Simple Dust Collection

[Garrett Ellis]

I have searched and read about many dust collections systems, but I can't find just a basic what-to-do.

I have an older dust collector with a 4" flex hose coming off it. I want to know what I need to make it usable to vacuum up dust and connect it to tools such as my orbital sander and router table and other 'shop-vac' type accessories.

I'm not trying to set up a permanent multi-tool system, just want to be able to disconnect it from one tool and use it on another.

Can I just use PVC fittings to reduce the size to what I need? Or do I need to order the accessories from somewhere like Rockler to get the sizes I need?

thanks!

EDIT: I should add that the reason I want to do this is that I got this dust collector for free from a family member, and would like to make it work rather than having to buy a smaller shop vac.

[Joe Scharle]

Woodcraft and others sell reducing couplers.

[Dan Friedrichs]

There is no good plug-and-play solution for lots of these fittings. Every manufacturer uses different sizes.

PVC fittings are very heavy. If you insist on using this, you might want to put a 4-->2" (or whatever you need) fitting on the DC itself, then using a 2" hose to the tools.

Using a DC as a shop vac poses 3 problems:

1) It's not built for high static suction, rather, high volume. Basically, because of the way the fan is designed, it won't feel like it has much suction if you reduce the size of the hose too much. A shop vac has a different fan design, and will produce more of a pressure difference. Thus, while the DC might use twice as much electrical power as a small shop vac, it will lift up a bowling ball that's only half as heavy. Basically, you'll be disappointed with the amount of suction if you aren't using a 4" or larger hose.

2) Usually, DC's are designed so that whatever gets sucked up hits the metal impeller before being put into the bag. That has the potential to create sparks and start fires in the bags if you're sucking up nails, rocks, etc. So you can suck up dust with it, but avoid using it to suck up rocks, dirt, screws, etc (like you might do with a regular shop vac)

3) The bags on most DC's are too fine, and let lots of dangerous (cancer-causing) dust back into the air. Shop vacs, OTOH, can easily be outfitted with HEPA filters.

So you might want to just buy a shop vac. Otherwise, you'll have to roam the hardware store in search of random stuff you can cobble together to fit your specific applications. Also, the BORGs sometimes have fittings, reducers, etc next to the shop vacs.

[David Hostetler]

Quick and dirty answer, you CAN do that, but it will never work right.

Shop vacs are shop vacs, and dust collectors are dust collectors, and while a shop vac can be made to do the duty of a SMALL dust collector, it doesn't do a good enough job to be truly safe, and a dust collector doesn't do a good enough job as a vacuum to be worth messing with.

In short, you are going to spend more time, money, and frustration trying to force the DC to do the job of the shop vac than it would take to buy a good quality vac like a Ridgid 12 or 16 gallon on sale, outfit it with a HEPA filter, and add some universal reducers for your devices like handheld sanders...

The difference is in how DCs and Shop Vacs operate. DCs rely on moving a LOT of air at very low pressure (High CFM, low static pressure). Shop Vacs rely on moving radically lower volumes of air, and MUCH higher negative pressure (static lift, or vacuum). High static lift works much better for smaller openings since they can't carry the high CFM load anyway. Likewise larger openings require more CFM.

So for example, your table saw with a 4" dust port would go with a dust collector, your quarter sheet sander with it's non standard but probably somewhere near 1" port REALLY needs a shop vac...

[Jack Coats]

You might suggest ClearVue ... they have the best dust collector I have found. I can't afford it (yet). It is possible to construct the same thing.

ClearVue makes their cyclones according to the studies of Bill Pentz. Bill has information for making a great cyclone on his site. He, and ClearVue, seem to think you need a minimum of a 5HP blower to remove dust in a garage type shop to make it worthwhile.

To help in your situation, you might set up a 'pre-filter' for our dust collector (DC), with a small cyclone as a 'preamble' to your dust collector. It will keep your DC 'cleaner' so it can do a better job. You might also consider adding a filter from Wynn Environmental filter. They have filters for various dust collectors to replace the bag. This should significantly increase the collection of your DC. Evidently the fine filters should take out particles to 0.3 micron for best health. Less than that you still need to wear a good filter mask. ClearVue has a 'small' cyclone (CV06) for use with a small DC or shopvac. It is pretty neat, I wish I had one.
There are some pictures of it here.

If that is to much, you might consider a simple 'diy' cyclone, not as good, but it works. ... Make a top for a trash can (that seals), put a 90 degree elbow near the edge pointing 'around' the trash can. This elbow would be the 'intake'. A second hole, in the center is where you would connect your dust collector's input, so all the air is 'sucked' through the DIY Cycleone first. This will collect the 'big stuff'. I saw a DIY filter box, at WoodCentral. It should take care of the small particles pretty well. According to Bill Pentz, you need to make sure the filters are rated for 0.3 micron and as many CFM or more than you plan on the system handling. This person built this rather than big filters like from Wynn (above).

If you are going to try to get a good filter mask in addition (yes, in addition), you might check out the WoodWhisperer on dust collection. He uses a filter that seems to be pretty well. And it is not the highest end things around, but seems to be pretty well.

[David Hostetler]

Garrett,

Sorry I gave an incomplete answer earlier. I suspect your concern is financial, which is TOTALLY understandable.

As far as the shop vac setup goes. I STRONGLY suggest a Ridgid, or similar wet / dry vac. I have one and it works great...

I suggest the following items to help you pull the dust from your small tools like handheld sanders, biscuit joiner etc...

Ridgid WD1250 12 gallon wet / dry vac. Regular price $79.00, I got mine on sale for $39.00 nearly 2 years ago, but I see them at that $39.00 sale price off and on. Grab one when they go on sale!
Ridgid VF6000 HEPA filter. $29.99 list on the HD website. My local HD has them for $27.99. If you can afford it, buy two, one to keep in the vac while the other is being cleaned and drip drying... Filters plug up, and suction goes away, it's a fact of life with filters.
Big Horn 19249 Universal tool adapter for 2.5" vac hose. $3.49, but they charge shipping on this item @ Amazon... Buy several and the shipping makes sense. Grab one for each of your small power tools. In my case say one for each of my handheld sanders (total of 4), one for the biscuit joiner, one for the jig saw, one for the circ saw, makes a total of 6. That gives me a total of $20.49 for these...

[Garrett Ellis]

thanks to everyone for the responses, i really appreciate it.

since my concern is financial, it seems smarter to go ahead and get the right tool for the job and get a shop-vac and reserve my DC for when i get bigger and better tools.