Thread: Thow out the shop vac and use the dust collector for everything?

G'Day Hilton,
You could add a "T Junction" into your dust collector pipe work the use a reducer similar to this W334A | machineryhouse.com.au to get the correct hose size for your smaller portable tools.
Cheers, Crowie

just did a serch in Johannesburg, and found a company that could help you GFP

One problem with using a 2200W DC as a vacuum cleaner is that if the nozzle is is placed close enough it will lift and carry serious pieces of wood and metal and these pieces may be big enough to seriously damage the impeller. One way to eliminate this problem is to place a metal or plastic catcher/trap in line with the vacuum line and locate the inlets and outlets so that the rouge pieces are trapped in the catcher.

Originally Posted by crowie

G'Day Hilton,
You could add a "T Junction" into your dust collector pipe work the use a reducer similar to this W334A | machineryhouse.com.au to get the correct hose size for your smaller portable tools.
Cheers, Crowie

Hey thanks Crowie, that's exactly the idea I had and I think I can get that here at a local shop.

Originally Posted by opelblues

just did a serch in Johannesburg, and found a company that could help you GFP

Wow, I thought I knew all the WW shops around here. Thanks for the link and I will give them a call.

Originally Posted by BobL

One problem with using a 2200W DC as a vacuum cleaner is that if the nozzle is is placed close enough it will lift and carry serious pieces of wood and metal and these pieces may be big enough to seriously damage the impeller. One way to eliminate this problem is to place a metal or plastic catcher/trap in line with the vacuum line and locate the inlets and outlets so that the rouge pieces are trapped in the catcher.

Thanks Bob for this advice. I happen to have one of those old metal dustbins lying around that I could bore two holes into and use this in-line.

Another thought, I have one of those Triton dust buckets. Could I not also use this in-line close to the end or would there not be enough suction. I only intend using one line at a time with gates so perhaps this will work?

Thanks guys.

Shop Vax and DC's work differently; one uses high volume and low air speed, the other uses low volume and high air speed.

In practical terms the main difference this makes is that shop vax don't suck well thru 4" ports... and DC's don't suck well through 2" ports, as it "chokes" them.


This is not to say that DC can't be used that way; if you make an adapter which reduces a 4" port down to three or four 2" ports - and keep them all open, even though you're only using one! - then your DC is working at near peak.

But any tools with 2" ports really are best serviced with a vaccy.

Andy, this is what I was worried about. Thanks for clearing this up.

I use my DC to vacuum the sawdust off the floor but the 4 inch hose makes it a bit awkward to manouvre. I dont see it as an alternative to the shop vac- its horses for courses

Originally Posted by ClintO

I use my DC to vacuum the sawdust off the floor but the 4 inch hose makes it a bit awkward to manouvre.

I use an old garden blower wand. I made an handle for it and slide the dc hose into it. Works a treat.

You can make similar from a 900mm length of 4" pipe, bottom cut on an angle with a handle put on it.


Peter.