I've been working on getting my wood shop built, organized and equipped for the last couple of years and the one thing I've become the most frustrated with is "DUST"!!! The old shop vac just doesn't cut it, and is inconvenient. I've checked at local woodworking suppliers and am not sure if they are trying to sell me something I don't need . The more I look the more I get confused; 4"or 6", Pipe on the floor or on the ceiling, PVC or aluminum, collector or seperator????? HELP!!! I don't use my shop all the time, but I'm usually out there in the evenings and on weekends. When I retire I hope to spend more time there. My shop is 20x30 and I just recently purchesed a table saw. The majority of of the rest of my tools are hand power tools but intend to add more wood working tools that will need dust collection. I have plenty of room to put in whatever I need in my attached garage so I'd like to do it right when I do it.
Where do I start? Should I also add an air filter/circulator in addition to the dust collector? There's about a million different types of those as well.
-Van
Baltimore, Ohio
Dust collection
Our Expert
Woodworking machines create two types of dust, large dust particles and shavings which are heavy and fall to the floor, and very fine particles that remain airborne for hours. And all machines create some fine dust, not just sanders. Your respiratory system works to collect the fine airborne particles which is obviously not good for your health. So a good dust collection system will not only keep your shop cleaner it will provide a healthier and more comfortable environment in which to enjoy your woodworking.
A good system should collect as much dust as possible at the source and trap all of the particles, including the fine particles, rather than returning them to the ambient air. Most small, portable units are single-stage and the weave of the cloth filter bags is not fine enough to trap the fine, flour-like particles. These fine particles go through the system and back into the air. This is the stuff that you're inhaling.
Your best choice is a two-stage system which includes a cyclone along with a fine filter to trap the smallest of particles. Two-stage systems with a cyclone used to be too large and expensive for the small home shop. Fortunately there are now a number of smaller, more affordable cyclone systems that are ideal for smaller shops such as yours. The companies that sell cyclone dust collection systems will design the piping system for you. Of course you'll need to provide a scale drawing of your shop.
Finally, no system will capture 100% of the dust at the source. Despite your best efforts at designing and installing a system some of the finest particles will become airborne. So it's a good idea to install at least one ambient air cleaner which will cycle and filter all of the air in the shop every few minutes.