Protective cabin for the manipulation of toxic materials

Couldn't you do it with an off-the-shelf glove-box?

The cabin is to protect an artisan in the production of a mid sized sculpture composed of 40 sections of stone, the dust of which is extremely toxic and damaging due to it's cumulative effects in the liver.

Your comment isn't exactly what I was hoping for.

Well, I'm sooo sorry - but if you'd been more specific in asking your question, I would not have had to waste my time answering.

You still haven't told us what the size & weight of the pieces are?

Did you try to search for systems for lead, uranium?

what is the budget?

JohnDG was trying to point you in the right direction!

You are not making a good 1st impression.

The size of each sculpture is that of a human head and section of neck (H. 450 mm x 400 x 280) produced in about 20 sections of small pieces. The pieces vary in size and weight with an average of about 150 mm x 90 x 60 weighing approximately 8 Kg each in a rough state before carving. Each section must be finished (honed), drilled for pinniing, pinned together and then polished as a whole.

I had thought that about Euro 20,000 would be our max budget.

I have searched the net for producers of booths and cabins and have come up with nothing that comes even close to our needs.

I will try a search for protective cabins for working with lead and uranium. Thank you for your suggestion.

Take a look at this:

http://www.downdraft.com/DowndraftBooths/DowndraftBooths.htm

The sections you are making are fairly small, controlling the dust & air flow should do it. The polishing is going to be the biggest problem.

you can also take a look for clean rooms [medical]

This was a huge help. Combining a down draft table and booth with a shower and clean room should work. The polishing is easier to find a solution for. Because of the water less protection is needed. We need only collect and filter the run off to dispose of it as hazerdous material.

thank you so much for your help.

There are also various fume/particulate collectors for welding or painting that would be possible solutions, not being stainless steel, more affordable.

I understand the level of detail involved precludes thick gloves.

Please post some pics of the finished pieces to brighten our days.

I am now looking into the welding boxes as this seems to be the most economical but also the most adaptable to what we need.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I will indeed post a link to the photos of the first piece we make with malachite for all the CR4 folks to see.

Would it be possible to modify a sandblasting cabinet to meet your needs?

I have seen ones in use that look like they might be about the right size for your needs. I'm not sure if the gloves would provide enough feel for a stone carver.

Just an idea that would keep the worker away from the dust by placing the rock in the chamber and the worker outside of it.

Good luck!

the worker has to be very close to the small sections to fit them together so I don't think a sandblasting chamber would work. Thanks for your help.

This style of sandblasting cabinet should allow close work on your stone, while containing the dust. The cabinet is connected to an industrial dust collector. Is the carving done with powered grinders or human power?

Ta DA. My first picture.

The carving will be mostly small die grinders and drills. I am hoping to have the small pieces cut by machine in closed booths so I will be left with finishing.Maybe this would work, but daylight is critical to see the shapes and fit them well and then the space to have enough room to assemble an entire life size head with extending sections of rope like hair (rasta).

Thanks

The raised portion on the top is a fluorescent lamp to light the inside. I used to turn the lights in the room off when using mine.