Dust Collector Improvement (big time) Shop Made for $10

This is a quick and easy dust collector improvement (upper canister or bag type) that has unbelievable performance benefits and costs about $10 to do. It is a wood working project as it contains a block of wood.

This mod is based on the new Jet Vortex dust collector technology which is basically a wok type plug in the airflow between the lower and upper bags. To get a proper picture of this, now is the time to go to their web site or Popular Woodworking web site – editors BLOG and search for Jet Vortex. The PW site includes a video and other material that demonstrates the performance improvement. What basically happens is that the vortex of dust particles in the lower bag is prevented from rising into the upper filter area and considerably reduces filter clogging with no apparent effect on air flow. Following is my experience and tests.

First, I could not find an affordable wok of the right size that I was willing to drill a hole into. So my first try was a stainless steel salad bowl 14 inches in diameter. This bowl extended deeper into the lower bag area than the Jet “wok”. After filling the lower bag to about 10% full I removed the canister and found some performance improvement but not up to what the Jet video showed. Apparently the shape of the salad bowl was intercepting some of the incoming airflow and deflecting it upward. When I removed the canister I got about a handful of dust on me and there was some coating the filter. So I cleaned it up and inserted a 14 inch flower pot tray instead. This is a heavy duty version of fairly sturdy plastic and its shape is much flatter than the Jet wok.

I ran the dust collector while planning and sawing some wood until it was about 1/3 full without turning the flapper that cleans the filter – there was no noticeable loss in suction performance (in fact after the thorough filter cleaning it was better than I can remember). I then removed the canister and WOW!!! Less than a tablespoon of dust fell out and the canister was almost as clean as when I started.

I don’t know how well this compares to the Jet performance but it must be close. I am going to run the dust collector, without using the flapper thing until the bag is full and check it out again. I am confident the performance will be about the same. At that time I am going to add a cross brace at 90 degrees to the existing one with blocks under to better brace the dish. I cant see it but it must wobble a bit (this was just a test in the beginning). However, at the 1/3 bag point there was no apparent wear and tear on the dish.

Check out the video and other info and try it – you WILL like it.

By the way, I have a stainless steel salad bowl with a 1/4 inch hole in it for sale – cheap.

Don

-- DonH Orleans Ontario