Review of shop air cleaners

[Brian Cole]

Woodworkers Supply sells the two of the Jet Air Filtration Systems and their product information says one of them (not clear which model) was named "Best Value" and "Best Overall" in Fine Woodworking's review of air filters. I have searched FWW website and the internet and cannot find that review. Do any of you folks know where I can find it? I'd also be interested in any other reasonably current reviews of shop air cleaners as well as you personal recommendations. I am also considering building one if I can find a blower/fan and filters cheap enough for that to make economic sense. Thanks.

Brian

[David Hawxhurst]

you could use a cartrigde filter (say from wynn) and a inline duct fan (say around 600-800 cfm) to make on fairly inexpensively and probably better that on you can buy. i would set it up so that the fan pulled air thru the filter so its blowing clean air into the shop.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brian,

It was the Issue 213, July/August 2010, the article starts on page 54 and the Jet AFS-1000B won Best Overall and Best Value.

BTW....I have 2 of them in my 720 sq. ft. shop and they work well!

[Art Mann]

you could use a cartrigde filter (say from wynn) and a inline duct fan (say around 600-800 cfm) to make on fairly inexpensively and probably better that on you can buy. i would set it up so that the fan pulled air thru the filter so its blowing clean air into the shop.

Somebody on another thread posted a recommended manufacturer and model number for the fan. I hope they will see this thread and reply with that information again. That sounds like a plan that would work well and I am very confident of the effectiveness of the Wynn cartridge filter. I believe it is the same one that is used on Clearvue cyclone dust collection systems.

[phil harold]

Somebody on another thread posted a recommended manufacturer and model number for the fan. I hope they will see this thread and reply with that information again. That sounds like a plan that would work well and I am very confident of the effectiveness of the Wynn cartridge filter. I believe it is the same one that is used on Clearvue cyclone dust collection systems.
here is a link to how bill did it
http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/air_cleaner.cfm

[Brian Cole]

Per Art's request, here's a link to Janis Stipins' post about his experience with Bill Pentz's design for mounting an inline duct fan on a wynn nano filter:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?212259-Excellent-air-cleaner-(due-to-Bill-Pentz).

Thanks to Janis for his helpful post and to Ken Fitzgerald for providing the date/issue number of the FWW evaluation of air cleaners.

[Art Mann]

Thanks for the links Brian and Phil. I am planning on buying a shop air filter myself and I just thought the idea of using an in-line fan attached directly to a Wynn Environmental filter cartridge was great. I think it might be easier to maintain and more effective than the typical shop air filtration system.

[Ed Weiser]

I use the Jet AFS-1000B with aftermarket filters by Dick Wynn. The advantage of the Jet unit (like others) is that it has a timer (so that you can run it for a set time after you leave the shop for the day,) is very quiet with a multiple speed fan, and can be ceiling mounted so it takes up no floor space. My 500 sq ft shop air is quite clean and, combined with my Oneida cyclone, I no longer have a problem with dust (I do have allergies). While I don't have a Dylos meter, my allergy symptoms are pretty specific and sensitive!

[Michael Mahan]

Here's that blower http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RKNCMQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2N9S098UA2A1B&coliid=I2NV42O0X5MZ7R
just sits on top of the Wynn filter you can add a timer if that is needed &/or a aftermarket remote .
I'm gonna be getting one for the garage & house move it where it's needed
those box style (Jet & others ) just don't have anywhere near filter surface area for my idea of a air filter
I M O

[Ed Weiser]

Mike,
From what I understand in reading Dick Wynn and others, the filter surface area is generally only an issue to the extent that it restricts air flow and therefore raises s.p. and therefore reduces how much air the cleaner can filter. The efficiency of the filter, on the other hand, relates to the ability to filter certain size particles at a particular flow rate. The filters that Wynn markets to fit the Jet air cleaner and others are much more efficient than the OEM filters but still permit the rated air flow (which BTW is greater that the blower you link on Amazon) for the device. The knock on the Jet-type air cleaners was the quality (read efficiency) of the filters the manufacturer supplied. By the time you build your blower type cleaner with all the features you will have invested at least as much or more than the Jet with upgraded filters. The only feature the Jet doesn't offer is the degree of portability you might seek.
All IMO.
Also, I have no relationship with Jet or Wynn Environmental. Just dust allergies...

[Art Mann]

One thing I like about the idea of a Wynn cartridge is that it doesn't have to be suspended from the ceiling in order to avoid taking up too much room. The cartridge can just be stood up in a corner somewhere out of the way and then serviced conveniently. I have a friend who uses a Jet and he has to get a step ladder out just to clean or replace the filter.

[Ed Weiser]

Art, if it would help with you decision, my filters on the Jet require cleaning at most only several times a year. The amount of dust you trap, of course, is related to how much work you do and dust you suspend, the type of work you do and how efficient is your point of source dust collection. For me, floor space is at a premium and anything I can do to use less of this commodity the better. Also keep in mind that if the air circulation (and therefore the dust) around you cleaner placed away in a corner is poor it will not be as effective as a centrally mounted device.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ed,

My shop is 24'x30'. I use two of the Jets placed so they are parallel, spaced apart and face opposite directions to cause the air in the shop to circulate CCW.

Like you, I only have to clean my filters a couple times a year.

Does anybody have a link to the Wynn filter upgrades for these?

[Michael W. Clark]

Also keep in mind that if the air circulation (and therefore the dust) around you cleaner placed away in a corner is poor it will not be as effective as a centrally mounted device.

I agree with this. Each design has its strengths and weaknesses for sure, but this is one of the weaknesses of the cartridge design. It has more area, but there is no housing around the filter, therefore the velocity through the filter is very, very low. The ambient air filters primarily work by keeping the air circulating in the shop and through the filter. If you don't have velocity to create a stirring effect, you could end up circulating air right around the filter, short circuiting other areas in the shop. I think this type of filter arrangement (the cartridge type being discussed) needs to be placed closer to the source of dust generation to be the most effective. Of course, this is also true of the Jet type, but I think to a lesser degree because the housing will cause higher inlet/exit velocities for increased stirring effect.

[Ed Weiser]

Ken, here you are:
http://wynnenv.com/ambient-filters/
Michael, I agree with your point. Some time ago (not sure where) I read a criticism of air cleaners in general that because they stirred up fine dust, they were counter productive. This would intuitively seem to be a good point were it not for the fact that filtering of this same suspended dust could now occur with the use of an effective air cleaner. This would seem to justify using an air cleaner to filter the ambient air for a period of time after you've left the shop.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Thanks Ed!

[Art Mann]

I was under the impression that filters needed servicing fairly often. I have a home made filter that uses a squirrel cage fan and high efficiency furnace filters and I have to clean or replace them regularly. Maybe my shop is just dustier than most. :( I was looking for a unit that required servicing less often and the large surface area of a cartridge filter seemed to fit the bill.

[Ed Weiser]

Art, is this an ambient air filter or a machine dust collector or a sanding table filter? If ambient air filtration produces that much dust what else are you doing for dust control? I'm a little confused by your comment.

[Dok Yager]

I too use the Jet in my shop. I found a washable filter for the front or first filter and I pull it out and clean it about once every 3 months. Works great and keeps my shop pretty clean. My Dust collector that has a Wynn filter on it as well as a cyclone barrel and I use plastic bags on the bottom of the collector.

[Bernie May]

Get a Dylos DC1100 dust monitor so you know how well your dust collection is working. Without one you are operating blind.

[Brian Tymchak]

Thanks Ed!

+1. Thanks Ed! I want to make that upgrade on my JET air cleaner as well.

[Michael W. Clark]

I was under the impression that filters needed servicing fairly often. I have a home made filter that uses a squirrel cage fan and high efficiency furnace filters and I have to clean or replace them regularly. Maybe my shop is just dustier than most. :( I was looking for a unit that required servicing less often and the large surface area of a cartridge filter seemed to fit the bill.

Art,
You are correct on the above. More filter area is more better. The unit needs to promote swirling in the shop to act as a whole shop filter. Maybe the outlet can be ducted a short distance to help promote the air currents? I am assuming you would draw through the filter so the dust is on the outside, easier to clean and you can see when it needs cleaning. If you set it in a corner, you loose a lot of surface area, most of the air will come through the side of the filter toward the room.

The Jet units have a prefilter that is "cheap" to knock out most of the loading before the dust reaches the more expensive envelope filters inside the unit. Maybe you can incorporate a similar concept on your home-made unit? You could put a prefilter before the fan and a high efficiency filter after the fan? I did this on a box fan setup and it was a noticable improvement over nothing. The Jet moves more air and more filter area, so I think it is a step up from the box fan arrangement. I think the cartridge arrangement would be great installed over a work area where you are using sanders and hand power tools which often have less than adequate DC.

[Michael N Taylor]

I have 2 jet air filters and they work great, but I do use different filters. The jet filters are expensive so I did a Google search for 2" filters, I have bought from several different suppliers an I use a higher merv rated filter than the Jet. The cost of the filters are so reasonable I just change them and do no bother to try to clean a dirty filter.

[Ed Weiser]

I have 2 jet air filters and they work great, but I do use different filters. The jet filters are expensive so I did a Google search for 2" filters, I have bought from several different suppliers an I use a higher merv rated filter than the Jet. The cost of the filters are so reasonable I just change them and do no bother to try to clean a dirty filter.

Michael, what's the source of your filters? There seems to be enough users of the Jet-type cleaners to do some comparison shopping to get the best deal going forward.

[Brian Cole]

Here is an other source of MERV-rated replacement bag filters:

http://www.filters-now.com/products/ir5.html#INABHSM16_IR5_HEAD

The 12 x 24 x 12 should fit the jet - only $18 for MERV 14.

I am considering making an air cleaner if I can find a good deal on a fan/blower. In that case you could build a box to accommodate one of the larger bag filters for more surface area and only a slightly higher cost. I haven't used these and can't vouch for their performance - am just responding to posts requesting alternative sources.