I have two shop vacs, both setup outside with a hose passing through a window and inside on/off switch:
- Craftsman shop vac - 2.5" hoses
- Porter Cable shop vac - 37mm hoses (1 7/16")
- And I have a 4" cheap dust collector that I've never used, but it is available. For now, I think I'm not doing enough woodworking to make it worth the hassle.
Inside I have a 30 gallon DIY separator - it has a 2.5" fitting to vac, 2.5" (OR 37mm using adapter) to tools. Obviously I've only run this using the Craftsman shop vac. It works well collecting almost all the debris (but I'm losing suction, but that's for another analysis).
Tools:
- Track saw - fitted with 37mm fitting
- Festool ROS - 27mm - I've added a 37mm adapter
- Ridgid oscillating sander - 2.5"
- DeWalt 733 planer - 4" with factory 2.5" adapter
- Miter saw - custom enclosure, has back and shroud curved to enclose everything up to back of cut line - does pretty good trapping the sawdust - no vac fitting (yet)
- Other tools I am not including: Ryobi hobbyist table saw (used rarely), router table (has its own vac), jointer (never used, yet)
My confusion on 27mm vs 37mm vs 2.5" vs 4" -
- Assuming each vacuum source is proficient for it's size and type of device, some will generate more suction, some more speed, etc.
Question 1: Is there some rule-of-thumb?- Since the sizes match, Question 2: use 37mm system with #1 & 2 ?
- Question 3: use 2.5 with #3 & 4? (The planer produced vast amounts - sometimes I just let it spew through the 4" adapter into the driveway and sweep it up.)
- Question 4: Add outlet to floor of miter saw shroud, but Question 5: what size?
Feel free to explain this like I am a simpleton. Feel free to give links.
Thanks