Well I have decision paralysis. My current small vacuum and bucket topper (https://amzn.to/3XOce0s) are both on the chopping block. My vacuum is starting real slow and randomly varying it’s speed. I am watching closely for fire. With this setup and doing a ton of MDF I still have to clean the filter a lot.
The dust collectors with high volume and lower pressure are the preferred solution for the woodworkers on YT. Even the cheapskates like Matthias Wandel. I love the DC on my table saw.
The HF dust collector is probably the cheapest (although, damn, I thought it was less than that). The top bag is for the fine dust and the people on the Internet scoff at it. I bet even the stock HF bag is better for you than a shop vac. The size matters on these, unfortunately. The large surface area of the bag means you will be able to filter fine stuff without clogging.
Rockler sells a more contained one for under a table or hanging on a wall. It just has a big blower and a huge bag. You’ll be emptying it often, unless you build a sweet klein seperator in a barrel like I did.
The big boys are expensive, but I can’t imagine they would not work perfectly fine for a garage shop.
A lot of shops combine a worse dust collector with an air filter. They just hang a contraption from the ceiling that moves a lot of air through a filter to trap anything that is airborne. I’ve seen some DIY ones from matthias wandel and jay bates made from squirrel cage fans and furnace filters that sit on the floor.
The LR hose is going to be an issue with any of these, probably. Long runs at smaller diameter will mean the air will slow down and there won’t be enough pressure to pull the dust through a long hose. I think a 2.5" would work great, but less than 1.5" is going to have to be a shop vac type (high pitch, high pressure, low volume compared to dust collectors).
Some people swear by festool vacuums. Those people already paid for them though, so it is hard to say if they are right, or just don’t want to be $$$$ wrong.
If you can figure out how to use at least a 2.5", then a DC is the way to go. Otherwise, I would be looking for a not-the-loudest shop vac and an air filter. At any rate, it will be money well spent, since you are doing so much of it lately.
Well this is the one from the other thread, https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-1-hp-canister-dust-collector/g0583z $580 1 micron, there is one with the aluminum impeller as well. Plus hose. Floor space and wall space is at a premium, worried about hose diameter, and that price…most other mess making I do out back so it would really be a one tool vac.
Or I am leaning hard towards this one, https://amzn.to/3XPORDD, 60 Db (the listing is wrong on some of the listings) is half the noise than my much smaller current vac (75 Db).
I started looking in to dust extractors. But the ones i looked at were quite loud(from reviews)
I thought hooking up a diy cyclonic system may help? (I killed my ryobi vac)
I have the one, https://amzn.to/3XOce0s, but I am seriously considering a second one inline. If I get that dewalt, it has far more power than my last and I would rather have a second bucket then deal with cleaning the filter ever sheet like I do now. I watched video and dude had a couple in series and I am sure you lose lots of power but, boy it seemed to keep the vac clean.
Or I would even consider doing bags. $2.30/bag. I spend at least 30 minutes doing a filter cleaning…I am easily worth at least $4.60/hour.
ahh i missed that link. I have only just started looking into them myself. I have an option to pick one of these up for $100 aud. But I just don’t know enough about them.
Sorry I’m late to the party here and you already pulled the trigger, but I was going to suggest the 2HP collector from HF. I have one, and just recently replaced the filter bag with a Donaldson Canister Air Filter (cheaper than the WynnENV option). Still would have put you out about $500 bones, but it really works…especially if you are cutting MDF (the filter is supposedly Merv15). Since doing that upgrade last week, by my very scientific measuring hand, I feel there is better suction and better airflow through the system. You would be correct about reducing it from the 4" to the 2.5", but everything I have read is to keep that larger size as long as possible until you reduce it. Just MHO, but some other food for thought!!
Edited: just wanted to add that it is definitely quieter than the shop vac. Is more of a dull drone than a high pitched whine. If it weren’t for the cutting of things, I could go without ear pro.
Well the learning I did here is try to incorporate larger hose options into future designs. I am confident more users have shop vacs then dust collectors but I should be designing for both if at all possible.
Not from me, that is too much hassle. Any of mine on the LR3 will be attached to the router, on the MPCNC adjust able is an option but hose size is a huge issue there.
