Dust collector question???

cbosshog79

cbosshog79

Active member
I am looking at buying a dust collector and am considering the one that lowes carries. It is the Delta 1 HP single stage dust collector for $199. Does anyone have any experience with it? I have been using a large shopvac (6.5 HP) 20 gallon but it doesn't seem to do much good. Will the dust collector work that much better than a large shop vac, or is it a waste of money?
 
They are great!

I have a JDS unit, and love it. You really should save up for one that gets down to micron sized particles. Jet makes a good one too, and it's reasonable.

They don't pull chips or sawdust like the larger units, but they remove the 'haze' from the air. Mine cycles all the air in the shop several times an hour. I couldn't believe the dust trapped in the second (bag) filter.

It's a good investment, whatever you pick.

Even with a HEPA filter, the shop vac system usually just blows the finer stuff around. But, the shop vac collector near the lathe, used in conjuction with the air filter, makes a killer combo.

Any questions feel free to get hold of me.


Regards,

Rudy
 
Rudy, I think you and Cody are talking apples and oranges. He asked about a dust collector, instead of the shop vac. You responded referencing, I believe, an air filtration system. I agree with you that both are necessary. The dust collector to collect the chips and such, and the air filtration system to filter the very fine stuff, that is floating in the air.

In my experience, that 6.5 vac is probably going to collect almost as much chips from the lathe as a larger, dedicated, dust collector. Damned little in both cases. However, if you are using the DC on a table saw or sander, then the larger unit will probably be more effective. I have tried numerous ways to collect the chips from the lathe, and finally just gave up. Now I vacuum them up when done.
 
Braz hit the nail on the head. Dust collectors on lathes are all but worthless. Dust collectors used on sanders and table saws that were built to have dust collection systems hooked up work great.
 
I think I expressed myself poorly. LOL!

I don't use the air filtration unit to catch chips or large hunks of 'dust'. It just filters out the 1-5 micron particles from the air. The ones that seem to stay suspended forever. It just sort of runs in the background.

I does, however, make a huge difference in the shop. Also, it's a lot less of the 'invisible' irritant that gets inhaled.

I'll agree about catching chips off the spinning lathe, though. Catching those buggers are what your clothes, face, and hair are for, right? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I find as many chips in my coffee cup as I do the floor. LOL!!

Keep turnin'!

Rudy
 
Rudy, you're absolutely right about a lot less of the invisible irritant that get inhaled. The air filtration unit really excels there.
 
The only way a dust/chip collector will work on a lathe is if you build a funnel to attach your hose to. Over on the Penturners site, there have been several shown over the years. I have access to a plastic welder and tried making one out of plexiglass. It is possible, just was a pain for me to have it set for spindle work and then switch over to chuck work and the funnel wouldnt position like it needed to be. Finally took it off and just use the shop vac after the mess is made.
 
SmokinPole you hit it exactly. Sure, you can build a setup to catch SOME of the chips, but not all. There is still the necessity to clean up after. And the pain of the catch system, is just that, a pain in the ... I just let the chip fall where they may, and clean up after, like you said.
 
I know I get lazy and don't clean up the chips as often as I should, but it adds padding & insulation to the shop floor /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif . Besides the fact that my shop is super small and way overloaded, I don't like listening to the dust collector running while I am turning. The lathe is my stress reliever so while I am turning, I may turn on the tunes and not have a care in the world. As far as the fine stuff, here is a Pic of my lathe setup. The fan to the left and the air filter above & to the right is always on when I am turning. If I am doing a lot of sanding or finishing with CA glue I have a pretty good respirator that I wear.
 
Thanks for the responses guys, I haven't been around much because of the holidays and am just now checking it out.

From the sound of things many of you don't use them or don't like them. My main reason for using it would be to collect the dust that is currently covering everything in my shop. I would like to try to prevent that if possible and the dust collector seemed like the answer.

Have any of you had good results just collecting dust and not the larger chips? I don't mind vacuming the larger pieces, but the constant covering of dust drives my athsma and allergies crazy.

Thanks again
 


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