Air filtration system? She says "Buy it!"

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have a nice Oneida DC but I want to add an air cleaner for additional cleaning. I am considering the Jet Model AFS-2000. My shop is 24'x30' with 10' ceilings.

Does anyone have this model? If so, what's your opinion?

Has any magazine rated the air filtration/cleaner for woodworking shops lately?

Thanks!

[Neil Brooks]

Yup.

FWW 7/8 2010 reviewed a few, and the one YOU're looking at ... won :)

EDIT: I stand corrected. It was the AFS-1000B that won. That test didn't include the 2000. The competition was a General, JDS, PM and a Delta.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Thanks Neil! My former professional home office is now converted to Ken's amateur woodworking office. I will retire to same, find the magazine and read the article. Thanks!

[Neil Brooks]

Sounds like a good place to kick back. But ... to possibly save you some digging ... it's right here (http://www.finewoodworking.com/fwnpdf/011213054.pdf).

[John TenEyck]

You can save yourself a lot of money by making your own air filter - it's pretty darned simple. Just by a replacement HEPA filter - the one I got (about 12 x 14") from Grizzly was about $10 - then build a box around it with a squirrel cage fan inside and cut an outlet hole. I used an old fireplace blower of about 400 CFM capacity, so it cost me nothing. You could match the filter area to fan capacity the same as the commercial units, if you want; I used what I had. Anyway, the thing works just fine. I see a lot less dust in the air after making a mess, and the air looks really clear in 30 - 60 minutes. My shop is about the same size as yours, FWIW.

[Chris Tsutsui]

I have a JET AFS 1000, (doesn't have the "B")
Then I have the 1500 you are talking about.

The 1500 is capable of a higher air speed. It sounds like an air mover at the highest speed but it gets my shop (20'x20'x10') clean very fast. I only use the highest setting when I've had to saw something with no dust collection. or I'm using a backpack blower in the garage for some major cleaning.

If I am hand sanding or sanding on a lathe, I would use medium speed which is only a little bit noisy.

For everything else, I just keep it on low and it sounds like a quiet bathroom fan. I have a 2.3amp 300cfm bathroom fan that has a 6" circular output. It's about the same loudness as the Jet 1500 on low.

The remote control is quite handy to adjust the speed of the filter depending on how much dust you are putting out. It's infrared so you need an almost direct line of site to the exhaust port. A mirror should work to reflect the signal.

These filters definitely work well and the filled filters will prove that... I can be 10 feet away and hit some chalk board erasers together and can see the dust going steadily towards the filter even when it's on low.

[Paul Johnstone]

I think air cleaners are nice to have. I have the JDS one.

However, if the weather permits, I think a window fan is more effective. Just my opinion, nothing to really back it up.
I also put in a large bathroom vent in my shop, that I run when the weather is not friendly for opening a window.
I have a basement shop, and it really helps get rid of the stink from stain/poly drying as well.

Just some other ideas.. I'm not saying it's a bad idea to get an air filtration system by any means.
I like my JDS one.. but I bet the Jet is good as well..

[Bruce Page]

From what I have read the Jet is a very good filter. I would also recommend getting the electrostatic filter. I have one for my JDS and it sure is nice to just hose it off when it gets dirty.

[Matt Meiser]

I've got an older Delta that's not much more than a tin box with a fan inside. I added a remote by buying a $20 unit from the BORG. It can actually control 2 other devices as well if I wanted.

My recommendation, and maybe ratings have been added since I last looked, but buy whatever unit is cheapest that has enough CFM to turn over the air in your shop at a reasonable rate with any convenience features you want (timers, remotes, etc.,) throw out the filters that come with it, and buy some from Wynn that actually have some performance specs. Without you might not have much more than a fine dust circulation system.

For example: http://www.wynnenv.com/jet_filters.htm

Or take the advise to build one to fit Wynn filters. Or buy a used one and buy Wynn filters. Remotes can be had at the BORG (mine's even fan rated) and you can buy a timer at the BORG so those aren't deal breakers in my mind. You've probably got enough electrical knowledge to wire that up. :D

[Jeff Monson]

Ken, you might want to consider the Powermatic PM1200 air cleaner. I have one and really like it, I got mine on sale for $329.00 this spring. I compared the Jet and PM in the store, the PM has added insulation, and a much quieter fan. Fit and finish there was no comparison either. At the time it was only $30.00 more than the Jet so it was a no brainer for me. The PM also comes with a sweet digital remote. You can just barely hear it on low, medium and high you can hear the rush of air. It cleans up the air in my 12x32 shop in no time. May want to take a look, not sure if its still on sale.

[Jim Becker]

Ken, I find my air filtration unit most useful when I'm spraying my water borne finishes as it picks up a lot of the material that gets suspended in the air, despite good air flow. I rarely run it otherwise, as I sand with the Festool System and use my own Oneida cyclone while running machinery. That said, the Jet unit you are looking at is similar to the JDS that I've owned for many years. It should give you good service.

[Bill Reed]

I have had the same experience as Jeff with my Powermatic. I have a Dylos air quality monitor, and when I turn on my Powermatic PM1200 I can see the particulate count in my shop drop dramatically and quickly. In 10 or 15 minutes the reading is often lower than what I measure in outside air.

Bill

[Daniel Berlin]

I have a nice Oneida DC but I want to add an air cleaner for additional cleaning. I am considering the Jet Model AFS-2000. My shop is 24'x30' with 10' ceilings.

Does anyone have this model? If so, what's your opinion?

Has any magazine rated the air filtration/cleaner for woodworking shops lately?

Thanks!

You have 7200 cubic feet of air space.
The AFS-1000 at it's top speed (1044 cfm) would do an air change in 7.2 minutes, or 8 air changes an hour
The AFS-2000 at it's top speed (1700 cfm) would do an air change in 4.2 minutes, or 14 air changes an hour

The AFS-2000 claims slightly better filtration

Whether the air change speed is worth double the price is up to you.

[Paul McGaha]

I have the Powermatic. Really happy with it. As Jeff mentioned it has a better than average remote.

Has a certain bling to the front of it also, kind of like the grill on an old Cadillac or something.

PHM

[David Hostetler]

I have had the same experience as Jeff with my Powermatic. I have a Dylos air quality monitor, and when I turn on my Powermatic PM1200 I can see the particulate count in my shop drop dramatically and quickly. In 10 or 15 minutes the reading is often lower than what I measure in outside air.

Bill

Not to hijack the thread, but how do you like the Dylos meter?

To the point of the original poster's question, while I don't have the Jet, but the specs on my Grizzly are comparable to the AFS-1000. And they typically rate it cleaning air in a 20x20x10 room. Obviously you have substantially more volume to handle than that. The AFS-2000 appears to be rated for a room a bit larger than yours, but overkill isn't a bad thing... I can say from my experience with my Grizzly, add a washable primary and secondary filter to it if it doesn't come with them. You can run yourself to the poor house buying paper filters. Especially if you are prone to forgetting to turn ON the dust collector (or open the right blast gate...).

[Don Alexander]

i've got a Jet 1000 and i have to say it works GREAT combined with the dust collector there is significantly less dust in the air in my shop
and therefore in my lungs i don't have any way to measure it specifically but its definitely a very noticable difference worth every cent at twice the price IMO

[Aaron Rowland]

Air filters are a bit controversial. Some say if you need one, your sawdust pickup is no good and up date it. Others say they catch a lot of dust and go for it. My opinion is the filter looks just like your lungs. A lot of dust on the filter and you have the same amount deposited on your lungs. Cough, hack. However I have a shop built one which is really easy and better them anything you can buy. It uses a 20 x 25" 3M furnace filter, the expensive high end one , in front of a 20 x25" x 6" deep HEPA filter. These are available from various manufactures and very reasonable. Used in clean rooms. Mine is very old and the pressure drop is the same as new. The 3M catches the main dust . I change the 3M every couple of years so its really not catching much dust. I ran a clean air duct to the opposite end of my shop where it right angles into another duct with a slot cut the entire length. so the air sweeps across the shop area.

The hard part is the blower. Best source is a HVAC service company. You can get one for free or close to that from most. However they come out of old furnaces and pump a huge amount of air. That means noise and a huge draft. I pulled the motor out of mine and adapted a shaft and pulley to slow the RPM by 2/3's to get the CFM I wanted.

Robert Witter the owner of Oneida is against them, or used to be, as unnecessary. I have a lot of respect for this guy and when he speaks I listen. If it hadn't been for him and Bill Pentz this industry would not exist. ( cyclones and dust control).

A really good article from Robert Witter is at www.finewoodworking.com/item/30960/problems-with-our-air-cleaner-article (http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/30960/problems-with-our-air-cleaner-article) I hope this is a good URL. Please correct if it is wrong. I won't paraphrase the letter but Witter is dead on. The FWW was the worst and so typical of magazine articles on dust control. I saw one article recently where the writer claimed a cyclone would flow more air then a single stage two bagger. These guys have no idea what they are talking about and they hire College Professors who know less then they do about air. If you want bad info on dust collection read the mags. They refuse to publish how their tests were run which means to me they are bogus. End of rant and I hope it's not censored.

[Phil Thien]

Air filters are a bit controversial. Some say if you need one, your sawdust pickup is no good and up date it. Others say they catch a lot of dust and go for it. My opinion is the filter looks just like your lungs. A lot of dust on the filter and you have the same amount deposited on your lungs.

This is an often repeated misconception ("your filter looks just link your lungs").

In reality, the air cleaner very rapidly scrubs the air. In short order the air you're breathing is much cleaner than it otherwise would be without the air filter.

I suppose if you were breathing 800+ CF per minute, your point would be valid.

[Bernie May]

If you don't have one, get a Dylos DC1100 air quality monitor for $200. It will change the way you work in your shop. You can monitor how well your various dust collection and air filtration are doing. I wish I had bought this earlier. It is the first thing I turn on when I do anything in the shop.
-bernie

[Thomas Bank]

My opinion is the filter looks just like your lungs. A lot of dust on the filter and you have the same amount deposited on your lungs. Cough, hack.


In reality, the air cleaner very rapidly scrubs the air. In short order the air you're breathing is much cleaner than it otherwise would be without the air filter.

In my case, if I'm doing something particularly dusty I'll wear a dust mask or respirator. The filter will clear the air much more quickly, allowing me to take the mask / respirator off again, compared to just letting the dust settle on its own.

[Rob Cunningham]

Ken,
I have the Jet AFS 1000B and it works great. One look at the filter shows how much dust I'm not breathing in. I also notice a lot less fine dust settling on my bench and other flat surfaces.
The only issue I have is that the remote does not work when the florescent lights are on. I believe it has something to do with the frequency of the ballasts. I just use a long dowel to reach up and push the buttons.

[Aaron Rowland]

If your filter is showing a lot of dust there is a problem in dust control in your shop. While the high CFM by the filter does not equate with the amount of air in your lungs a dirty filter still means you are breathing stuff that maybe could cause problems latter in your life. At least that's Bill Pentz claim and whom am I to argue with that. I like my filter in the spring because it helps my allergies. When running the shop air is better then the living room according to my Dylos.

From all the posts here about dust in the shop a lot of work is needed my some to get rid of it. A low CFM cyclone or a centrifugal separator just won't get the job done. Did you read Witters letter on shop dust? I thought it was well done.

[Keith Avery]

I have 2 Jet AFS-1000s. It was considerably cheaper than the 1700 and combined has higher capacity. I bought both on Amazon for less than $250, they changed the price regularly for a while about a year ago. I also see what appear to be almost new units on craigslist for less than 200 almost every month. They work great. I had one in my last house garage and the buyer specifically wrote into the contract he wanted my air cleaner to stay, so I have bought 3 over the last 10 years.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Well.............the great group of guys I worked with attended my retirement dinner and gave me a very generous gift. Woodcraft has a Jet sale going on right now....and since the Jet AFS-1000B can use the Wynn filters, I elected to buy 2 AFS-1000 B's and I installed both of them yesterday with a little help from a 19 year old grandson visiting us from his home in Phoenix. I installed them pointing in opposite directions with the intent of getting air to circulate in a CCW direction. The one closest to my hangning furnace will hopefully clean the air before it gets pushed through the furnace in the winter time.

I had a contractor roofing my house and we discovered some facia that needed replacing. I purchased some 1x6 cedar and milled it in my shop. As I was putting away tools, I decided to blow out the bag on my ROS. When I did, the dust flew everywhere. Two clicks of the remote and within 2 or 3 minutes the air was clear. I was impressed!

[Jim O'Dell]

Ken, reading through the whole thread, you did exactly as I would have done. If the 2000 was twice as expensive, I would think 2 of the 1000's would do a better job at the same price. Glad my logic works!!! Jim.

[Jim Neeley]

I've picked up my 2 AFS-1000B's over time, inexpensively ($75 for one, $100 for the other), on Craigslist. I use one of them purely as designed and the second is mounted right next to my "sanding station". That way most of the dust the vac on my sander misses (and no matter what, there will be some) gets picked up by that 1000B. I just use the washable electrostatic on that unit and wash or blow it off after sanding.

This isn't to say I don't also use it for general woodworking too. It's just not at ceiling level. I don't think I'd do that if I only had one but I think it was $75 well spent. Now if the Dylos deal goes through I'll measure just how much it's helping but, from cleaning the filter after about an hour of Padauk sanding, it got quite a bit!! <g>

Jim

[Dick Holt]

Ken,
Last December, my 7 year old Jet AFS-1000 died (motor bit the dust). I tried to get the JDS, which Wood mag.rated the best, but delivery was months out. So I bought the Powermatic, which by the way was not included in the Wood review. I like it very much. The remorte is a RF type which means it trannsmits a radio signal, not infrared like most others. This means that you don't have to aim it directly at the unit. Powermatic has been having an anniversary sale and may still have it on sale.
Dick

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Hey folks.....I bought 2 Jet AFS-1000Bs and just installed them.

[David Nelson1]

Cool! I'm still trying to get my homemade one installed. 12 foot ceiling and a 10 foot ladder by myself is no joy.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Cool! I'm still trying to get my homemade one installed. 12 foot ceiling and a 10 foot ladder by myself is no joy.

My youngest grandson, age 19, is visiting. I enlisted his assistance to install them. He's supposed to paint some facia for me today too.

[David Hostetler]

I don't think it much matters which filter you go with. As long as it has the features you want and is at least somewhat half way decently built. They are kind of hard to mess up. Just a box with a squirrel cage fan, some filters, and some electrical controls... I personally went with a Grizzly G0572 for my 18x20 garage shop (9' ceilings) and added a PSI washable filter... Even with my DC going, this makes a huge difference when using machines that I can't collect from very well...