Dust Collection (200-250$ range)

[alex grams]

I have done some searching/reading in regards to this subject, but i seem to only come across discussions regarding either the high end cyclone units, or the shop vac budget solutions.

In short, I am looking for a good dust collection for a table saw/router table/miter saw. I have no problem moving a hose from one to the other as I use them, as I am in a 2 car garage with limited space. I have about 200$ to spend (with some fudge room up to 250$).

What are good recommendations? I have a local woodcraft, and the steel-city 1hp http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=20300 looks nice, and at 750cfm, much more powerful than my shop vac setup I have now.

I need either a portable system, or one I can run about 15' of hose on. Advice from anyone looking at this size of setup?

Also, I have done the 2 stage on my shop vac with the garbage can and 'cyclone' top attachment. Is there much advantage to doing this on a larger unit such as the one linked above?

Thanks in advance.

[Bas Pluim]

With $200, I'd buy the Harbor Freight dust collector. It's listed as 2HP, but it's really 1.5HP. If you buy it on sale for $170, and add in a coupon, you'll stay below budget. Bear in mind that some good flexible hose (the clear, not the black kind) and a few clamps will set you back another $30. A home-made trash can will probably cost $25 in material.

I'm building my own separator right now. The advantage is not having to empty the dust collector bag as often. Because the bag is attached with clamps, this is not easy to do. Much simpler to empty a garbage can. Also, a separator will protect the impeller from any foreign objects damaging or jamming it.

The HF unit is portable (well, pullable), so you can keep the hose length down to a reasonable size (~10ft).

Bas.

[Jeff Bower]

Alex, the Steel City DC has a 1micron bag compared to 30 micron for the HF DC. It sounds like you already have the separator in place....I looked at the Steel City one this weekend and once the budget is there, I will be getting one of those.

[glenn bradley]

I don't own one but the Delta 50-760 has been winning the bake-offs in this category for a couple years it seems. I don't know what it is but somehow everything came together on this one for Delta. Of course there's a zinger; a 5" port. Not a big deal, just limits your sources for adapters, etc.

I have the smaller Delta which is barely adequate for one machine at a time with a seperator in the line. Using the seperator means I only have to clean out my cloth bag a few times a year so I tolerate the drop in CFM.

[Bill Ragland]

I have been running the HF for a year now and it has performed well. It comes with 30 micron bags so to be effective you must upgrade the bags to 1 micron. Cost about $75-$90 to do that. The Delta 50-760 goes on sale occasionally for less than $300 and comes with the 1 micron bags and as another poster pointed out it has received great reviews.

At times the Delta has been sold by Lowes for around $200 but that's a rare occurance. Maybe look for a used/not abused one.

Bill Ragland

[Jason Beam]

It may not quite fit under your $250 ceiling, but seriously consider this combination:

HF 2hp DC when it goes on sale for $170 - find one of those "never expires 20% off coupons" and you're in for quite a bit lower.

Wynn Environmental canister filter (to replace the leaky bag of above) for about 90 bucks. here: http://www.wynnenv.com/cartridge_filters.htm - the paper one will last you fine for a good long while.


There are three reasons I suggest this:

1) Compared to that Steel City (or any others in that price range), this little HF sucker will have quite a bit more CFM. The ratings are all a little bloated, but I can say with experience the HF 2hp pulls more air than any of those 1hp units with bags do.

2) With the wynn cartridge filter, the 30micron vs. 1micron bag issue is solved. This filter will go down to .5 micron. Plus, those cloth bags aren't rated clean, they're rated "after a cake of fine dust buildup" ... that means until you clog that bag up a bit, drastically reducing it's efficiency, you will be spewing significant amounts of dust back into the air. The filters don't work that way. They filter outright, and don't clog nearly as fast. Plus, the increased surface area will vastly increase your airflow. Bag vs. canister? canister always wins.

3) cost. Nowhere can you find the kind of airflow combined with high efficiency filtration for the price of the HF + Wynn filter combination. If you do, I'd love to hear about it. :)

If you can scrape up the extra few dollars, this combination can't be beat for the money. You don't even have to do it all at once - buy the HF unit and save up to get the Wynn filter. That's what I did. When I put that canister on there, the airflow increase was very impressive.

You can also benefit from a 2-stage separator once you've got your canister filter. You could use it with bags, too, but the canister affords that much more airflow to compensate for the load put on by the separator. For sanding dust, the separator won't really help much, but it'll do wonders with jointer and planer shavings. Plus, you won't have to empty your bag as often!

Just my .... oh that's gotta be less than $.02 ... :)

[Jon Adams]

You may want to check with Lowes. I just picked up a Delta 50-760 for $147 on clearance at one of my local stores here in Atlanta.

[John Hedges]

If you've got 220 power available, I highly recommend http://www.pennstateind.com/store/dc2000b.html this one from Penn State. It is a true 2 hp and is large enough to run a network on so it will grow with you. I have been very pleased with this unit for a couple of years now and it is very quiet, and comes with 1 micron bags. It is on the upper end of your limit and shipping might kill the deal, but it is a true 2hp.

[Jim Knishka]

Watch Craigslist...you see a lot of collectors out there modestly priced from people that are upgrading. Speaking of which I have my old one in my garage that I still have to list!

[Bill Roland]

Alex, Where are you located? I might be able to help you out.

[alex grams]

Houston, a little way from TN :)

[Don Stanley]

You may want to check with Lowes. I just picked up a Delta 50-760 for $147 on clearance at one of my local stores here in Atlanta.

Good Score Jon! I lucked out and got one for that price a couple of months ago. That's the one I really wanted when I bought my Harbor Freight 2HP DC a couple of years ago. Now I have two dust collectors! The 1-1/2HP Delta motor is physically smaller than the 2HP HF motor. It's hard to tell if there is much difference between the two machines using the old 'hand-over-the-hose' test. I like both machines, but will keep the Delta; I like the 1 micron filter!

-Don

PS. Can you have to many dust collectors?

[Stan Smith]

I've had a Jet 1.5hp with the top filter cannister for some time now. I bought the Fazlock fittings from Woodworkers Supply for all of my machines...TS, router table, jointer, planer, bandsaw, and drum sander. I'm using my Fein vacuum hookup for my scms. I was always going to install a central dc in my other shop but never did. A 10ft hose reached all my machines and that's what I'm using now. I did buy a remote unit which I highly recommend. I'm now in a 1-car garage. I've had nary a problem with the Jet. However, I'm not sure what the cost is on this. Sure couldn't do without it though.

Stan

[Todd Hyman]

You may want to check with Lowes. I just picked up a Delta 50-760 for $147 on clearance at one of my local stores here in Atlanta.

Jon nice score. Where did you get it and do you know if they have anymore?

[Brandon Shew]

Alex,

I'm in your same boat right now. I want/need a DC for my shop and I've been researching the options. After reading and doing some homework, I just don't think that anything under 2 HP will really cut it for what I want. While a Cyclone would be nice, I'm dealing with a portable unit on my budget. I may roll from tool to tool initially, but I would eventually like to have about a 10' section of rigid pipe with several Y connectors w/ blast gates to flex hose for several tool stations (I have a small shop). From what I've been reading, anything less than 2 HP won't have the CFM that I want past about 4' of flex hose.

I was looking at the Griz 2 HP w/ 2 micron bag, but that would add a franklin to your budget with shipping.

[Steven Wilson]

Alex, a 750 CFM machine is a bit underpowered for collecting dust as well as chips. Try to go with something similar to a Jet 1200C (canister model). If you don't at least wear a respirator while you're producing dust (3M half mask models are quite comfortable and fairly inexpensive).

[Don Stanley]

Alex,

I'm in your same boat right now. I want/need a DC for my shop and I've been researching the options. After reading and doing some homework, I just don't think that anything under 2 HP will really cut it for what I want. While a Cyclone would be nice, I'm dealing with a portable unit on my budget. I may roll from tool to tool initially, but I would eventually like to have about a 10' section of rigid pipe with several Y connectors w/ blast gates to flex hose for several tool stations (I have a small shop). From what I've been reading, anything less than 2 HP won't have the CFM that I want past about 4' of flex hose.

I was looking at the Griz 2 HP w/ 2 micron bag, but that would add a franklin to your budget with shipping.

I don't see why a 1-1/2HP DC would not work. Not sure what you mean by rigid pipe, but 4" PVC Sewer pipe should provide better air flow than 4" hose. My situation is similar to yours! I use the DC as a portable with about 10' of hose for planner, jointer, and table saw. Sure beats any shop vacuum I've ever had! I also have another 10' section of hose for three other machines, that will be replaced with a 10' length of 4" PVC Sewer along the wall, to connect to three different tools with Y's and blast gates.

-Don

[Dave MacArthur]

I also got a Delta 50-760 at Lowe's for around $130. I'd call around looking, I saw another one on clearance at my local Lowe's about 2 weeks ago.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=651822 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=651822&postcount=14)

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=594925 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=594925&postcount=7)

[Jon Adams]

Jon nice score. Where did you get it and do you know if they have anymore?

It was at the new Lowes on Panola Rd east of Atlanta on I20. I didn't see anymore but who knows.

[alex grams]

unfortunately it seems none of the Lowe's in Houston carry the Delta 50-760 model, just the ap400.

[Matt Day]

I wonder how that PSI stacks up against the 50-760? With shipping it's about $320 which is about the same price as the Delta, which usually ships for free from Amazon.

I have a 50-760 which I got for around $300. The sales that most people talk about only seem to occur at certain stores, and my local Lowes is definitely NOT one of them.

I agree with most folks here, wait for sales or look for used. Theres a Jet in the classifieds for $200. Check woodweb and other places too.

[alex grams]

Well, as a follow-up, the best deal looks to be the HF ( http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=45378 )

That, and then i will buy a wynn cartridge filter to modify it. Now, to be patient.

Where do the 20% HF coupons come from? Any links? newsletters?

Jason,
The link to the conversion with the Wynn filter shows the CFM at 560 with the new filter, yet the CFM from the HF website list at 1600. Are they referring to an increase in the CFM of with the new filter? I can't understand what they are refering to. ( http://www.wynnenv.com/9e300bl_conversion.htm )

Also, they have this filter now to use, http://www.wynnenv.com/35A_series_cartridge_kit.htm, which, while it may cost more, (and has only 100ft2 as opposed to the 300 on the filter you linked), it is a full polyester filter, so it can be washed and cleaned more easily to last longer.

More thoughts?

[Bill White]

Harbor Freight. Change the bags. Blah, blah, blah. Works for me thanks to a fellow Creeker.
Bill

[Jason Beam]

Jason,
The link to the conversion with the Wynn filter shows the CFM at 560 with the new filter, yet the CFM from the HF website list at 1600. Are they referring to an increase in the CFM of with the new filter? I can't understand what they are refering to. ( http://www.wynnenv.com/9e300bl_conversion.htm )


Absolutely put ZERO trust in the numbers any manufacturer reports, first of all. That 1600 is, at best, theoretical. They measure those things with no bags, no ducts, no hose, no restrictions whatsoever to get the best rating possible - and it's usually the split second before the motor blows up. So I'd take the manufacturer's numbers with a grain of salt.

That said ... a friend has the HF collector and when using the stock bags, I was able to feel the airflow. Then he put the cartridge on (he bought the paper one) and we felt the flow. It's imprecise, sure, but we FELT it was MUCH stronger. It was the result we wanted, we didn't care what the numbers were.



Also, they have this filter now to use, http://www.wynnenv.com/35A_series_cartridge_kit.htm, which, while it may cost more, (and has only 100ft2 as opposed to the 300 on the filter you linked), it is a full polyester filter, so it can be washed and cleaned more easily to last longer.


You're right. The polyester is MUCH stronger, but I'd linked to the paper ones because of your budget constraints. It's lower filter area isn't something I was TOO concerned about because either was WAY more than the bags on my Jet 1100DC. I have the polyester one myself because then I can blow it clear with my air compressor and not worry about poking through it. If you have the funds, by all means go with the poly one :)


Rick Wynn was the guy I spoke to when I bought mine and he took GREAT care of me and I'm sure he'll take good care of you, too. :)