Dust collection

SimeonTurner · Post by **SimeonTurner** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:32 pm

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!

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:44 pm

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.

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Thu May 28, 2009 7:39 pm

Bags in the vac make everything better... Kurt's right again!

I am not sure if Ridgid offers bags though. I know the shop-vac bags don't fit. Had some issues sanding drywall with a ridgid because of that. But if you can get a filter bag, all your troubles will disappear.

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Fri May 29, 2009 5:43 am

I broke down and got a Delta ... it really sucks.

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Fri May 29, 2009 7:40 am

ckr wrote:I broke down and got a Delta ... it really sucks.

I've got two Deltas, one attached to my blast cabinet, and one in storage. I don't use them as my main dust collector, but I've never had any problems with them. What makes yours "suck?"

Todd

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Fri May 29, 2009 10:13 am

ToddJohnson wrote:What makes yours "suck?"

I nice big impeller?

FredS · Post by **FredS** » Fri May 29, 2009 12:04 pm

He got you Todd.

ckr · Post by **ckr** » Sat May 30, 2009 8:35 am

What makes yours "suck?"

Sucks as in creates vacuum. Actually a decent dust collector should have been much higher on my priority list. Two and a half years of inhaling dust was way too long. So "really sucks" is a good thing.

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Sat May 30, 2009 11:35 am

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.