Dustless Technologies – Making Dusty Work Less Manly

At the 2010 National Hardware Show we had a chat with Matt Savage of Dustless Technologies. If you haven’t heard of Dustless Technologies, they are riding high on the wave of the anti-dust movement with a variety of products to collect and capture dust, particularly after all the recent EPA Lead-Safe regulations. We’ve got a real problem with this technology though – it’s downright unmanly.  When we’re wielding a grinder or hammer drill, how are we supposed to convince our bosses/clients/significant others that we were actually working without a coat of hazardous dust caked all over us? C’mon Dustless Technologies, you’re making us look like we were out hand-pruning daisies, not running a core-drilling rig!  Then again, Silicosis and various other dust-related lung diseases really suck.  Alright fine, Dustless Technologies’ hatred of dust is probably well-placed.

Dustless Technologies sells HEPA Vacuums and are becoming well-known for their line of dust shrouds for a variety of tools. Despite making us all look shower-fresh after the most brutish dirty jobs, these products serve a vital safety purpose in this growing market.

HEPA Vacuums:
Dustless Tech’s HEPA Wet/Dry Vacuum sports some serious cred, namely, it’s certified. We’re not sure how critical it is to use a certified HEPA vac vs. a non-certified HEPA, but it shows that Dustless Technologies is serious about meeting the criteria and testing needed for certification. That’s something not all HEPA vac’s do. Also, according to Dustless:

One of the big advantages of the Dustless HEPA Wet/Dry Vacuum is the optional Micro Pre-filter that greatly extends the life of the HEPA filter. The Micro Pre-filter is an inexpensive disposable filter that captures the vast majority of the dirt and dust before it reaches the more expensive HEPA filter. In fact, the Micro Pre-filter captures particles down to .5 microns. That’s remarkably close to the HEPA filter that captures particles down to .3 microns. We highly recommend contractors use a Micro Pre-filter in the HEPA Vacuum to extend the life of the more valuable HEPA filter.

The Dustless HEPA Wet/Dry Vacuum gives you a distinct advantage by enabling you to switch from dry to wet operation without worrying about getting the valuable HEPA filter wet. A protective baffle/wall inside the canister, protects the HEPA filter from water at all times. The Micro Pre-filter also retains its strength when wet, unlike other bag pre-filters, which is a huge advantage when switching between wet and dry operation.

Dustless Tech also offers dust shrouds to cover a broad range of drilling, grinding, sawing, and even scraping needs.

BitBuddie:
From Dustless Technologies-

The Bit Buddie dust and slurry control system is for use with drills, hammer drills and core drills. Fast and easy to use, the BitBuddie dust and slurry control system is held in place by vacuum pressure. No clamps or braces are required. Simple turn on the wet dry vacuum and put the BitBuddie where you want it, and you’re ready to drill. The 1-3/8 inch size is great for drilling faucet holes in stone countertops or any other place where space is tight. It allows you to drill close to a wall or other obstacle and capture the dust or slurry as it’s made. The 4 inch BitBuddie is for use with larger core drills and does an excellent job of capturing dust and slurry to keep the job place clean and protect workers from dangerous airborne dust like silicon and Hexavalent Chromium. The 4″ BitBuddie is excellent for use with a drywall saw for dustless drywall sawing.

I think the drywall saw idea is pretty cool for the BitBuddie too, and would likely score you some points for not making an interior dusty on an otherwise ultra-dusty gig. I also like the fact that the BitBuddies are actually held in place from the vacuum’s suction, rather than adding a wonky appendage or elaborate bracket to your drill.

Cut Buddie II:
Our sponsor Ohio Power Tool’s blogging arm Coptool, recently wrote a piece about Dustless Technologies for grinders, specifically, the CutBuddie II. From CopTool:

Recently they have redesigned both of their CutBuddie grinder attachments for improved performance and connectivity with various manufacturers. [The] CutBuddie comes with multiple connectors for various size grinders. We have not found a grinder yet that doesn’t fit. It’s possible there are non-compatible grinders out there but if you stick to common pro brands like Bosch, Milwaukee, Makita, DeWalt, etc you should have no problem working with the provided adaptors.

The bottom line is you’ll look a lot less burly without that caked-on layer of dust, but we think it’s a worthwhile tradeoff – you’ll probably be far less likely to develop an occupational lung disease too. Most dust shrouds are in the $75-$150 range, and Dustless Technologies HEPA Vacuums start at around $500. You can find all of the Dustless Technologies products mentioned in this article at great prices via our sponsor Ohio Power Tool.