# 3hp Shop Vac with a Rocker Vortex dust collector?



## vinnie (Feb 13, 2009)

I use mainly a DeWalt Scroll saw and a flap sander in my basement shop. I have a small area to work 18'x 10'
I have been using a box fan with a furnace filter attached , setup next to my scroll saw with my shop vac attached under the scroll saw to suck up dust when it's cutting.
I was thinking on getting the Vortex dust collector for my shop vac but it's only a 3hp. Will it work ok with my 3hp shop vac? I do have a 1hp DC from Harbor Freight, should I hook it up to that instead?

Also, has anyone used the Demo Air Net? They say the air net works pretty good.
I am just trying to find the best way to collect the dust in my small shop without breaking the bank.

Can anyone help?

Thanks, Vinnie


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

See the thing about dust collectors is they suck up more stuff in a bigger
area, so for the flap sander, use the DC and a bigger hose.

Where the dust can be collected in a concentrated area, like a palm
sander or a scroll saw, a vacuum seems to work well. If you choke
down your dust collector hose you'll be able to hear and feel that
your not getting the same kind of suction at 2" that you get at
4" and in fact your noisy shop vac may suck better with a 2" hose
than your DC sucks with a 2" hose. With a 4" hose for larger debris
however there is no contest, the DC will perform better.

You can suck up chips pretty well with a shop-vac and a "cyclone" 
garbage can lid. I did that plenty at times and it catches 90% of the
chips or more with a 4" hose running out of the trash can and a a 2.25" 
shop vac hose routed to a shop vac providing the suction. Noisy,
but it works.

If you are concerned about fine dust you really need to think about
investing in your health. Big planer chips are a nuisance to clean up
but they aren't a big respiratory irritant. Fine dust control is
trickier.


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