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Thread: Basement shop air filtration and dust collection

  1. #1
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    Basement shop air filtration and dust collection

    Hello!

    I did some searching but I'm new here and couldn't find anything recent.

    I have a small basement shop and I have a shop vac with a dust deputy as my current dust collection setup. My table saw, miter saw, and band saw all have the 2.5" hookup so this has fulfilled my needs thus far. I am planning on adding a dewalt DW735 planer and a Ridgid jointer to the mix as I am getting kinda tired of the lumber selection at the home centers.

    I would like to add a real dust collector to the shop for when I get these machines. I have been looking at the harbor freight unit or the dust right from Rockler, but I am new to these machines. I kinda like the idea of the Rockler being able to mount to the wall and not take up precious floor space, but the harbor freight on wheels would be nicer than having to pull the Rockler off the wall and move it all the time. Does anyone use these setups and have any input? My shop is probably about 300 sq feet so space is a concern. I also need everything mobile which is why I am drawn to these 2 options. I will not have a dedicated pipe system yet so I will take the collector to the tool.

    I also would like to add an air filter to help improve the air quality. I have been looking at the Wen from home Depot but I don't have any experience with any of this stuff. Does an air filter help with fine dust or am I better off trying to find a way to vent outside? I live in Wisconsin so I don't want to suck too much heat out of the shop and blow it outside in the winter.

    Any opinions you guys have are greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
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    For good air quality, you want to have a HEPA filter on the outlet of the blower, and a cyclone ahead of the blower so you don't have to clean the filter every couple of hours of use. Those 2 items will reduce airflow, so you need to have a sufficiently sized blower.

  3. #3
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    What's your main concern here, dust collection, or chip collection?

    If you're concerned about fine dust, and it's associate health risks, the cheapest, and smallest option is a box fan with a filter strapped to it, and a dust mask for yourself.

    If you're concerned about chip collection, I'd go with the Harbor Freight unit. The Rockler unit is tiny, and you're unlike to see much improvement over your shop vac. If you buy either one of these dust collectors, a canister filter for sub micron collection is a good idea. While the bag is "seasoning" it will effectively act as a dust pump, since the sub micron particles will just flow throw and back into the air you're breathing. With a canister filter this will not happen.

    OTOH, the DW735 doesn't really need help with chip collection, and the jointer will work fine with just a box under the chute.

    Just as an aside, you might also want to look into the DeWalt DW734. The DW735 is a nice unit, but it's $200 more for a 1/2" of additional capacity and a blower fan. Just my two cents. If you do get the DW735, make sure you get it with the folding tables, they'll make things much easier.

  4. #4
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    I think you’ll find the Rockler unit breathtakingly overpriced and underpowered. Plenty of threads are here on modifying the HF unit with nice results. A canister filter and a dust deputy and you’re in business on the cheap.

  5. #5
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    I guess I am more concerned about fine dust than chips. Should I skip a bigger dust collector and build an air filter and sweep up the chips? I'm not afraid to push a broom.

    On the box fan air filter, do these work as well as the units that hang from ceiling? Do you need to buy a certain MERV filter?

  6. #6
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    How do you feel about a shovel? I've had chips up to my knees on some projects, coming out of the planer. YMMV.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jason Buresh View Post
    On the box fan air filter, do these work as well as the units that hang from ceiling? Do you need to buy a certain MERV filter?
    Supposedly better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQCEPNFFpy8

    I'd recommend a MERV filter for best results.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jason Buresh View Post
    On the box fan air filter, do these work as well as the units that hang from ceiling? Do you need to buy a certain MERV filter?
    Wood magazine, in their July 2019 issue, reported on a comparison of 8 or 9 air filtration units, and also included a box fan w/furnace filter. They rated two Jet units (the 2000 and the 1000B) as the best performers, but rated the box fan w/furnace filter as their "top value" pick. It actually cleared the air faster than most of the "real" filtration units (but the Jet units cleared the air in about 1/5 the time the fan did - 13 minutes vs. 61 minutes). They didn't say exactly what box fan they used (they said it cost $20), but they used a MERV 12 filter.

  8. #8
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    Hi Jason, in a house you're sharing the air with the remainder of the house.

    Any dust that escapes collection at source will be in the air you breathe.

    You can wear a respirator in the shop, however how will you handle family members in other areas? In addition dust that escapes your shop will settle in the house and get kicked back up through normal activities.

    As others have said, a cyclone with a HEPA filter will be the ticket, the other issue is adequate duct sizing and correct design of tools for at the source collection. For example a tablesaw needs collection above and below the blade, and somewhere around 600 to 800 CFM of flow will be required.

    Basically, any machine with a 4 inch port is letting you know it wasn't designed for collection of fine dust, unless it's a very small machine.

    For sanding, a sander that's built for collection, coupled to a HEPA vacuum will do the trick, I bought a Festool vacuum and sander and promptly quit using all my other sanders.

    If you can borrow or buy a particle counter such as a Dylos, it will help you greatly with your system design.

    I know it's hard to spend money on good dust collection when you're starting out, however it will save you thousands of dollars and protect your family's health.....Rod.

  9. #9
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    I've taken to doing all sanding outside, if the weather cooperates.

  10. #10
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    Sanding outside isn't a problem in the summer and fall but in WI sanding in a -50 wind chill isn't very fun, hence why I like my heated basement lol

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