Recommendations for Dust Extraction.

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Justintime
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Recommendations for Dust Extraction.

Post by Justintime »

I have a small workshop for using a bandsaw,(future table saw), Hoffmann and sander. Not much space for a full extraction system for each work station, but I'd consider it. Currently I have a Record Power https://www.recordpower.co.uk/product/t ... IlA3rVKiUk attached to the ceiling which does ok for finer dust (when I remember to clean it :roll: ) and a basic dust extractor/wetndry vac to attach to each machine as and when. It turns out the vac is class L so not designed for what I'm doing.
Do I have to bite the bullet, go full Ninja and buy a Festool? Or does anyone have any recommendations/good experiences of cheaper Class M wheeled dust extractors?
I know Jonathan will say go Festool or go home :lol: , but all input appreciated, especially if I should just install a stationary system with piped extraction to each work station. Its a 10'x12' workspace. It's currently out of hand and a dust bowl...
TIA.
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Re: Recommendations for Dust Extraction.

Post by Not your average framer »

My dust extraction pretty much minimal. I just has a couple of vacuum cleaners, one is a workshop vac. It's not very ideal! If I am using my table saw I take that outside and let the dust blow out into the atmosphere. My band saw has a slide out draw which allows some dust to fall out the bottom in to this drawer. I also have a sliding mitre saw, with a dust collection bag which I think must be some ones idea of a joke. I suppose that I will have to do something about addressing the same problem too!

My most likely plan, will be to buy a suitable (hopefully cheap) vacuum cleaner to live under the bench for each particular saw dust producing machine. Space is a problem, so I can't imagine that it's going to be a proper dust collection system. My shop is on high ground and eventually lots of the dust disappears on the next windy day, I don't know where it goes to, but it does not appear to be anywhere near here!
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Re: Recommendations for Dust Extraction.

Post by GeoSpectrum »

I have a 3 chip and dust extractors, one each for the CNC, router and table saw. I also have a dust extractor for the workshop very similar to the record power. I also have a cyclone collector I need to hook up after a recent reorganisation. Dust is a problem but not as bad as it was, I realise I need to upgrade to an m-class system but somehow never quite get there.
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Re: Recommendations for Dust Extraction.

Post by vintage frames »

I'd buy a big volume extractor 2nd hand off e-bay and have 6" hoses coming down off the ceiling to each machine.
Then wear a dust mask and leave the door open.
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Re: Recommendations for Dust Extraction.

Post by fusionframer »

I agree with vintage frames. I have one big 5.5hp extractor with stainless steel pipes running over my head and down to machines. At intersections, i have blast gates which allow me to block off pipes not being used so the suction all goes to the machine being used.

I got all my pipes and joints from dustspares.com. The dust extraction pipes and connectors are pretty pricey but are well worth it. I know several joiners who have got COPD as a result of dusty workshops.

They can be quite bulky machines. If you don't have 3 phase, the Fox dust extractors are decent. They have a much higher air flow than the record chip collectors and are not too much more expensive.

The Festool is more for smaller tools such as mitre saws, track saws and jigsaws in my opinion, but they are very good at that.

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Re: Recommendations for Dust Extraction.

Post by Not your average framer »

I find that it is certain machines that produce the most dust and I much prefer to use these outside, rather than in doors. Of my machines which produce the most dust I would say are my table saw, my sliding mitre saw, and my router. It's only a trim router, but it does seem to munch a lot of wood at the times it gets used. I have seen a review of a Rutlands Tools dust collector / shop vac with a power take off connection, which turns on the dust extractor, but unfortunately this power take off connection is limited to 1500 watts.

Unfortunately both my table saw and the sllding mitre saw have 2000 watt motors, so I would only be able to use the extractor with my band saw, or my router. I might still buy one of these dust extractors anyway, but at the moment I am mostly wearing a mask outside in the garden. I have a scroll saw as well, but this does not seem to generate much dust at all. I also have a 2000 watt hand held circular saw, which also blasts plenty of saw dust around and lots of the dust comes out of the back straight at me. I guess that I don't use the circular saw very much and I guess that is just as well as I often come in to my flat totally covered in saw dust and it gets everywhere.

I think that a dust extractor for when I am using the circular saw, would probably be very popular with my wife, if it meant that I was not coming in to flat totally covered in saw dust. Much of my problem is that I need to operate the machines which create the most dust outside together with a dust extractor, with both being supplied with the same mains extension cable and I need to think about how to do this without overloading the mains trip device. My smaller saws don't produce much dust and I am pretty sure that I can easily get away with just a vacuum cleaner or just a small dust extractor.
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