Starting to think about garage/shop dust collection

[Victor Robinson]

Proper dust collection is a topic I've largely ignored. I'm starting to think about getting a real DC (more like a wannabe DC), but am unsure about what exactly I need and how much of an investment it will take to do an adequate job.

Here are the issues and what I'm thinking:

1) Currently, I use a 5HP Ridgid shopvac for dust collection. And by dust collection I mean I turn it on AFTER using a given tool to quickly suck up the dust and chips. It does an ok job (I've got a HEPA 0.3 filter on it), but it's just I'm not pulling anything during tool operation.

2) Why, you ask? Well, the shopvac is a screamer, and because my home is attached to the neighbors on both sides, I don't want to turn on the vac for more than a minute or two when I need it. So that brings me to another question - how loud is a simple 1HP dust collector? My understanding is that it's a lot quieter due to an induction motor. Is it say, about as loud as a 1980's washer/dryer? I'd really like to pulling DURING tool operation, ESPECIALLY if it's going to be a lot quieter than my shopvac.

3) I am eyeing the Grizzly 1HP dust collector (G8027), on sale for $150 + shipping. It isn't very powerful at 500CFM, but I am hoping it meets my needs. The cheaper I can get going on DC the more likely I am to do it sooner.

4) I am envisioning having two 4" lines hooked up to the DC. One would travel about 10' and would be switched between the cabinet saw and the router table as needed. The second line would have to travel about 20' to the other side of the garage where it would be switched between jointer, planer, and bandsaw as needed. Does this sound reasonable? Are these too long of runs for a puny DC?

5) Am I correct in assuming the overall cost of the installation to include the DC, a lot of 4" hose, and some fittings and blast gates? Meaning, I'm looking at around $250-300 with the DC I've chosen?

Thanks for your help and any other tips you can provide. :)

[James Phillips]

Think about looking for a used DC that is a 1.5 HP or 2 HP. Also for your long run try and use PVC instead of flex hose. You will get much better performance

[Philip Rodriquez]

a 10" run is about as much as I would expect a 1 hp unit to make. However, these units are easy to move around!

[Paul Wunder]

Victor,

First recommendation is to buy the book "Woodshop Dust Control" (Amazon $15) and try to read the latest issue of Wood Magazine (good primer article on dust control in a shop including charts.

Like most of us you are about to make a mistake in your first DC purchase. A 1 hp unit is woefully inadequate. Rated at 500 cfm, It will deliver about 250 cfm. Your table saw will require 400-500 cfm to have any hope of clearing the particles.

While you are deciding what to do, the book I recommended above has a simple plan to enclose your shop vacuum in order to greatly reduce the noise during operation. Not all machines perform well. Fine Woodworking did an extensive test of portable DC's (1 1/2 to 2hp) a few years ago. They recommended the Delta 50-760 which now sells for about $350. While I upgraded to a cyclone, I did buy and use the 50-760 and was quite pleased with it. Good power and it is quiet. It should not pose a noise problem in your situation

[David Hostetler]

For the same money, dig around for the Harbor Freight $139.00 coupon for the 2 HP industrial dust collector, and throw a Wynn cartridge on it... Don't get me wrong, Grizzly makes good stuff, but if I had a choice between a 1 HP Grizzly and a 2 HP HF DC... I would pick the 2 HP DC... The Wynn cartridge will add some cost to the equation, but it will also add a good bit of air flow, and get the filtration to an acceptable level...

Use as little flex hose as you can get away with, even placing smooth PVC in long main runs instead. Each bump and bend in the line slows the air down. You want to avoid that...

You will also want a separator of some kind. Google Thien Cyclone, and take a look at Phil's design. I have 2 of them, one for my shop vac, one for my DC. They are some of the best additions to my shop I have done yet. Pretty simple device too.

[David Nelson1]

Victor,
I'm going to have to agree with Paul. I did exactly as you are thinking. I bought a Rockler unit that hangs on the wall 650 CFM, it won't collect a thing from the T/S or B/S. I'm using one flex hose and swapping between different machines as needed. What a PITA. The other constraint is that with the planer and jointer I have to watch the intake side of the D/C because it likes to clog. Do yourself a favor and get a larger unit. I'm dedicated to make this unit work as long as I can so I'm going to add a 30 gal bucket for the chips and that should solve some problems.





Victor,

First recommendation is to buy the book "Woodshop Dust Control" (Amazon $15) and try to read the latest issue of Wood Magazine (good primer article on dust control in a shop including charts.

Like most of us you are about to make a mistake in your first DC purchase. A 1 hp unit is woefully inadequate. Rated at 500 cfm, It will deliver about 250 cfm. Your table saw will require 400-500 cfm to have any hope of clearing the particles.

While you are deciding what to do, the book I recommended above has a simple plan to enclose your shop vacuum in order to greatly reduce the noise during operation. Not all machines perform well. Fine Woodworking did an extensive test of portable DC's (1 1/2 to 2hp) a few years ago. They recommended the Delta 50-760 which now sells for about $350. While I upgraded to a cyclone, I did buy and use the 50-760 and was quite pleased with it. Good power and it is quiet. It should not pose a noise problem in your situation

[Van Huskey]

For the same money, dig around for the Harbor Freight $139.00 coupon for the 2 HP industrial dust collector, and throw a Wynn cartridge on it... Don't get me wrong, Grizzly makes good stuff, but if I had a choice between a 1 HP Grizzly and a 2 HP HF DC... I would pick the 2 HP DC... The Wynn cartridge will add some cost to the equation, but it will also add a good bit of air flow, and get the filtration to an acceptable level...

.

+1 on the HF DC. More for the money in this case.

[Dan Friedrichs]

+1 on getting Harbor Freight's 2HP unit and a Wynn cartridge filter.

It certainly isn't much louder than your table saw or router, and is a lower frequency noise; much less annoying than the shop vac "screaming" noise.

I suggest getting the 2HP HF unit, and rolling it around, using a short length of flex hose to connect it to each machine (as you use it). You'll see how much of a difference it makes, then you'll feel motivated to permanently plumb it in place :)

I'd avoid the 4" ducting at all costs. When you get around to plumbing it permanently in place, use 6" PVC pipe.