Hi all - I've read just about everything I can find on dust collection - reviews, articles , discussions on forums like this one. I understand the difference between low static pressure, high volume airflow with a dust collector vs high pressure low volume with a shop vac. And yet I still have a few questions.
Currently, I am using a shopvac with an oneida dust deputy and a hepa filter in the vac. Most of my power tools are portable or bench top models, and for the most part, the vac plus dust deputy has been acceptable. (I also have a Jet air filter, but I recognize it's better to get the dust at the source).
The only tool i have this is a true floor model is a Laguna 1412. This is also the only tool I have with a dust port larger than 2" (it has a 4" port, which I currently have reduced to 2 1/2". ) I haven't had it long enough to tell if the shop vac will do an acceptable job.
The rest of my tools have 2" or smaller dust ports - Dewalt Job Site Saw (2 1/2" port below the blade and 1 1/2" port on the blade guard), Router Table (1 1/2" port near bit and a 2 1/2" port on the fence), Miter Saw (1 1/2" port only), and a Grizzly 6" jointer with 2" port. The jointer and planer have ejection fans and I've currently got them ejecting directly into bags rather than my shopvac.
So far, the miter saw is the least satisfactory but from what I've read that's pretty common and some kind of hood is probably needed.
I've read that the Dewalt 735 planer will overwhelm a shop vac. I don't know if the chip ejection fan on the grizzly jointer is as powerful as the planer but the user guide says it requires 190 CFM which is more than what my shopvac can provide.
I don't really have the space to add a dust collector unless I get rid of the shop vac. Plus I'm not sure that's what's called for since the planer and jointer have 2" ports and the miter saw has an even smaller port. I was considering swapping out the 30 um bags on the planer and jointer for 5um bags, but I read that the Dewalt 735 might just blow it right off because it's too powerful.
Would using the better bags result in less of the smaller particles being thrown into the air? Would a dust collector make a significant difference in my particular situation?
Thanks!