[DamnYankee]

Already LJs, I got some Christmas cash that I am looking to spend on improving my dust collection in my shop.

Currently I have a Shop Vac.

I am looking at adding a dust collector or an air filtration system.

Since I'm looking to spend about $330 - $400 I don't know which would be more advantageous.

For air filtration I am looking at the Rockler "Dust Right 1200 Air Filtration System" or the Rikon 61-200.

For DC I don't know what is good in that price range, most I've seen are much higher.

What I am considering is the filtration plus a dust separator to add to my shop vac.

I am very open to any suggestions.

Thanks.

 

[KenBry]

The harbor freight dust collector is a great addition and it budget friendly. You can get it new for $160 with a coupon from wood magazine.

 

[fussy]

Actually, you can get it for abou $140 or less with a coupon. Watch for it; it's usually on sale for $149. Works great.

Steve

 

[DamnYankee]

Thanks for the input on the HF DC. If I have to choose between a DC or air filtration which do you suggest?

 

[Loren]

A dust collector will do the most good, probably, hooked up
to your planer and to your table saw. Those machines throw
a lot of chips all over the place, with the saw producing more
airborne dust and the planer just making a mess on the floor.

Contractor saws are trick to set up satisfactorily for dust collection,
but if you have a saw that supports good dust collection, having
a real dust collector hooked up to it is a nice thing and reduced
airborne shop dust considerably.

I'd say at the source dust collection is a better investment than
filtration, but a lot depends I suppose on your own style of
woodworking and the sort of messes you make.

I'm not a big router table user, but they can be very messy. I
usually do router stuff outdoors if possible since router dust
collection tends to be cumbersome and fiddly to set up.

 

[BillWhite]

Ya didn't say what TS you have. I have a Grizz 0444Z contractor's saw, and use the HF with the bottom hood/shroud/insert (whatever) on the Grizz.
For the money, you could possibly have both.
I added good bags to my HF collector.
Bill

 

[donwilwol]

I've had a dust collector since I built my shop. I'm looking at making a filter soon. I agree the dust collector makes the most sense, first.

 

[DamnYankee]

I have a Ridgid TS4511, Buffalo 14" BS, 1976 Craftsman RAS, router table and drill press

 

[Dusty56]

Buy the dust collector and make your own dust filtration unit to fit your needs. Simple to do : )
Spend the extra money on good dust bags (<5 micron) or a pleated air filter canister for the DC.

 

[fussy]

Rob,

Definately get the dust at the source. While you're at it, go to www.wynnenv.com and look at the pleated air filter conversion made for the HF dc. Drop on fit, 99.5% effecient down to 0.5 microns, radically increases cfm performance, for just a skosh over $100.00. Your lungs will love you. Also check out www.cgallery.com or Phil Thein's site on his Tgein separator. I added one to the cone in my HF dc and never have to clean the filter.

Steve

 

[rance]

+1 what dusty & fussy said.

 

[DamnYankee]

Okay - got the HF for $150 + 2 yr extended warranty. I am building an exterior "closet" for it on an outside wall of my workshop. I plan to connect it to TS and RAS at minimum plus an open connection (by open I do not mean no blast gate I mean open for other attachment such as for vacuum or other random tools). I am not sure if I will connect BS and DP at this time (partly due to step down but mostly due to not having settled on their locations)

Thanks for all the input LJs

 

[kizerpea]

YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK…IF YOU COLLECT DUST FIRST AT THE SOURCE IT CUTS DOWN ON HAVING TO FILTER THE AIR.

 

[RockyTopScott]

Buy the DC…remember the filter is only good once the dust particles are already in the air (and your lungs).

 

[Raymondz]

DC all the way!

 

[dbhost]

Catch the dust at the tool as best you can first. Thus get a dust collector. Depends on if you can go a little over your budget mark… A Delta 50-760 can be had close to that. If budget constraints are that much of a concern, go for the Harbor Freight 2HP DC and add a Wynn canister filter to it… Best bang for the buck out there. Not the best DC, but it whips the snot out of anything else in its price class…

 

[Viking]

Rob;

You really need both DC and DF partially depending on the quality of your dust collector filter. The Harbor Freight DC is excellent starting point but, can be significantly improved.

If you add a simple pre-separator you will collect the majority of chips, sawdust, etc. before it even gets to the main DC.

If you replace the 5 micron bag filter on the HF with the Wynn 35A cartridge filter you will get sub 1 micron filtering and a significant increase in performance due to higher surface area on the Wynn Cartridge i.e., 274 Sq. ft. vs. 35 sq. ft. for the bag.

http://www.wynnenv.com/cartridge_filters.htm

Even with this performance there is still going to be some residual dust in the air, not necessarily produced by machines, so you should seriously consider a Dust Filtration System as well. There are numerous LJ Projects to make your own or you can buy. Whichever way you go it is handy to have a control with "off delay" so you can let it run for 30 minutes or so after you leave your shop.

Good luck!

 

[BobAtl]

How about both? No question a DC is superior for collecting dust at the source, preventing it from reaching your breathing zone. Design the system by good ventilation principles explained elsewhere on this site and on several other internet sites. Keep your inlet/hood as close to the point of generation as possible and position it to take advantage of the "throw" of the tool - sawblade, bit, etc. - so that the tool throws the particles into the capturing hood as much as possible. This design practice can improve performance of a lower cfm system significantly.

For the general dust filtration system, design a plenum, such as a box with filters over the opening on one or more sides that can be suspended from the ceiling or wherever you want it positioned. Provide a duct with a blast gate to that box/plenum, just as you would to any tool in your shop.

When using a tool (saw, router table, drill press, etc.) adjust your system with blast gates to capture the dust at THAT tool, so the system acts as a DC for source capture. As soon as you turn the tool off, reroute the DC airflow through the air filtration plenum via the blast gates so the system acts as a general ventilation or dust filtration system.

There - two for the price of one! If you have a high efficiency bag/filter on your DC, your air will remain pretty clean, even when using the DC alone.

 

[DamnYankee]

If I am putting the DC itself outside of my shop workspace do I need to worry about better filtration as the filtered air will NOT be returning back into the workspace?

 

[RockyTopScott]

I think you are about to get some new info here Rob from others that are wiser than I am about the outside locations.