vacuum/dust control opinions

I use a shop vac (sears 20 gal) with high filtration drywall bags in it for router table work, Drill press, Pocket hole jig, and Miter saw. The bags in the vacuum capture all the dust, make it easier to clean out the vacuum, and keep the filter clean longer.

I use a Grizzly 1.5 HP dust collector with the trashcan lid separator for the table saw and the band saw. It only handles one machine at a time, goal is to eventually get a cyclone and mount it outside the workspace.

I also run a ceiling mounted filter, sized perfect for my last garage, a little small for the one I'm in now, but it does a good job of getting the fine stuff out of the air. I've got plans for a larger one made from an old house furnace air handler that I may build soon.

If you are saving up for a DC, save a couple of extra dollars more and spring for a bigger one than you think you need. It is always better to have extra capacity, especially when you start running your ducting. You may have more losses than you have calculated.

I find a ShopVac may be as expensive as a DC such as a Delta AP400, and most certainly a ShopVac is noisier than a DC. Delta AP400, capable of doing 650 cfm, costs around $150, provides suprisingly strong vacuum suction for any one machine whether it is a table saw, planer, or jointer. The DC is on a wheeled platform, so it is easy to move it around the shop, or to put it away in a corner when you done using it. A more decent dust collector is a Delta 50-760 provides 1200 cfm with 1-micron bag. The machine is powerful enough to do dust collection for 2 machine at the same time and is a long term fit for a home shop. Right now it is on sale with $30 rebate makes it a much better deal over model 50-580. Both DCs use induction motor convertable to 240V, and has 2 year warranty. Both DCs should outlast any ShopVac models, and just in case that you want to resale them, they have decent resale values. I don't have experience on other DC makes, but if they are using induction motor, they should outlast any ShopVac.

Like everyone I'm constantly seeking a cure for the dust - well I think I've may have mine somewhat under control. I've been going through some back issues of Handyman, Workbench etc, and saw an idea of mounting a box fan from the ceiling with a filter taped to the back, well I've done dummer things in my life so I tried it. I let it run for about 10 hours a day for two days and I was amazed at how much that filter took out of the air.

Well if the box was that good what would a Jet Air Filtration System do, so I went out and bought one for $259.00- Jet also has a $25.00 rebate coupon on the net so it cost me $234.00

One of the Workbench had a fairly simple plan for a downdraft sanding table that I built in one afternoon, that cost me $225.00. Most furnace repair shops have old squirrel cages laying around that they'll give you, I had to put a new motor in mine.

Then I had a friend of mine that owns a cabinet shopp come over so I could "show off my new toys" He spent a hour in my shop and gave me a good education.

What I did was great, but there are other things that most people overlook
#1 - Housekeeping don't wait until you quit for the day or for tomorow - sweep the floor - you have a bunch of chips or dust on the floor, sweep it up - everytime you walk through it it goes airborne.

#2 - those piles of small pieces of wood that you can't throw away because you maybe able to use it later, but the next time you need a small piece you cut one rather than look through your pile - get rid of it - it collects dust and every time you disturb it the dust flies.

#3 - Check your DC unit - make sure that the last time you empty the bag you got all of it under the steel spring clamp that hold it on - and that the clamp is as tight as possible.

There is more but most of it is common sense and good housekeeping - I'm very pleased with the change in my shop with the addition of the two units I added - and I'm sure my lungs will be too.

Angus