Opinions on Shopsmith dust collector

[Mike Manning]

I currently have no dust collection in my little 3rd car garage shop. I'm a hobby woodworker with mimimal dust collection requirements I'd say. However, I would like to do something. I'm going to have an opportunity to pick up a Shopsmith dust collector for around $75. At this point, I don't know the model but it looks like the DC-3300. I also don't know the exact age. I also don't know what if any attachments, hoses, etc it may come with. The current owner wants to move to larger diameter dust collection hoses in his shop and is going to get rid of this one. I understand the Shopsmith uses 2.5" hoses and connectors.

I have a contractor's 10" table saw, a Unisaw, two drill presses, three 14" band saws, 6" jointer, medium duty shaper (all Delta) and a Dewalt benchtop planer. I'm never using two machine simultaneously.

I'm wondering what folks think about this as an option? I see the low cost of the dust collector as a plus. However, I don't know if this is considered a reliable and good quality dust collector. I don't know if it will be sufficient for the machines I use. Additional pros? Cons?

What questions should I be asking when I take a look at it? What should I be checking for?

As always, I appreciate the good advice!

Mike

[Rick Potter]

For $75, I would grab it...great price.

It takes normal 2 1/2" shop vac hoses. You can also unscrew a fitting in the front and adapt it to a 4", which I have done. I use mine primarily to clean the shop floor, and on tools like the router table. I have never tried it on a table saw, though.

It is a dust collector, which runs on high volume of air, not like a shop vac with high suction, little air flow. The thing I like best about it is that it is quiet when in use.

It is a small DC, as long as you don't expect it to perform like a big DC, you should be pleased with it. It is a high quality unit, costing $500 new.

[Ted Derryberry]

I looked up the specs and its a 1/2 hp motor and 2.5" hoses. In the past I've bought Delta and Jet 1 hp dust collectors with 4" ports for $85 to $100 off Craigslist. However, I haven't noticed any at that price lately.

I'd be concerned about volume on the jointer, planer and shaper. It might still be a good deal, but you might need something slightly larger for those pieces of equipment.

I use the Woodstock trash can lid separator with my 1 HP Delta DCs and 4" hoses on my jointer/planer and have no problems at all.

[Carl Kona]

Mike,

I would pass. That is such an undersized unit, it won't do much. With a 2.5" hose you are in shop vac league. Actually a shop vac will have better static pressure and probably the same or better airflow. There are constantly 1 and 1.5HP Dust collector units available on CL near me. The general rule is that small port tools 2.5" and smaller (handheld tools: sanders routers etc..)use a vac and 4" ports and larger tools (stationary tools, planers, router tables, TS, Jointer, etc...) use a DC with a 4" or larger hose. Some mix and match these but this works best. FYI I bought an open box RIGID 5HP vac on eBay for $49, it looked brand new. There are several resellers of returned units selling for significant discount. Between that and CL you are better suited buying something more powerful and suited for the job.