Dust collection System

This is all my humble opinion after spending a ton of time and effort into researching effective dust collection. If you want effective dust collection, don’t bother starting with anything under 1.5 HP, or 1000 CFM.

As a bare minimum, I would start with something like the Harbor Freight 2HP (yeah right) dust collector item #98769, wait for it to come on sale, and combine that with the almost always present 20% off coupon and you can get the DC itself for under $150.00.

Add to that a good quality pleated filter of 1 micron or better filtering. The Wynn 35A drops right on with no modification to the DC.

To keep the filter flowing and not clogged, install either a neutral vane like Bill Pentz talks about on his site, or a Thien baffle in the inlet ring.

This would be the most bang for the buck approach… If your budget can absorb a bigger hit, go with the Delta 50-760, and still put the pleated filter / baffle arrangement on it. You will be quite pleased…

From there you go to 220V multi bag models, and full on cyclones where design, and costs can get nuts…

Don’t throw out that shop vac though. Sanders need the high static lift a shop vac offers…. There are just some jobs that a shop vac is better at than a DC, and some a DC is better than a shop vac. Best to have both if the budget can handle it.

-- Trying to follow the example of the master.

Thanks DB I will look into it.

-- Elvin, Southern California, "How great would life be if we lived a little of it everyday"

Delta 50-760 – Is a great 1 1/2hp collector with a 1 micron bag, there is room on the stand for a “pre-collector”. This is the link to my pre-collector (http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/cy.htm).

I watched this one at Home Depot and when it came in (it was on sale for $300) stock they had free shipping at the same time and I bought it for $300 total.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&N=5yc1vZ1xog&R=100609563

http://www.amazon.com/DELTA-50-760-1-5HP-Vertical-Collector/dp/B00078V9KA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1250103231&sr=8-1

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

Whoa….
That is a GREAT price from Home Depot on the 50-760!

Too bad it’s out of my budget. That is consistently rated to the the best 1-1/2 HP DC on the market today… I still prefer a pleated filter specifically for surface area though… I have read several 50-760 owners that converted to 35A filters that say it made a HUGE difference in air flow. YMMV like always…

I must admit I really like the stand design of those too. You can use a pre separator / barrel right under the inlet, and really minimize the bends in the line…

-- Trying to follow the example of the master.

I happen to have the Powermatic PM1300 with the canister. It is 1 3/4 horse and does a terrific job in my 400 sq ft shop.

-- Wayne - Plymouth MN