Dust extractors

[Anonymous]

Hello, I've lurked here for a few weeks but now I've actually got a reason to post something. After spending the weekend up to my eyeballs in sawdust I think it's time I invest in a proper dust extractor.

I'm in the slow process of converting my garage (shed with a car in it) into a workshop. I'd like to have a plumbed in dust extractor as I'm not very good at moving the shop vac (a little earlex combiVac) from one machine to another .

My problem is that most of my sawdust making machines are either power tools or smallish bench ones which have pretty small extraction ports (2" max). From what I've read (Axminster catalogue mainly) I need a fine dust extractor rather than a chip extractor due to the narrow dust ports.

On that basis Axminster's WV100 (http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=WV100) looks possible but does anyone know if it's any good when plumbed in (the catalogue says it can be) and if it's that much better than my shop vac?

Does anyone have any other suggestions, I'm looking at spending around £100-200.

Thanks, David.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know about the axminster vacs, but I use the Charnwood W690 at £120. Its a 1HP machine with a large collection bag. You could go for a 2HP version, the W691 at £199.

The only criticism I have is that the plastic hose supplied is cheap & nasty, mine split after a few weeks, but the alternative 100mm flexible hose from charnwood is great (although it is £8 per metre). Although its portable, I wanted to put it in a corner out of the way, hence the long hose.

I have 10m of flexible hose snaking across my workshop roof & still get sufficient suction for all my power tools although the chips do get stuck in the wriggly bits on the long horizontal run. A simple tap with the hand puts the chips back in the air-flow. I use heavy duty dustbin liners for collection.

I did look at the axminster stuff, but decided I had the floor space for a larger unit.

More info can be found at http://www.charnwood.net/ProductDesc.jsp?cat=3&stockref=W690

hope his helps

 

[Anonymous]

Hi David,

I agree with everything elvch01 has said, I also use the Charnwood dust extractors and find them very good. I did start with the W690, but when I bought larger equipment, I moved up to the W691 and boy does that suck!.
From what you discribe I would think the W690 would be about for you and the machines that you have. They also run quiet, compared with the normal vacum type extractor, so that's a plus in my book.
Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the pointer to Charnwood, I've never ordered from them so I tend to forget about them.

So the advice not to use one of these chip extractors connected up to power tools (i.e. things with small dust ports) isn't completely true? How effective are these extractors when connected up to a sander, does half the dust get blasted back out of the 10(?) micron bag?

Thanks again,
David.

 

[Anonymous]

Good point about being quiet - I often switch my extractor on when I start working & leave it on until I leave the shop.

I havn't connected my dust extractor to my new belt sander yet, but I connect it to my jointer & thicknesser coz these generate the most "spare" wood. My thicknesser has a 1 1/2" dust port & my jointer a 2 1/2" and I simply have the relevant adaptor to my 100mm hose. I will (in time by some lengths of 1 1/2" & 2 1/2" hose to make life easier so I don't need to drag the 4" hose around the shop

Once I get the proper adaptor I might try the belt sander, but I think it will restrict my movement unless I invest in some smaller bore hose - I currently have 100mm only. I empty my belt sander's dust bag by opening it up into the end of the extractor hose and have not noticed any blow-out of the dust, but there's still quite a bit of dust in the shop anyhow. I think the bag on the 690/691 is 2 micron, but I'm not 100%.

Since I'm using plastic bin liners for collection, I have a "spare" bag, so could put a double bag on the upper end - in fact I've only just thought about that, so will try it today

 

[Anonymous]

David,

I think you will find that the ordinary chip axtractor will do the job for your belt sander etc. True they do say that you should not, but belt sanders and the such like do not generate vast amounts of dust and the chip axtractor should handle that quite OK. My one has a 2 micron dust bag, so there's not much getb throught that. The only thing you will find, is that once the hose has been reduced from 100mm to say 38mm or what ever size fits your sander, it will restrict the air flow quite a bit, compared with the other types of extractor, but it should still be enough to take all the dust away from your sander etc, as its not coming off like a planner!.
Hope this helps

 

[Anonymous]

Also, with a belt sander, the dust is a lot finer, si it will be easily sucked up even in the restricted air flow. My New DV650 sander actually ahs an optional adapter to attach to a dust extractor