Dust Collection Recommendations

[Aaron Wakeling]

I have a very small hobby wood shop at home. The main part of the shop is 10'-2" X 17'-8" with low 6'-9" ceilings. Then there is a crawl space area that is 11' X 13' with 3'-9" ceilings. So far I have only had very basic tools and been working with no dust collector. This past weekend I purchased a DW735 planer and am now seeing the need for some sort of dust collection as I am planning in the future to add even more tools that will require the dust collector. I have done some searching for dust collectors and would really like it tuck it out of the way in the crawl space area to save room in the already small and cramped main area but with only a ceiling height of 6'-9" to work with I am thinking that wont be possible? So I am wondering if I will be forced to get a larger dust collector and take up space in my main area unless you guys have other ideas? The crawl space area also shares a wall with my house basement so I am wondering if it would be possible or even a good idea to install a larger dust collector in my unfinished basement and run dust collection piping into the shop? Thanks for any advice.

Scenario 1 - Get a small dust collector less then 6'-9" tall in crawlspace and run hose to whatever machine I am using

Scenario 2 - Get a larger dust collector in main shop area and still run hose to whatever machine I am using

Scenario 3 - Get a even larger dust collector and place in basement. Run dust collection piping in shop to all machines. I am wondering if this is total overkill though to have dedicated plumbing for such a small shop.

[Mike Dowell]

How much collection do you think you need? I've got a cheapo Harbor Freight DC, which I think is the 1.5hp upright, and it works well. Of course, I don't have a high end DC to compare it to either. HF also sells a smaller version which is horizontal, and that might tuck nicely into the crawl space. This guy right here:

http://www.harborfreight.com/13-gall...tor-31810.html

[Jim Andrew]

If you go with a small dust collector, try to buy used so you don't get a lot of money in it. If you buy a new machine, hard to get your money out of it when you move to a bigger dc. And if you really get into woodworking, you will want a bigger dc.

[Doug Hepler]

Aaron

I have a 1100 cfm canister type dust collector that is less than 6'9" high. (A Jet 1100VX) I alternate it between the planer and lathe, one machine at a time and it does what I need. I have a shop vac on my miter saw and another on my router table. I do get larger particles settling out from the last two tools, but I am willing to sweep them up. I am satisfied with this setup but would really like to have an air cleaner hanging from the ceiling, if I had the space to put one.

IMO there is a lot of info flying around the web that mystifies and exaggerates DC needs. The objective is to collect as much fine dust as possible. A 1100 CFM collector at a point source is plenty, even for sanding dust from turnings. Having said that, get a finer filter, e.g., 1 micron.

Being able to collect larger particles like sawdust from a miter saw or shavings from a lathe with a DC is a whole 'nother thing, of course. If you want to go much above 1100 CFM you are looking at 220V service

Doug

[Charles Lent]

You're going to need a pretty big chip collector for that DW735 planer. That's why my 735 is on a collapsing stand and I do all of my planning out in the driveway. I have the accessory hose and drum cover and let the internal blower blow the chips into a 55 gallon plastic drum. The DeWalt miter saw / planer stand DWX726 is a good choice if you go this way. but you will need to make an adapter plate from 3/4 plywood to mount the planer to the stand since it's mounting hole pattern doesn't match the attachment rails of the stand. It's easy to make, since it only needs holes for both mounting patterns plus bolts, washers, and nuts to hold everything together. The planer can be left attached to the stand and will stand on end when not in use requiring only about 6 sq ft of floor space in the shop to store it. Then it's easy to roll out and lift into position when you need to plane something. Then the stand collapses and it rolls back into the shop when complete much like pushing a hand truck. The 735 is heavy, but moving it around on this stand is quite easy.

My shop is about the size of a single car garage and separate from my home. I have a re-purposed whole house central vacuum unit with an Oneida Dust Deputy for my dust collector. It does a great job of vacuuming the floor and collecting sawdust and chips from my sanders, drill presses, scroll saws, etc. but it could never handle the high volume of large chips and sawdust from the planer or my Unisaw. A Shop Vac with a Dust Deputy attached will do a similar job. It too would not handle the high volume of chips from the planer and it would be marginal from a table saw, but it would require more floor space than I can spare. My system was installed in the attic of my shop with pipes from inlets in my shop. The exhaust is vented outdoors, so even the micro fine dust that the filters might not stop gets vented outside and not back into my shop so it doesn't require any shop floor space at all.

Charley