Installed a mini-split in the workshop today.

[Alan Lightstone]

I think these external filters are worthy in a woodshop environment for the reasons you state for sure. As long as whatever the design is allows for no restriction of airflow relative to the air handler's capabilities, there's lots of opportunity to do what works for you. In your case, Alan, with them so far up on the wall, the "reduced need for cleaning" is a big benefit!

True dat. Although I have a maintenance contract for all my HVAC units, so the HVAC guy has been nice enough to take down the filters and clean them. But that's only twice a year, which probably isn't enough as these units run full-time almost year round.

Mini-splits really are great for workshops.

[Jim Becker]

I tried hard to clean the air handler's filter once a month at the old shop. Sometimes I didn't remember it, but overall, there were no issues. And that unit was literally above/behind my CNC machine there. When I get to putting up my shop building here, I'll have more flexibility for location than I did over at the old place. That was literally the only wall it was possible to mount the unit on.