn't strong enough to pull it through the filters.
@@justinlaser No matter how powerful the fan it can only pull as much air through a system as it can intake. If the room is well sealed, then the fan cannot pull in enough air to replace what you're attempting to vent outside.
Nice video and a great setup you got there. Just about to pull the trigger on a desktop laser Aeon Mira 5 at £5100 in the UK. The Omtech is cheaper but too big and the addons do add on. As I live in a block of flats, decided to inquired today about the price for an air filter from filtrabox, I was quoted £4104.00 what a killer 🤕. It's now all up in smoke. Alternatively I have to look into a cheaper laser and filter. Cheers .
If you want to filter, look into coco charcoal filters. I'd filter a bit and then send it out the window.
Ouch yeah the filters are so expensive. There are some cheaper companies out there maybe look into BOFA I think they have worldwide distribution unlike Filtrabox which is from Canada only.
thanks, what is coco charcoal filter? do you have a brand name, that i can search?@@LuisCasstle
what did you end up getting? I am in the same situation as you in a block of flats in the uk and need a extractor/filter for a fiber laser
It seems to be part of the cost of rent. In many places the perfect place for laser cutting would be much more expensive than the amortized costs of filters.
I imagine it also lets you run your laser in an air-conditioned area without killing your electricity bill by constantly pumping conditioned air outside?
You can look into filters used for cannabis growing, same stuff not as expensive.
They work for a short amount of time but get clogged fast. Not built for the type of smoke and grime that come out from laser cutting.
The activated carbon filters used for grow houses are only intended to capture odor causing particles. The "sock" filters they include as a prefilter are not suitable for use in trapping laser exhaust. The activated carbon filters themselves will do the job they are intended for, but you would need to add a coarse prefilter, a MERV-13 2200 filter, and a HEPA filter inline and before the activated carbon filter.
How do you know when you need to change the charcoal filter? Is there a VOC sensor or do you just wait for it to start smelling?
By the time you can smell chemicals in the exhaust airstream the activated carbon filter is no longer functioning properly. If the filtration system doesn't include monitoring devices, then you should purchase air quality and carbon monoxide monitors.
Any recommendations for laser engraving leather and dealing with the smell? I’m planning on ordering a falcon 2 40w machine for my first machine but I’m looking at posts saying that the smell of burning leather isn’t great. Problem is I work out of a garage bay attached to my friends shop that he runs a storefront out of. I want to minimize the smell as much as possible so I’m looking at the cabinet that shuts the machine away and a fume extractor of some sorts to help mitigate the smell of the leather being engraved on. I just want to make it tolerable for all parties involved as the exhaust will be getting vented out of the garage bay door that sits about fifteen from his front door and don’t want to be stinking out his customers by having unfiltered stank blowing into their faces. Will one of these units help with the smell from that? Even to help lessen it considerably? I also wouldn’t have a problem putting a more powerful in-line fan in my ducting to help force the air into or out of the fume extractor. I just want to know if it would help the smell or if it would be a waste of time/money to build this setup.
Hmmm. How about Key Lime LaCroix.
A good design for an air filtration system features a cheap pre-filter (G5 rated will suffice), a MERV-13 2200 (will remove smoke and most contaminants typically trapped by a HEPA filter), a HEPA filter (to trap residual fine particles 0.3 micron and larger), and an activated carbon filter (to trap single molecules smaller than 0.3 microns).
The filters should not be encased in disposable aluminum frames. That's just a bad design that fails to consider either cost or the environment. As for the activated carbon filter being $375, that's outrageous. A well-designed filter would permit replacement of the activated carbon, which can be purchased in 100-pound bags for a bit over $1 per pound (retail pricing at Home Depot or Lowe's) since it is used for whole house water filter systems.
Using that sort of carbon has issues with the material placement and lots of dust, which is conductive and corrosive. And I am betting the aluminum frames are there because large filters that get lots of pressure want to move. Its an issue with surface area. Pull apart a BOFA filter some time, they are industry standard and usually are like these stages, in one steel box.
also consider how you will need to work with and dispose all of that gunk. If you have thousands of contaminated carbon pellets, you will need to take care not to let it make more dust when dumping them out.
Hi. How much acrylic smell/oder is left after running through the filter? Thanks...
If you buy a high quality setup….less than 0.003% as the best filter systems use HEPA CERTIFIED filters and a carbon filter. The filters alone can weigh as much as 100lbs in some setups
Can anyone help me out. What sort of fumes and toxins will be created by saying laser engraving yeti mugs?
You’ll be creating severely bad fumes and toxins. Do not just rely on them to dissipate inside your spare bedroom office. It sucks but you’ll need an expensive multi thousand dollar system most likely
boss laser is pretty harsh on shipping.
What if one enjoys those fumes & their very special aroma?
Why doesn't anybody speak about Water filters?
Because water filters aren't useful for filtering airborne particles.