Dust collector for planer

Your planer could really use 400-500 Cubic Feet per Minute of air volume to pull out the chips.

Your Shop Vac likely started with less than 350CFM IF it’s a big (say, 5hp) Shop Vac. It probably dropped when you threw in the chip separator—a good idea, though.

LOTS of us have the Harbor Freight DC. I think ALL of us really like it. If you can swing the $139, with coupons, it’s a good little unit.

It’s also one that will grow with your hobby. You can upgrade the bag to a much better filter that improves air flow AND filtration for a bit over $100, later.

-- -- Neil

To add to what Neil said, you will want a separator like a Thien cyclone in line. This will keep from jamming up the impeller inlet with long stringy stuff, at least if you dump it before it gets too full…

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David: I’m thinking that he bought … what I bought … at Woodcraft … which is this:

Knothead: Is that right ? If so, I think you did good. I like mine. That AND the HF are a winning combo !

-- -- Neil

Thanks for the quick replies. I got the complete unit with the plastic stuff, hoses, buckets, etc. By the time I would have bought the hoses, etc. I would have about $99 in it. I save HF coupons- one is for 20% off; will use it.
I had posted a while back that i wouldn’t buy HF again since I had a bad experience with a couple of their products. However, I will say that they took care of the situation and refunded my money. Only negative is they are about 30 miles from home if have to return anything. Will keep plugging away!

Your shop vac should be able to handle the planer shavings just fine. Just last weekend I was using my dads Mini-Max 3hp planer and and forgot to bring the DC from my shop. So I ended up hooking my dads shop vac to it and it was able to handle the shavings just fine.

No harm in trying it. Whats the worst that can happen?

-- Dan - "Collector of Hand Planes"

Dan: Of course, you’re right. May as well give it a try.

My bet, though, is that it quickly clogs the Shop Vac filter, killing the suction—whether the cyclone is inline or not.

This didn’t happen at your dad’s shop ?

I guess I’m impressed :-)

-- -- Neil

Neil – No his shop vac didn’t clog up at all. We planed a decent amount of wood to. It wasn’t a huge vac either. I wont say thats the best way to go or that it wont clog up at some point but if you don’t have anything else why not give it a try. Some kind of collection is better then nothing.

-- Dan - "Collector of Hand Planes"

I used a shop vac on my planer before I got a DC. I never had a problem other than the fact that the shop vac is too loud. Ear protection is a must.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

Totally agree.

CEO of the company I used to work for … often said … “we should always test the zero-cost option.”

Wise man ;-)

Along those lines … the OP MAY want to test with AND without the cyclone in place. It might make just enough difference in CFM to get by without the extra expense of a DC.

-- -- Neil

Thanks for the additional replies. The DC is the Oneida Dust Deputy. Should have mentioned it earlier.
richgreer has a valid point that we should never forget. I always use eye and ear protection when using my power tools, no matter how quiet they might be.