Would like advice on dust collection

[Matt Lau]

Dear Sawmill Creek,

I haven't done woodworking for quite a while.
However, my wife recently gave me to okay to build her a guitar.

I'm thinking of getting a drum sander (Jet 16-32 or 18-36, can someone advise me on this?) and finally getting a dust collector.

Currently, I have a Fein Turbo 1 attached to a steel Dust Deputy.
My workshop is a 1.5 car garage (barely big enough for my honda fit, and as wide as it is long).
I have tools that I largely don't run dust collection on, and just wheel outside (miter saw, saw stop, lunchbox planer) or ignore (drill press).
My other tools are directly connected to the Fein/DD setup (DEROS sander, Cordless planer, tracksaw, trim router)

I think my entire workshop is on (1) 120v circuit at 15 or 20 amps (need to check).
It was sorta an afterthought.

We're thinking of moving to a bigger house in the future due to our expanding family (first kid, a son is due in July).


Any advice on dust collection?
I'm considering getting something used off Craigslist. There's a Dust Cobra, as well as some more conventional dust collectors.

If I had a ton of money and time, I would have separate extra beefy circuits, along with a dedicated 220 v outlet for the dust collector (and an Oneida supercell).
Being a regular schlubb, most of my money will go to my wife and kid (and dog).

[Michael Burnside]

The dust cobra is a pretty decent little machine and a small footprint. Another option is a rockler wall mount DC with canister 5 micron filter. I think the first question would be what is your budget? There are several good options in the sub 1000 category and a few less than that

[Doug Garson]

A good start would be to buy an air quality monitor, perhaps something like this which I have. https://www.amazon.ca/Quality-Detect...f-fa04f1ca0da8
It may not be the most accurate but it gives you a reasonable idea where you are at so you can take appropriate action. While collection at source is considered the best approach a shop made air cleaner using a box fan and furnace filters can be another good inexpensive first step. I have one in my 2 car garage shop and see significant improvement in air quality when I turn it on.

[Jim Becker]

While I agree with Doug that monitoring the air is a good thing for any shop, there are a couple of things you need to understand here. Firstly, you really cannot use a drum sander without a dust collector...I suspect you already know that. Secondly, you really need an additional circuit to be able to run both the drum sander and any dust collector worth their salt. The DC is going to pull some amps, whether it's a 1.5hp 120v unit or a 240v 20 or 30 amp unit. A drum sander like those you are considering isn't substantially hard on power, although there are two motors involved on them, but running one simultaneously with a DC on the same line is likely going to be problematic.

Try to go the 18-36 (Jet/Performax) or 19-38 (SuperMax/Laguna) or the 22-44 (Jet/Performax if it still exists) if you can for the kind of work you intend to do. You'll get best results when you can get the entire workpiece through each step without overhand/flip around and re-run. 18-19" will handle the required width for most guitar work in that respect. I personally have the SuperMax 19-38 and it's worked very well for my own guitar work...while I'm building electrics rather than acoustics, I still need to surface thinner caps because I typically weight reduce bodies by hollowing and capping them.

[Larry Frank]

I think the drum sander really needs a good dust collector. You have to get the dust out to prevent the head from getting a build-up. The drum sander creates the most hazardous fine dust and you do not want to be breathing it.

[Matt Lau]

These are some great advice.

re: the drum sander: I figure that I'd rather buy once and pay a few hundred more, instead of going cheap and buying twice. The Jet 18-36 is just $200 more than the Jet 16-32 at about $1500.
In contrast, my friend was gonna sell me his Delta 16-32 for $1200.

For the dust collection, I just called Oneida. They recommended that I go for at least the Dust Gorilla.
I'm thinking of getting a steel super dust deputy, and attaching a proper dust collector to it.
Not sure if you think the wall-hung 650 CFM dust collectors are adequate?
Otherwise, I can look at the Jets and Delta clone dust collectors on Craigslist.

re the circuit: if I had a bigger house, I'd be tempted to have them wire me a seperate circuit box with the power I need.
However, we are still figuring out baby stuff.
Maybe in a year or two, we will move...so I'm not thinking of rewiring my current place.

[Matt Lau]

The dust cobra is a pretty decent little machine and a small footprint. Another option is a rockler wall mount DC with canister 5 micron filter. I think the first question would be what is your budget? There are several good options in the sub 1000 category and a few less than that

Budget? My wife gave me a blank check, but I'm thinking under $650 (arbitrary number. Just what the Dust Cobra is going for on Craigslist).
I'm tempted to go with:
55 ga steel drum: $20
Steel super dust deputy: $270
some dust collector wired for 110/120: $???

I'm considering this an interim solution for a few years.
If anything, I'd want the dust collection prior to getting a drum sander....in a worst case scenario, I can just use my card scrapers and hand planes.

[Larry Frank]

In my opinion, A 650 cfm wall hung is not anywhere near enough. Attaching it to a cyclone will also decrease the performance.

I am hearing that your goal is cheap. Good dust collection and cheap do not go together. You will end up with fine dust everywhere.

I am using 5 hp Dust Gorilla with my drum sander.

[Alan Lightstone]

As everyone has said, you clearly need good dust collection for your drum sander. If you bought something very underpowered and had a air quality meter, you would see just how bad a mistake that was. Drum sanders produce tons of the small particles that you really don't want to breathe in.

This is definitely one of those buy once, cry once deals. I went with a 5hp Dust Gorilla, which I had hooked up to my Jet 16/32 drum sander. This was after I initially had the ubiquitous Harbor Freight modified one attached. The difference was stunning.

And if you don't have one, buy a good respirator ASAP. I'm fond of the 3M one, but there are several good P100 respirators. This is mandatory for you to have a long life with that growing family.

Another cheap thing to build is a box filter air filtration system. Far cheaper than the commercial ones, and takes nothing more than four 20x20x2" HEPA-13 filters, duct tape, and a Lasko 20" fan to make. This helps significantly reduce the airborne particles that your dust collector misses. And is very cheap to build and amazingly effective. There are several posts here regarding those. This is in addition to a good dust collector, not instead of.

Enjoy the hobby. And good luck with your solution.

[Jim Becker]

Keep in mind that a "650 CFM" mass market dust collector doesn't actually provide 650 CFM in real world conditions. At least with Oneida, you can get actual fan curves so you know what the performance is going to be with actual duct work and static pressure in the mix.

[Matt Lau]

Sounds like some good advice...and glad I didn't get the drum sander!

As for respirators, I have a bunch of disposable 3M n95s and the one from Lee Valley.

[Wayne Cannon]

For your budget, there are lots of Jet 650-, 1100-, 1200-style collectors on the used market. (My neighbor has had a new one still in the box for the last 15+ years, but can't bear to lose any money selling it for less than he paid for it :-( ) . I was very happy with mine, though I later upgraded to a cyclone.

I used the Jet drum sander for years with a large shop vac. It kept the fine airborne dust down quite well, but it wasn't enough to prevent residual heavier dust from settling on the belt or accumulating inside the drum cover.

[glenn bradley]

I'll just add where I have landed after many years of evolution. I will salt my statements with respect to your situation.
Respirator - Miller welding mask . . . caught on with the woodworking world and the price went up but still the best IMHO. Minimal blockage of your peripheral vision unlike 3M half masks, etc.
Drum Sander - I have NEVER been sorry I bought the Supermax 19-38. Just did a bunch of panels thins morning. A real joy to use with good DC.
Dust Collection - I understand your space restrictions so I can only advise AGAINST certain things. Short cone cyclones like this and many others do not separate well and lead to frequent filter cleaning sessions that waste shop time. If you can simply roll out to the driveway, that is great for tools that don't require spoil extraction. Drum sanders, planers, etc. need the spoil carried away or it will foul the operation. If you are in the driveway any decent 1-1.5 HP bagger will probably do and can be had on the used market on the cheap. Do not exhaust a bagger into your workspace air. I am on medication for life due to doing just that.
You will have to deal with the electrical but if you can just get an additional 20a circuit you can probably get by. Many of us got by this way for YEARS!

[Michael Burnside]

Great post Glenn, there is a lot of good info and advice in there for the OP and myself.

[Alan Lightstone]

Respirator - Miller welding mask . . . caught on with the woodworking world and the price went up but still the best IMHO. Minimal blockage of your peripheral vision unlike 3M half masks, etc.

Interesting, Glenn. I've never thought of the 3M respirator blocking peripheral vision.

I don't want to go on a rant regarding people wearing N95 masks poorly. This is from a mask wearing professional (I'm a retired cardiothoracic anesthesiologist. Was a normal day for me wearing a mask for 11-18 hours straight). I think it's far easier and certainly more comfortable wearing a P100 respirator with a valve for woodworking as opposed to a N95 mask. And there are so many counterfeit masks. Ouch. The vast majority of people wear N95 masks incorrectly, and certainly never have fit tests.

End of rant.