# Which dust collector unit would you buy?



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I keep thinking about redoing my dust collection and this post suggests some possibilities for building something to house it attached to the outside of the shop, something like an exterior housing for a water heater. With all the money I've spent trying to avoid buying a commercial unit, I could have bought a Jet and be done with it. I think for convenience sake, that it is really nice to have a clear plastic bag to hold the majority of the sawdust. I keep my jointer and planer in the garage, and they produce a lot of fluffy waste, so I could use two systems. That's about $700 bucks, but, I am really tired of all the sawdust and would like a better system. 

The choices seem to be the Jet and the HF. The Jet is $365, the HF unit is on sale for $229. The HF has a somewhat higher hp rating. Any opinions about which you'd choose, and why?


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Tom,

If you are going to mount it outside of your shop, buy the biggest HF unit you can. The cheaper bags may make a little bit more of a mess, but it's outside. Put a 30 gallon trash can cyclone separator in line with it and you will never have to open the bottom bag again. (I exaggerate, but it is amazing how little makes it to the collector.)

I have a 1.5 horsepower grizzly with the separator lid and it handles the jointer and the planer just fine. I have to connect one tool at a time, but it's not that bad. If I had a larger unit I might be able to get away with some longer ducting runs.

Dont' forget your HF 20% off coupon.

My separator lid was a Shop Fox,(it looks like this one) http://www.grizzly.com/products/30-...ge-Cyclone-Separator/W1049?utm_campaign=zPage 
but they are everywhere http://www.woodcraft.com/product/143290/trash-can-cyclone-lid.aspx


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

this one...

.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

@Stick486
I really like Powermatic stuff, but $600 per is a little over the top, especially if I get two, which is my preference. I plan to wheel the garage unit out onto the driveway to port dust outside. The unit for the shed will be housed on the back wall with a door and lots of air circulation through vents that will keep the rain off. 

For the shop shed unit, I might forget about the bag and just build a 4-sided filter box with washable filters. By putting it outside, I gain enough space for a drill press. 

I am leaning toward the HF at this moment, since it is on sale. Maybe one for the garage first to see how it does. $229 is awfully hard to beat.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

kp91 said:


> Tom,
> 
> If you are going to mount it outside of your shop, buy the biggest HF unit you can. The cheaper bags may make a little bit more of a mess, but it's outside. Put a 30 gallon trash can cyclone separator in line with it and you will never have to open the bottom bag again. (I exaggerate, but it is amazing how little makes it to the collector.)
> 
> ...


The separator is the annoying part of my present setup because there's an astonishing dustcloud when I empty it. Since the HF unit has plastic bags for chips, changing bags should less messy.

I will be using a flex hose from tool to collector, so I won't have permanent ducts. I also recall reading something about extending the vanes in the HF blower to increase air flow, I'll try to find it again.


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

I have the HF, and it works well, especially for what it costs. I have 4 machines ducted to it, each with a blast gate. The Jet you showed is actually a much smaller unit that really is meant for direct single machine hookup.


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## johnnie_dr (Jan 8, 2016)

Hey DR-Tom

I have the 2HP Harbor Freight DC, with Wynn Filter and a Thein Baffle I made. I recently reconfigured the whole unit so that the motor/impeller was directly in-line with the inlet to the filter and bag section. Thus having a short-straight 6inch section of the of the same type of pipe.

I made the Thein baffle and put it on top of a of a 35 gallon poly-tub I bought through Amazon (was about 50 bucks). So I've upgrade the top bag with the Wyne filter and the bottom bag with the tub. Of course, my set-up is not portable, but you could do a few quick & easy modifications to still keep those add-on, on the HF cart. I bought my HF for $159. with the coupon and it works great.

If I could have afforded it , I would have gone with the Jet unit, or the better Powermatic (as Stick showed) or even better an Oneida Cyclone...but too expensive.

You can see my unit setup on my website, here: The Shop | RioDesign ? Creative WoodWorks

As you can see from the pics, I tie my Table saw, my router table, my miter saw into my main trunk line, plus I have drops to quick-connect to my planer and jointer. These are all controlled through blast gates and a remote start/stop switch.

Hope that helps...have fun

Johnnie


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I bought a general DC and it looks very simular to your top picture . It's 1.5 hp and 1250 cfm , and I'm a little disappointed with its power . Wish I had gone with one rated more than this , and it's located not to far from my table saw . It does ok , if your good with just ok


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

TheCableGuy said:


> I bought a general DC and it looks very simular to your top picture . It's 1.5 hp and 1250 cfm , and I'm a little disappointed with its power . Wish I had gone with one rated more than this , and it's located not to far from my table saw . It does ok , if your good with just ok


I found with my shop setup that once I ported the exhaust to the outside instead of using a bag, the air flow increased dramatically. 

The motor is rated 2 hp and 20 amps, which I have available in the shop, but not the garage at the moment. May have to have an electrician drop in a 20 amp circuit just for it. However, I think someone on the forum said that 1.75 hp is the max for a 110v motor. 

As I mentioned above, I saw a fix to enlarge the impeller and thus the air flow, but haven't located it again yet. I will be hooking it up to one machine at a time. Thanks for the feedback.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Tom; I also ran into an article on that...same one?
The issue was if I recall correctly, that increasing the impeller diameter increases the load on the motor. ie the motor has to work harder causing more of an electrical load.
The article detailed measuring amperage before and after the changeover, and knowing in advance what the motor would tolerate over a period of time. If the motor fails than any cost saving is moot. 
Removing downstream restrictions seemed to be a better bet in the scheme of things. Starting with the baffle on the output side.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Tom that's interesting venting the dust out and having more air flow . Makes sense , but not sure a dust storm outside is going to go over well . Wish I had an acreage somedays


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

I bought the HF one and upgraded it with a filter cartridge from Wynn Environmental, been using it for several years now with no problems.

Woodworking Filters ? Wynn Environmental


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

TheCableGuy said:


> Tom that's interesting venting the dust out and having more air flow . Makes sense , but not sure a dust storm outside is going to go over well . Wish I had an acreage somedays


I will be filtering the output so there won't be a dust storm, and the shop sits on an acre of ground, so it shouldn't be a problem.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

jd99 said:


> I bought the HF one and upgraded it with a filter cartridge from Wynn Environmental, been using it for several years now with no problems.
> 
> Woodworking Filters ? Wynn Environmental


Thanks for the link, I will be checking that out. Didn't find the price on that fiilter yet, but it would be nice to have the 4-fold reduction in back pressure--and the resulting increase in airflow.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

FYI, I went ahead and got the Harbor Freight unit--that $229 price was just too good, but even better, there was a 20% discount so it was $183!. And I'm also covered for simple replacement for 27 months whatever problem shows up. Not sure I can pop for the Wynn filter just now, but will soon. Thanks all for the quick feedback. What a great group on the Forum.


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

DesertRatTom said:


> Thanks for the link, I will be checking that out. Didn't find the price on that fiilter yet, but it would be nice to have the 4-fold reduction in back pressure--and the resulting increase in airflow.


If you give Wynn a call they will help you out, they sent me a article, on a couple of different ways to upgrade the HF unit, and which filter cartridge. I chose the simple option.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Stick486 said:


> this one...
> 
> .


Stick: Powermatic has always been the Cadillac of tools but their quality went down when they were exported to the far east for a while. Noting that they have returned to Tn has the quality gone back to what they used to be ?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Garyk said:


> Stick: Powermatic has always been the Cadillac of tools but their quality went down when they were exported to the far east for a while. Noting that they have returned to Tn has the quality gone back to what they used to be ?


good to know...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I cleaned out both the regional Harbor Freights, but have a raincheck. I'd like to pick up another at $183, barely more than their best blower alone. 

BTW, this thing has a 5 inch port, which will require a reducer, but the airflow will be great. It has a very heavy duty blower!

Did I read right that the Wynn filter can easily be cleaned by shaking it out? And I wonder if there is a drop-in replacement for the filter element? With the work I'm doing, I doubt I'll ever need to replace the Wynn, but it is a little pricey.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Tom, you know I went with the HF. I only use it outside with the jointer or thickness planer so I didn't worry about the fines. Anything indoors and most jobs outdoors I handle with the Bosch/Clear View Cyclones combo or the Festool/Clear View Cyclones combo. The Dayton/Dust Deputy combo is always attached to my table saw. I use filter bags in all my vacuums as well as the small filter cover bag in the Dayton.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

@Mike
I have spent so much money cobbling together stuff and I just want to simplify the whole dust collection thing. The big cyclone was more than the HF and I still needed a good blower. The HF should also be able to handle an overhead DC hood on the table saw. I'm cutting down on business over the next year and plan to do more fine woodworking, so it was time to do this. Only problem might be getting a 20 amp circuit into the garage, not sure I have one now and th HF draws 20 amps. The first HF unit will be in the garage where the jointer and planer live. The shop already has 20 amp circuits. Glad to hear from you. Tom


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

The small Craftsman 3/4 HP collector is used with my lathe. I grabbed photos of the Dayton and Festool Vacuums while making sawdust today.


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## billyjim (Feb 11, 2012)

Tom I have the HF. I paid $159 for it and it works very well. I especially like using plastic bags on the bottom...,it sure makes it easy to just throw away the old one and put on a new one with no mess and no cloud of dust. If for some reason you bought it and didn't like it you have a good return policy with HF. Also easy to assemble. I don't have any complaints or regrets.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Just finished assembling the Harbor Freight unit. Missing a few bolts, but went together pretty easily. I was thinking I might have to run a new circuit to the garage since it draws 20 amps peak. But it turns out that the dryer and washer both are 20 amp circuits. That was a nice surprise. The vanes in the blower are much larger than the ones in my other HF 1.5 hp blower. So the air movement is awesome. I will be getting a second unit in a day or two to attach to the back of my shop. I think it will really help since it is more than double the size of my current DC system, and I gain space for another tool. Thanks again to all for their help in making this choice.


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