Thread: workshop vacum system

Here's a rule of thumb.
If you use it hand held a shop vac is best.
If it stands on a bench or on its own legs you need a dust extractor.

long lengths of hose or pipe will result in loss of suck.


cheers.

What I use is a Ryobi garden vac/ blower and with a bit of plumbing I have a great dust extraction system on my saw bench .

Sorry, I beg to differ. No amount of plumbing will ever turn a hosehold vacuum or a garden vacuum into an adequate dust collector. I suggest you read Wayne Davy's posts on cyclones.

If you must use a vacuum cleaner put a Triton bucket in line and save a fortune on vac bags, I use one for my Festool Rotex and thats all I use it for.
For everything else I use a dedicated DC.
Vacuum cleaners are noisy as buggery and drive you mad after a short space of time, they also require frequent cleaning and are prone to heating up after short periods of time.
A garden blower would have to be noisier still, I use one in the garden and I'm glad when I've finished.
DC's just purr along happily with maximum suck and minimum noise, plus major pick up.
They are relatively inexpensive and a good investment.
Mine is a 1hp on a mobile base and is adequate for what I want, just move from machine to machine as required.
Avoid the single bag, under bench brush motor model.
Too noisy and you only save about $20.

I have been using a Vac (house hold common) and it DOES NOT WORK. I have really considered how much damage dust is doing to my lungs. But how expensive are my lungs?

I know, I know. Priceless. I have checked out the cyclone system and that is awesome.

I am looking at implementing a 1HP system and the under the table as mentioned previously is very noise, so the stand looks like the one. But what is a reasonable price to pay for such a system?


$200
$250

And what rate of suction would I be looking at achieving?

700CFM
1000CFM

Please help

GOOse,

From my readings I would go for the 2hp over the 1hp unit. The advantages are there for the small difference in price. If you can get to one of the big wood shows they seem to offer very good prices on the dc's. It is always nice to be able to do something on the cheap and that why we have all started at some point with the home vac, then moved onto the shop vac, and then onto the shop vac and a bucket, then the 1hp unit and then finally the 2hp unit. It may pay to go straight for the 2hp ..... thats what I will be doing. The extra power will never hurt.

Stinky.

Cheers Sir Stinkalot i will consider the extra power for a little extra.

I have just been to the Sydney working with wood show and there were a tone to choose from can you recommend a reliable brand?

GOOse,

I don't think that brands matter too much when it comes to this ... I am sure that others will disagree however. The main problem with the dc's that you are looking at is the quality of the bag .... it doesn't trap the fine dust. I suggest you have a good feed, plenty of rest and then tackle the following sites:

Cyclone Posts
Bills Cyclone
And the best for last
Wayne The Aussie Cyclone Guru

I know I make some fun of Wayne and his cyclone but it seems like a super idea. When I was studying for my BE we looked into air pollution and the subject of cyclone style systems came up and they are often used to settle particulate matter out of exhausts, so they must work and they really are a cheap project to have a shot at. If you want to go overboard you can duct the entire workshop but when I do mine I just plan to move it to where I need it. Getting back to brands I plan just to use the economy 2hp Carbatec model or equivelent ... just depends on who has the best deal at the Melbourne Show.
GPW
Or Carbatec
The Delta's and the like tend to have a higher rating in the quality of the bags and the suction power ... but for the difference in price you could just about build a complete cyclone with the addition of the economy model.

It is also worth while checking out the book .... Controlling dust in the workshop. Or something like that .... it should be in your library.

Oh I wish Wayne was back .... this would be right in his element

Stinky

It may be time to have a section dedicated to dust extraction in the workshop ???? It seems like a big issue and may extend the working like of some of the woodworkers ..... going on the results of the latest Stinky poll there isnt many youth in the wings to take over

Stinkie,

You missed me - I'm touched


GOOse,

It does not look like I need to add much as Stinkie has pretty much wrapped it up. As for the Brands available in Oz - from all my research - the economy models are fine. As for the bags - ALL Bags as and dont filter worth a bugger!!! Sure, the expensive ones are suppose to go down to 5 or 10 micron (and that is ) but it the real fine stuff down to .5 micron thats does the harm to your lungs. That was one of the reason I went for the Cyclone.

Read my posts or go to my or Bill Pentz's sites as Stinkie recommended if you want to know more.

Cheers,

Thanks for the help, bacicaly it comes down to put in a decent system, household vacum system havn`t got any guts.

The latest edition of Fine Woodworking magazine (June 2003) has a review of several Shop Vacs. The latest generation appear to be quieter and more sophisticated than their predecessors. Obviously, they remain a compromise, but someone here may find this to be what they are looking for.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thank you all so much for your help, you have shed light on the subject.

Stinky: Cheers, your insight is valuable and I had a look at the sights 'great'

Wayne Davy: Top website! I am going to have a go at building the Cyclone as the bags that i have checked out are pretty flimsy and have large holes

I will let you all know how it goes.

Thanks for all the help. Talk soon.

Does anyone know where you can get drawings and spec`s only without the step bye step explanation text. As I find it easier to make something without all the jargon.

Thanks Goldy

Goldy: Wayne Davy web site (http://members.optusnet.com.au/~wayne_davy/) has the schematic diagram for the blow housing. The way I read it, the cyclone section is based on your requirements. How much suction CFM you require.