Dust collection for a very small shop

[Graham Wilson]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what I can use for dust collection in a small (10' x 15') weekend-use shop. I have an older bandsaw, table saw and combo jointer/planer that were not designed for dust/chip collection. I'm relatively new to woodworking and I was able to work with the garage door open though the summer. Alas, it was cold prior to Christmas and I made the mistake of using the bandsaw and an orbital sander indoors with the garage door closed. The lingering fall-out is a big problem and EVERYTHING is coated with a thick layer of dust. Even walking in the shop requires a respirator at this point. To date, I've been working with a broom and a dustpan. I'm considering the following options:

1 - Make a Thien type separator and buy a shop vac. I could also recirculate and filter the air with a ceiling mounted blower.

2 - Buy a portable 1-2 HP dust collector (either a 650 CFM Delta or a 800 CFM Craftex) and a cartridge filter. I could go larger, but the cartridge filters get pricey for the 2HP units.

If I were to go with a dust collector, could I drop the 4-5" port to 1 1/2" and attach it directly to my sanders to replace the original dust bag? Is there any advantage of adding a Thien baffle + trash can to a 1 HP dust collector?

I've done a fair bit of reading and realize these are less than ideal solutions, but I really don't have the machines or the floor/wall space to justify a 5+ HP Pentz cyclone with 6" pipe. This is only a 1-2 day/week hobby.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I would recommend a 1 1/2 or 2 hp dust collector with decent felt bags (not canvas). For a hobbyist with a small shop, this unit can grow with you if you decide to add fixed ductwork later on.

I had a 1 hp dust collector that was portable and was directly hooked up to one machine at a time using flex duct. I got tired of moving it around all the time. But, it did the job. However, don't expect a 1 hp dust collector to accept a fixed ductwork system later on. You will need at least 1 1/2 to 2 hp (with a 12" fan wheel) to move air effectively.

Also, you can always update any dust collector having bags to a pleated filter. You are certainly not locked in.

As for your machines, making hoods or buying them is very, very important. Capturing as much dust at its source cannot be overstated. However, it's not an easy task to retrofit older machines that had no provision for dust collection in their design.

-Jeff

[Anthony Whitesell]

If you can find and afford (both the space and money), I'd go with the 2HP. If the hobby grows (or the tool requirements) you won't have to buy again. Do you have the electrical panel space for a 2HP DC? Most will require 110V 30A or 220V 15A.

My main shop is 7'x10'6". Before I learned of the 'creek and knew better, I purchased a 1HP unit. Then I found that I didn't have the space to roll it around, I connected to some 4" ABS ducting and put in a space outside the shop with the duct work run through the wall. It has worked well enough for the past three or four years, but I've outgrown the entire system and need to re-purchase just about everything (DC, gates, ductwork, and hoods). I wish I had known better before I started.

I think the 5+ HP unit would be way overkill (or it would be in my shop). Due to space constraints, I'm looking at the 2HP units with cartridge filter and pre-separator. I don't have power in the panel for it, so I need to upgrade to 200A service. The quotes I have so far are $1800 minimum, which I think may be a little steep so I'm still shopping around (and saving my pennies).

[David Hostetler]

Sad to say, but suction necked down from a DC to 1.5" shop vac hose is pitiful at best. Dust collectors, and vacs just do things differently. Vacs use vacuum, or reverse pressure to pull things along, dust collectors do the same thing by moving LARGE volumes of air...

A 1HP 650 CFM dust collector IMHO isn't worth buying. They just don't move enough air. If you are going that small, you might as well do a Thien baffle / separator and shop vac. Just make sure to build a rolling cart that will stack the vac and separator can...

If you have any inkling to grow the hobby, I would suggest you grab something like a HF 2HP or a Delta 50-760 DC and fit them with a Wynn cartridge. The HF DC / Wynn combo is quite reasonable in price, and performs more than adequately...

[Norm Koerner]

For the really fine dust that is hard to capture, you can make your own unit to hang from the ceiling or overhead floor joists. I use a small-medium squirrel cage fan--get it from a supplier or old range hood or even bathroom exhaust. Make a box with the fan blowing (exhaust) through the top. Cut dadoes for quality furnace filters in two sides of the box AND the bottom. Space them so the bottom fillter holds up the two in the sides.
To prevent these three filters from plugging up too soon, wrap the two sides and bottom with an additional one-inch layer of foam filter typically used in air conditioners. When running the unit will suck air in from three sides, exaust it straight up until it hits the ceiling, then recirculate it to all sides of the room, which in turn helps bring more dust back to the filters.

Works like a charm and runs quietly. Of course you still need to collect the chips and some dust with your big unit at or near each tool. I find that jointers make very little dust and just sweep chips up from the floor or put a flat-sided container under the gravity discharge.

[Paul Wunder]

Graham,

A one horse system will not clear a table or your other tools. You will need at least 1 1/2 hp (preferably 2 hp) collector with either a one micron bag or a one micron cartridge filter. Both a cartridge and a filter will clog over time because the systems are all one stage I am completing my install of a ClearVue as an upgrade to a Delta 50-760 with a Wynn Cartridge. The Delta served me well but it is not a cyclone.Here is an out of the box thought: have you thought of a 1 1/2 hp Grizzly Cyclone @ $795....small footprint, portable, one micron filter and because it is a true two stage cyclone it should give you good separation of fine dust from. chips.

Paul

[Steve Peterson]

I have a 13x23 foot shop and currently use a shop vac for my Ridgid jointer and planer. It does a really lousy job. I am ready to upgrade to a cyclone.

Clearview appears to have one of the smallest footprints. The filters are tall and narrow, plus the transition from the blower to the filter is very short.

The Oneida mini-gorrilla series also has a very small footprint.

Steve

[Darius Ferlas]

My shop is 12'6" by 21'. After a Steel City 1 1/2 HP DC fiasco I got myself a 2HP from PennState. I bought the model with the canister filter. It's not a small machine at all but I am happy with the performance and it is noticeably quieter than the less powerful Steel City DC I tried. In a small shop like mine it does count. Overall I'm a very happy camper and not anymore covered in dust. I'd buy the same model again.

PSI also offers a 1 1/2 HP, in case 220V is not an option for you. I have 220 so the $20 difference in price made me opt for the bigger boy.

One word of caution; DO NOT get their economy dust collector hose. Throw in extra dollar or two and get something better from them or from Workshop Supply. I can't tell you why I don't like the economy hose because the rules of this forum prevent users from using strong language.

[dana charette]

...Then I found that I didn't have the space to roll it around, I connected to some 4" ABS ducting and put in a space outside the shop with the duct work run through the wall. It has worked well enough for the past three or four years...

is it possible to run a unit outside like you mentioned in the north east?

i have a small shop myself 16x18 and we all know floor space is a premium.

im looking at the 2hp HF DC systems and was wondering what the cold would do to the unit up here in the winter.

thanks

[Zach England]

My "shop" is about 10x10 with a basement shelf around two walls. I use a 2 HP dust collector but leave it in place. There is not enough room to move it. When I have to move it I have to move the band saw and jointer first. I have one trunk with blast gates for my jointer, TS and an auxillary 2.5 inch line I use to hook up portable sanders or just clean up. The other trunk goes to the Planer, Sander and router table. It works OK, but just OK.

[David Hostetler]

is it possible to run a unit outside like you mentioned in the north east?

i have a small shop myself 16x18 and we all know floor space is a premium.

im looking at the 2hp HF DC systems and was wondering what the cold would do to the unit up here in the winter.

thanks

Where is "up here"?

[Gerry Werth]

+ 1 what Darius says. PSI offers the most CFM for the $$'s I had one for 8 years, with hard pipe to my RAS and flex pipe for the table saw, jointer, planer and band saw. I had several blast gates to control the air. It comes with 1 micron bags or cartridges, and can easily be rolled around with flex pipe if you don't want to use hard pipe.

[Troy Turner]

I got a dust deputy from Santa and man is this thing great. Does just what it's supposed to do without any problems. Was using my shop vac and we know how that works with the filter. I have a weekend shop too. Couldn't justify a dedicated dust collection so this does just fine...

[Norm Koerner]

This is an old thread. Since it was posted the Thien Baffle has become extremely popular. Also, you can make a small funnel-type out of aluminum (like the Oneida Dust Deputy), or even an orange traffic cone!

[Thomas Wilson]

An Oneida Supercell is a good option for hand tool and stationary tools in a small shop.