Dust Collection

[mwalsh9152]

I've managed to search myself in circles trying to figure out a dust collection system, and I'm reaching analysis paralysis. It seems that it can be quite specific to what you are doing, so I am hoping for some guidance.

I have recently moved my home based business from working out of my yard where dust wasnt a big issue to a permanent year round 12X20 shop in my basement. 90% of my work is cutting PT with a miter saw, or cutting circles out of product with a jigsaw. Now that the Christmas builds are finished, I am going to build a miter station that will flow into a 24" wide bench that will have benchtop drill press and band saws on it, so I want to have drops for those and the miter saw, then I was thinking a boom with a hose attached that can pivot off that same wall to go over the work bench in the middle and attach to the jigsaw, sander etc.

I'm planning to put the DC in the utility room just on the other side of the wall from the shop and run the pipe through the wall.

It can be either a wall or floor unit, and since it is a business expense, I am not looking to cheap out, but I also dont want to break the bank for anything fancy. I dont really have a budget in mind, so I am open to suggestions. Please let me know what you think.

 

[AmericanMechanic]

Onieda seems to be best in class as far as I havd deduced.

 

[RTM]

A thing to remember is you will be pulling 1000 cfm plus out of the basement and into the utility room. This can cause a huge imbalance in your heating or cooling needs, and can turn your workplace into an icebox or a sweat box depending on the season.

Because it’s PT you will be cutting, you will want to be efficient with your collecting in an enclosed space.

I run a 15 year old jet DC1100, and I am way underusing it most of the time. Running my planer is the only challenging thing, but I don’t see one on your list.

I run, my planer, TS, and 14” bandsaw on it, with none being run concurrently, as there is only one of me. In your case, I would assume you will install blast gates etc. i would worry most about your miter saw, and focus on reducing the chips thrown, as they seem to be the worst offender, and hardest to tame well. My Bandsaw and TS are tolerable, in that when connected to the DC, the escaping dust is reasonable. It’s not capturing it all, but keeping it out of the air is most important. I just clean the machine after.

If I was buying again, the 1100 is the minimum, but adding a cyclone in front would be a priority for the planer. Oneida may be the winner, I don’t know. Penn State used to be reasonable, but no idea currently.

 

[neophyte]

Most people use vacuums for dust collection on hand held power tools like a jigsaw.
For the jigsaw you really need a small diameter vacuum hose and swivel connectors.
A decent shop vacuum is just also useful to have.
It’s best to stick with a vacuum with Hroa filtration, or if buying something like a standard Ridgid vacuum, you should upgrade the filters to Hepa filters or a Gore Cleanstream filter.

For tools like a Miter Saw and Bandsaw, you really need the extra air volume from an actual dust collector.
Drill presses sometimes have dust collection, but it’s not really common, though useful if you are producing large quantities of chips.
Hepa filtration used to be somewhat uncommon for larger dust collection, but nowadays there are numerous aftermarket filter options and retrofit filters for older style dust collectors.
The major issue is Hepa filters for these can get somewhat expensive.
The fine dust produced is way more dangerous than large chips though.

As for “large air volume” dust collectors.
Everything exists, from small units that will literally fit in standard cardboard office box, to large units that can be 10’ or taller.

With the larger units, doing setups piecemeal is easier.
You run duct to each work area with cutoff gates,
Have the duct connected to a dust collector unit,
Maybe with a cyclone separator before the dust collector, (this lowers the air efficiency somewhat but is better for large chip separation),
Then to the dust collector for the fine dust.

Maybe buy this book to look over for the basics.

Woodshop Dust Control: A Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Own System: Nagyszalanczy, Sandor: 9781561584994: Amazon.com: Books

Woodshop Dust Control: A Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Own System [Nagyszalanczy, Sandor] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Woodshop Dust Control: A Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Own System

www.amazon.com

I’m not sure how recent the above is for updates.
There are plenty of specialty features nowadays, such as automatically opening dust gates etc. that can occasionally be convenient but really not necessary in a small one man shop.

You also need to take into account grounding, cleaning blockages, etc.

 

[mwalsh9152]

Thanks for the input guys.


I normally keep the door open between the utility room and the shop, so that wont be an issue. Heat is forced hot water, and AC handler is in the attic, so that wont be a problem. If hot / cold is a problem, I am planning to add a mini split for the shop.

I considered using a shop vac with hepa filters for the work bench, but being a small space (I will have 10' from the wall to the edge of the miter station with a 36" wide bench in the middle) I will probably end up tripping over it, and having to set it up, then put it away after each use will be time spent vs detaching the hose and swinging it away. I realize this is a first world problem for sure, but I am trying to make myself as efficient as possible because this isnt a full time job, so I am trying to build as quickly as I can because we are growing way too fast. When I am done with one build, I need to be able to open the door and move it outside so I can start on the next one.

I am planning to have one large trunk line going down the wall above the miter station with blast gates for all the drops. The gate for the boom arm is going to require some thought based on positioning.

For the drill press, I am thinking it will just be a hose to vacuum up the chips. I mainly use it for drilling holes in wood blocks, balls, cookies cut out of small tree limbs etc. I will often cut 200 or more pieces at a time, so I produce a substantial amount of chips to be cleaned up.

How well do cyclones do with grabbing the dust from a miter saw? This is my largest producer of sawdust. I usually will fill a 5 gallon pail with dust in a day when I am processing a load of lumber.

 

[mike93lx]

The issue with the miter saw is getting the dust into the collector. Most are setup terribly for dust collection and require modifications to make them bearable. Lots of videos on youtube of people doing this, from small pieces of rubber to large enclosures and everything in between

My approach is a vac hooked up to it, my fast cap hood (if I am using it long enough to justify the setup) and a respirator.

 

[mhejl]

I don't see any mention of tools like planers or table saws that would need anything bigger than a decent HEPA (and quiet!) shop vac and a Dust Deputy (or clone). Smaller tools like these aren't really appropriate for a 4" hose or larger DC.

How good is the dust collection, if any, on your chop saw and jig saw now? It may be a better idea to invest in, say, a Bosch jig saw and a modern chop saw/SCMS with decent 1-1/4" dust collection ports. I'm not suggesting Festool $$$$ here but they're likely the best in dust collection overall.

Circles are better suited to a router and circle jig like a Bosch with dust collection attachments.

Maybe a hanging air filter, too.

 

[mwalsh9152]

The issue with the miter saw is getting the dust into the collector. Most are setup terribly for dust collection and require modifications to make them bearable. Lots of videos on youtube of people doing this, from small pieces of rubber to large enclosures and everything in between

My approach is a vac hooked up to it, my fast cap hood (if I am using it long enough to justify the setup) and a respirator.

The miter saw is definitely a messy operation. I am planning to build some sort of a hood around it.

I don't see any mention of tools like planers or table saws that would need anything bigger than a decent HEPA (and quiet!) shop vac and a Dust Deputy (or clone). Smaller tools like these aren't really appropriate for a 4" hose or larger DC.

How good is the dust collection, if any, on your chop saw and jig saw now? It may be a better idea to invest in, say, a Bosch jig saw and a modern chop saw/SCMS with decent 1-1/4" dust collection ports. I'm not suggesting Festool $$$$ here but they're likely the best in dust collection overall.

Circles are better suited to a router and circle jig like a Bosch with dust collection attachments.

Maybe a hanging air filter, too.

I do not use a planer. I do use a table saw occasionally. I have a jobsite table saw that I use as needed, almost exclusively for ripping boards. I am not your typical wood worker. I predominantly build kids "mud kitchens" where the most I will do is cut my boards to length, hit the edges with 80 grit, then assemble and cut out the bowls with a jigsaw. I will usually build 5-6 of these a day.





I could use my circle jig for the router to cut the holes, but I am pretty quick with the jigsaw, and it doesnt need to be perfect.

I already picked up a hanging air filter, just need to get it put up.

 

[bugzilla46310]

Just finished building a dust collector from items I had setting around. Works real good on my 12“ planer, 42” belt sander and Craftsman lathe. Still need to make an adapter for the table saw. Has a 20’ 4” hose. Very little carryover into the filter box. Not the prettiest collector but works well.

 

[mepstein]

Harvey G700 -Awesome machine. It would be a ***** to get it down a flight of stairs - it weighs 435lbs but I would do it now that I know how good the unit is. Great dust collection and nothing is quieter.

 

[mwalsh9152]

I ended up deciding on a Ridgid hepa shop vac and two cyclones on 5 gallon pails. It works well enough for now. I have one cyclone set up permanently under the miter station, and another floats around as needed for the time being. Ive been just dragging the vacuum out from under the miter saw when I need it elsewhere for now. I had two, but my old shop vac died within a week of putting it back in service.