For men only - in Kerikeri

COVID might have delayed the official opening of the Kerikeri Mens Shed in 2020, but it hasn’t stopped the large group of members enjoying the use of their new purpose designed 540m² unit, built in 2019. For the expanding group of amiable, hard working and predominantly retired men, the new facility provides the perfect safe environment for them to produce items of their own choice, as well as working with wood for numerous community targeted projects.

Men’s Sheds around NZ are a popular venue to work alongside others, building new relationships in retirement, and as each Shed can set their own agenda, it is a great way to pool individual’s resources, as well as making friends in the process.

Kevin Mahoney, Chairman for the Kerikeri Shed says “For the wood working area in our new building, we wanted a dust extraction system that would ensure minimal dust for the health of our members, and chose NZ DUCT+FLEX to provide and install the system –which we are very satisfied with.

Sales staff at NZ DUCT + FLEX impressed upon us the need to get the system correctly sized from the beginning to deal with our 600mm thicknesser for processing slabs, saws, buzzers and a host of other equipment. We have never had a blockage and the area is dust free due to the appropriate specification of the filter.”

A traditional 2 modular baghouse filter was installed by one of the two install teams who are permanent employees at NZDUCT+FLEX, driven by a JK 30D 5.5kW fan, and the dust is collected in bags for easy removal.

Geoff Ebdon from NZDUCT+ FLEX says “As all the components i.e. the fan, filter, filter bags and ducting all come from JKF, compatibility and performance of the whole system is assured. The filter units, made of Swedish finely galvanised steel, can be enlarged by removing the end panel, adding another module and bolting the ends on again. Servicing these units is minimal and consists of oiling the fan shaft occasionally.

“The secret to long lasting dust removal, with minimal maintenance, is sizing up the filter, fan and the needs of the customer’s machinery correctly, and it is the FILTER AREA, not only the fan power, that is key.” says Geoff Ebdon.

“If you ask too small a filter unit to handle too much air and dust, instead of the dust cake forming gently on the surface of the filter material, it gets driven deep into the pile of the material and starts to clog. Once this happens it’s a downhill slope of: poor filtration and constant filter sock replacement, (this is costly), dust left in the work area creating health issues, and dust dangerously settling in the duct work (a potential fire risk). “When it comes to filters (commonly called bag houses) a good ‘big’ one will always beat a good ‘little’ one’ for longer life and less problems.” says Geoff

Kevin Mahoney says another benefit for using NZ DUCT+FLEX was the installation of the

LIPLOCK® ducting which like a child’s train set, can be undone and reconfigured as often as necessary saving costs. The Shed was fully operational throughout 2020 (although closed during the early lockdown), however already many machines have been relocated from their original position and it is a busy hub for the members every day.

For more information on a dust extraction solution visit www.nzduct.co.nz or call 0508 69 38 28