Newbie here. I have a Penn Central 1 HP dust collector that I bought on Craigslist. Moving it from machine to machine got old in a hurry. As I started researching a replacement I've become more and more freaked out about the fine dust issue. I'm going to upgrade to either a Clear Vue CV1800 or an Oneida V5000. I can afford that. What I can't afford is an additional $2,000 or so for duct work. No local supplier for either metal or PVC that gets me in for much less than that.
What I got for nothing (long story) is 100s of feet of MDF 3/4 x 16" shelving. It would be pretty simple to make rectangular ducting out of that. As far as I can find, it's going to have more turbulence and more friction loss, but it looks to me like I should have excess airflow and speed to run one machine at a time. Bill Pentz, on his site, mentions that Melamine can be used and cautions against using any flammable produce in an attic or crawl space.
Has anyone tried this? I'd be interested in ideas and opinions from anyone who has thought a bit about the ducting issue. Thanks.