Dust collection shop vac

[SuperM]

I got a Karcher WD 6P wet dry vacuum. Recently I connect a dust collection drum to it for better efficiency.

I see from videos in USA most shop vacs have larger diameter hoses - 2.5inch, whereas my Karcher is only 35mm.

Would it make a difference in dust collection if i connect my existing 35mm to the dust drum, then a bigger outlet that can connect to eg. Router table? Would a bigger outlet collect more?

Of course for high dust generation stuff like thicknessers I know I need a dedicated dust collection rather than shop vac, so no need to mentiom that.

[Lappa]

Some of the workshop vacs have a 50mm inlet and outlet. They come with a 32/35mm hose with a 50 to 32/35 mm adapter in the inlet.
My SuperVac was like that so I removed the 50 to 35mm adaptor and have a 50mm hose running directly from it.
If your inlet has that adaptor or can be opened up to 50mm, go for it. Connecting 50mm hose to a 32/35mm inlet wouldn’t be worth the effort IMHO.

[SuperM]

Which shop vacs have 50mm hose diameter?

[elanjacobs]

Would it make a difference in dust collection if i connect my existing 35mm to the dust drum, then a bigger outlet that can connect to eg. Router table? Would a bigger outlet collect more?
Basically, no. The capacity of the smallest diameter in the system is all the air you'll get out of it.

[Lappa]

Which shop vacs have 50mm hose diameter?

This the one I have

Buy Shopvac Super 20L Wet & Dry Commercial Vacuum | Godfreys (https://www.godfreys.com.au/shopvac-super-20l-wet-dry)

However, even thought it has a 50mm inlet, it comes with a 35mm hose and a 35 to 50mm adaptor.
See the pictures below.

487509487510


ShopVac’s home website seems to indicate that they are in receivership, unfortunately, so I have no idea whether Godfrey’s have them in stock.

i simply connected a 50mm hose, using some PCV pipe, to the 50mm inlet.

487511

[SuperM]

Yes I can see that my shopvac is 55mm opening but somewhat the hose becomes 35mm

Pasteboard - Uploaded Image (https://pasteboard.co/JIC8JBZ.jpg)

Pasteboard - Uploaded Image (https://pasteboard.co/JIC9Bdl.jpg)

I could fit in a PVC pipe and wrap a hose around it. Would this be better?

[elanjacobs]

Yep

[SuperM]

But bigger diameter means less suction pressure, right

[Treecycle]

It will only reduce the air velocity, not the pressure. A bigger hose will block less often when drawing large shavings and chunks of wood through it.

[Lappa]

That’s all I did. Removed the 35mm hose and adaptor, plugged in a PCV fitting from Bunnies and fitted 50mm hose throughout the workshop. I use it on my sawtable fence, router table fence and SCMS. Works great.
Another important point - make sure the outlet port/exhast is also 50mm. No good having a 50mm inlet and a 35mm outlet:no:

[SuperM]

That’s all I did. Removed the 35mm hose and adaptor, plugged in a PCV fitting from Bunnies and fitted 50mm hose throughout the workshop. I use it on my sawtable fence, router table fence and SCMS. Works great.
Another important point - make sure the outlet port/exhast is also 50mm. No good having a 50mm inlet and a 35mm outlet:no:


Thank you so much Lappa. I have another question. How do you reduce it further from 50mm to 38mm or even smaller for use with tools (e.g orbital sander).

I find it a hassle here and I don't understand. The shop vac in USA all come with 2.5" fittings, and they have reducer 2.5" to 1,5", followed by special adapters which can fit into the sanders.

Dust Right® Universal Small Port Hose Kit | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware (https://www.rockler.com/dust-right-flexiport-power-tool-hose-kit-3-to-12-expandable)

Many thanks.

[Lappa]

If
Thank you so much Lappa. I have another question. How do you reduce it further from 50mm to 38mm or even smaller for use with tools (e.g orbital sander).



The answer is - I don’t. The 50mm pipe is too heavy and lacks the flexibility to attach to small hand tools.
However, it can be done using a $10 adaptor from Bunnies.

Here are some pictures

50m hose connected to ROS

488350

It can be done by connecting the 50mm hose to 35mm hose with the adaptor which is a lot better re handling.

488351

The adaptor on a PVC pipe connected to the 50mm hose

488352

I run a 50mm line and a 35 mm line through the workshop, each on its own Shop Vac. Stops me having to disconnect the 50mm line from fences, SCMS, router table etc. when I want to use a jig saw or ROS etc.

[SuperM]

If

The answer is - I don’t. The 50mm pipe is too heavy and lacks the flexibility to attach to small hand tools.
However, it can be done using a $10 adaptor from Bunnies.



Yea that was what most people would say too. And it makes sense. My idea was - from that 50mm hose I reduce with to a 38mm hose (another one) so it becomes better for handling.

I would want to buy 2 shopvacs for this. If I had to expanding further, I would get a dedicated dust collection system using 100mm for my table saw, and keep my shopvac for hand tools

Thanks for the idea on how to reduce from 50mm to 38mm from Bunnings.

I'm still annoyed why our shopvacs don't have the bigger ports like the ones they use in USA (Rigid brand)

[Lappa]

Most of the rigid shop vac units have a 1 7/8” inlet which is just under 50mm. You can buy shop vacs in OZ with 50mm inlets. The one I have has a 50mm inlet. I bought it from a Godfreys.

[Spyro]

I have that Karcher WD6 and use it for general shop vac duties and handheld tools, it's ok. I was on the market for another one to have it dedicated on the router table, and then I realised there's really no point since I found on Timbecon a mini 50L DC for $200. Another shopvac wouldn't really be cheaper, or smaller, or suckier :D
Only 1100W but should be plenty for what I do, and I finally have the option to connect my bandsaw to something. Bags are cheaper-than-karcher too.

[elanjacobs]

Only 1100W but should be plenty for what I do, and I finally have the option to connect my bandsaw to something.

Except it doesn't move enough air to be useful on a bandsaw...just because it fits, doesn't mean it works

[Spyro]

Except it doesn't move enough air to be useful on a bandsaw...just because it fits, doesn't mean it works
Bandsaw is on wheels, I always roll it outdoors to use it (with mask on) and then blow it with the leaf blower before rolling it back in the shed.
But the dusty is the same colour so I want to connect it anyway :D

[jack620]

Except it doesn't move enough air to be useful on a bandsaw...just because it fits, doesn't mean it works

Any dust extraction is better than none.

[elanjacobs]

Any dust extraction is better than none.
Gotta disagree there. A poorly filtered extractor will just take the dust from a small area, potentially chop it up even finer, then spew it out over a larger area.

Not saying that's necessarily the case here, but some extractors are genuinely worse than using nothing.

[Spyro]

Gotta disagree there. A poorly filtered extractor will just take the dust from a small area, potentially chop it up even finer, then spew it out over a larger area.

Not saying that's necessarily the case here, but some extractors are genuinely worse than using nothing.
This one says 0.5micron, but yeah I don't trust anything after all I've read on this forum. When cutting indoors I always have my vent on, and it's so powerful that if I forget to open the window it creates such a vacuum that I can't even open the door. I only really use the shop vacs to avoid the mess on the floor.