Hi all-
I have a question about dust collection. Since I established my workshop i have been using a 16 gallon 6.5hp Ridgid shop vac for dust collection. It works fine, and has impressive suction power. That said, i'm curious if there is a way to optimize the set up better.
It seems like the filter gets full relatively quickly. The fine briar dust clogs it pretty fast and the suction power decreases dramatically. I have looked at buying disposable bags instead of a filter, but they aren't cheap if they fill up too fast.
Is it better to try to continue to reuse the filter, keep buying new filters, buy disposable bags, of do something totally different?
Thanks!
Dust collection
- SimeonTurner
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Dust collection
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- KurtHuhn
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I use a Delta dust collector in my workshop for all the sanding, grinding, shaping stations - as well as my wood lathe. They move way more air/dust than any shop-vac I've ever used (even a supposed 10HP model), and the filter bags almost never need replaced.
It's totally worth it to spend a couple (or few) hundred on one.
As far as shop-vacs - get the filter bags, and use them in conjunction with your filter. They work wonders, and they save the expensive filters from getting clogged.
It's totally worth it to spend a couple (or few) hundred on one.
As far as shop-vacs - get the filter bags, and use them in conjunction with your filter. They work wonders, and they save the expensive filters from getting clogged.
- ToddJohnson
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The other things that's REALLY nice in a small shop is an ambient air cleaner. It's just a box with a turbine fan in it, and a furnace filter on the front, with some micro-mesh bags behind that. I have a nice little one and it cycles the air in my shop completely every 10 minutes or so. Even if I am using a router on MDF or something, the air in the shop is clean enough for no mask after just a couple minutes.