Dust collection near workbench?

[Steve Mathews]

As mentioned in another thread my dust collection ductwork installation is almost complete but I just realized that my workbench where most hand tool work is performed wasn't considered. Dust collection for the table saw, jointer, planer, etc. are all straightforward with their dust ports but what is recommended near the workbench?

[Brian Tymchak]

I ran a 4" branch from one of my DC mains up and along a soffit that crossed over my bench. I necked that down to a 8' 2 1/2" flex hose that I could bring down to the bench. However, it became a hindrance to use as I work on all sides of the bench and need the hose to move from place to place more freely to allow varied tool positions, etc. I retreated to using a shop vac. Maybe a swing arm over the bench might have worked better but then I have lights to consider. Maybe a much longer flex hose would have helped too but I couldn't figure out a convenient method to store it.

[Paul F Franklin]

I have a central vacuum system outlet near my bench that I use for sanders, domino, biscuit jointer, pocket hole machine, etc. Before I installed the close central vac outlet, I used a shop vac. I find the central vac or the shop vac works better with the small hoses required for those bench type tools than reducing down a leg from the central dust collector. The big dust collector just doesn't "suck" that well through small hoses. And the small hoses are easier to deal with at the bench.

[Ron Selzer]

I added a Shop vac with a cyclone connected to 2" pvc sch 40 pipe system, 4 outlets under bench and one on top, plus other locations in shop. Just hook a hose to closest outlet, turn shop vac on and go at it.

[Ron Selzer]

Paul
I have a central vac for the house only, not shop use. Just wondering if you think it would be worthwhile adding a cyclone to the piping system on it too. Definitely would be easier to empty and would keep main filter cleaner
Thanks
Ron

[Paul F Franklin]

Paul
I have a central vac for the house only, not shop use. Just wondering if you think it would be worthwhile adding a cyclone to the piping system on it too. Definitely would be easier to empty and would keep main filter cleaner
Thanks
Ron

Ron, I've thought about it, but mine is pretty easy to empty and vents outside, so no filter (other than a coarse screen) to worry about. If yours has a real filter, than I'm sure the cyclone would keep it cleaner, just like adding a mini-cyclone ahead of a shop vac does.

[glenn bradley]

My shop vac hose is run over to the workbench for clean up. A whip is fastened to it for direct connection to smaller powered hand tools.
Dust Port.JPGMedia Cabinet (59).jpgBosch-w-hose.jpg

[Jim Becker]

For the workbench, a floor sweep (if you have pre-separation only!) and a vac for small hand-held electrics like sanders is the way to go.

[Jim Dwight]

For the workbench, a floor sweep (if you have pre-separation only!) and a vac for small hand-held electrics like sanders is the way to go.

I agree with this and it's what I do. My Rigid+dust deputy + bosch 5 meter hose + quasi hepa filter sits next to my workbench and serves the small electrics. I have a computer connector style cord velcro'ed to the hose with short cords on the tools for my version of the Festool setup. When I change tools, I just plug up both the electrical and hose and when I switch the tool on the shop vac starts up (thanks to an aftermarket switch). This setup gets a lot of fine dust out of the air and when the filter clogs, I use the DC (which exhausts outside) to clean it.