Hello,
I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
Thanks,
MGN
The shop vac is best for my bandsaw and miter saw. When I reduce the DC
hose size so it fits on those two, it loses so much suction that it's
worse than the shop vac. But I put the shop vac on the table saw and it
has absolutely no effect at all. (Even the DC only gets the
under-cabinet dust when I'm using the zero clearance insert. I need an
overarm guard with dust collection for the rest of it.)
So for me, neither the vac or the DC is the one solution. I built a
rolling plywood box for the vac, lined on all sides with carpet, and a
line of 1-inch holes in the back for the exhaust. Cuts the noise to
only a little more than the DC, except it's in a higher pitch. And it
gives me a work surface where the shopvac used to be underfoot. Plus a
nice place to hang the hose. :-)
mgnric05 wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>
> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> MGN
It depends on your environment and your needs. With a clean slate, I'd
recomment the DC. But, if you already own the shop vac, try it out and
see if you're happy with the results. It may work fine for you
regarding collecting the dust, but you might get tired of moving it
from machine to machine. Several here, myself included, have used shop
vacs plumbed to various machines with blast gates etc. with decent
results. YMMV.
Tom
mgnric05 wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>
> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> MGN
My recommendation for the Table saw would be a diaper.
No, not a pampers, one made from cloth that gets installed on the base
under the unit just inside the legs with a couple snaps on each of the
sides. They can be made very easy as long as you know someone that can
sew. Buy the canvas at a fabric store and they can tell you how much
you will need if you take your dimensions with you.
I made one for my TS and it works great and I would say that it takes
care of 90% of the chips. It is easy to clean, unsnap, drag from under
TS, take outside and dump.
My TS is an old Craftsman flex drive and is on legs. The diaper is the
same size as the skirts of the stand and about 12 inches deep.
Looks similar to this:
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?offerings_id=2387
I understand what you mean. I am an Engineer and raised my eyebrows
when I saw 6 hP listed. Even a 1-2 hP pump can deliver a lot of
dynamic head. Its like my Bosch portable table saw that says it is a
4.4 hP (get real!); it is a max developed hP.
Anyways, thanks for the great personal experiences. I will be buying a
DC for sure.
Thanks,
MGN
Chris wrote:
> I would love to have someone from Shop Vac (or Sears for that matter as they
> seemed to of started this cr$#^) explain to me what exactly maximum
> developed HP is and what adopted standard they are using to measure it.
>
> They must really think that most people are stupid enough to fall for this
> false advertising.
Most people are.
--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
[email protected]
Shop Vac lists it as peak HP, which of course is of little use since a Vac
is used in continuous mode. If you are comparing models, look at the
amperage rating.
Steve
"Chris" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> MGN,
>
> Not directed at you, but is Shop Vac following the Sears computation of
> HP.
> Where in the heck do they come off with a 6 hp machine???? Was there not
> class action suit a while back regarding bogus HP ratings??
>
> With 6hp you would need a 50 amp breaker to run the thing!!! I would bet
> my true 2hp motor on my Bridgeport mill weighs more than the entire vac
> and its accessories.
>
> Chris
> "mgnric05" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
>> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
>> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
>> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>>
>> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> MGN
>>
>
>
On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 22:51:13 -0400, "Chris" <[email protected]> wrote:
I have the (supposedly) 2 hp DC from Harbor Freight, which works well for me...
if my shop vac had 6 hp, i'd be taking pulling tools off the shelves and opening
drawers all the time.. lol
>MGN,
>
>Not directed at you, but is Shop Vac following the Sears computation of HP.
>Where in the heck do they come off with a 6 hp machine???? Was there not
>class action suit a while back regarding bogus HP ratings??
>
>With 6hp you would need a 50 amp breaker to run the thing!!! I would bet my
>true 2hp motor on my Bridgeport mill weighs more than the entire vac and its
>accessories.
>
>Chris
>"mgnric05" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
>> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
>> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
>> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>>
>> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> MGN
>>
>
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
mgnric05 wrote:
> Thanks, Dave and gw. Could you recommend a good DC and a good place to
> buy it from.
> Appreciate it.
>
> MGN
>
I'm not qualified to comment on the various brands. the one I have came
from TWC which if I'm not mistaken, has closed up shop this year. It
was around $200 IIRC and works like a champ.
Oh! I had a ton of trouble with the inlet clogging up until I picked up
a waste can separator lid (about $30) for the DC. It converts an
ordinary garbage can (METAL--so it won't collapse from the vacuum) into
a chip and large debris separator, allowing only fine dust to enter the
DC itself. Highly recommended that you get one.
Dave
MGN,
Not directed at you, but is Shop Vac following the Sears computation of HP.
Where in the heck do they come off with a 6 hp machine???? Was there not
class action suit a while back regarding bogus HP ratings??
With 6hp you would need a 50 amp breaker to run the thing!!! I would bet my
true 2hp motor on my Bridgeport mill weighs more than the entire vac and its
accessories.
Chris
"mgnric05" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello,
>
> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>
> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> MGN
>
On Tue 16 Aug 2005 01:24:28p, "vdubbs" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> My recommendation for the Table saw would be a diaper.
>
That's what I had on mine for quite a while. Actually it was a garbage bag
and masking tape, but the same concept.
I liked it and it made things a lot cleaner but when I got the DC I found
out just how much fine dust was in the air. Or rather, NOT in the air any
more.
That, for me, is the reason to put a DC on the saw. The bag thingee gets
most of the chips but it does nothing to get the real dust that just hangs
around in a cloud. I suppose even a shop vac would get some of it but in my
experience, not enough to notice.
A big SV will work pretty well for a single tool, or two. I use one for my
router table and my RAS; they are right next to each other and I can switch
back and forth easily. It won't do so well if you are running pipes with
multiple outlets. Keep things short and direct. When you get tired of
moving it from tool to tool, you may want a dust collector.
Steve
"mgnric05" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello,
>
> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>
> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> MGN
>
On 15 Aug 2005 13:25:01 -0700, "mgnric05" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Hello,
>
>I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
>would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
>Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
>doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>
>Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>MGN
A DC moves much more air than a shop vac and that's what you need to
pick up sawdust. Look at a 2HP Penn State or Grizzly with a metal
prop. If you have extra $, a remote is very nice to have.
"mgnric05" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello,
>
> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>
> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> MGN
>
Reasons I bought a DC:
1. Noise. Shop Vacs are hellaciously loud.
2. CFM. Shop Vacs will work for one tool at a time, but do not have a great
capacity for moving air. Might be OK for a mitre saw, but the table saw
usually has large openings and lots of your suction will be lost through
them. Depends on the saw.
3. Longevity. I burned up 3 shop vac motors before I bought a dust
collector. The things just do not like to run for long periods of time.
4. Capacity. If you ever buy a planer - forget about a shop vac.
mgnric05 wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>
> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> MGN
>
I should add: a Shop Vac works fine for pulling dust/chips through a
router table fence that is set up for DC. Someone else noted here that
a SV works on a CMS also. I agree, but I've given up on attaching my SV
to the CMS as it doesn't generate enough mess for me to warrant the
effort (I don't cut THAT much on the CMS). I just let the little black
bag collect what it can behind the blade (DeWalt).
Dave
On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 16:50:43 -0400, "gw" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"mgnric05" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
>> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
>> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
>> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>>
>> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> MGN
>>
>
>Reasons I bought a DC:
>
>1. Noise. Shop Vacs are hellaciously loud.
>
>2. CFM. Shop Vacs will work for one tool at a time, but do not have a great
>capacity for moving air. Might be OK for a mitre saw, but the table saw
>usually has large openings and lots of your suction will be lost through
>them. Depends on the saw.
>
>3. Longevity. I burned up 3 shop vac motors before I bought a dust
>collector. The things just do not like to run for long periods of time.
>
>4. Capacity. If you ever buy a planer - forget about a shop vac.
>
GW....
You might add:
5. Filtration. Shop Vacs put most of the small particles back into the air, a
decent DC traps them...
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
I would love to have someone from Shop Vac (or Sears for that matter as they
seemed to of started this cr$#^) explain to me what exactly maximum
developed HP is and what adopted standard they are using to measure it.
They must really think that most people are stupid enough to fall for this
false advertising.
"mac davis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 22:51:13 -0400, "Chris" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I have the (supposedly) 2 hp DC from Harbor Freight, which works well for
> me...
> if my shop vac had 6 hp, i'd be taking pulling tools off the shelves and
> opening
> drawers all the time.. lol
>
>>MGN,
>>
>>Not directed at you, but is Shop Vac following the Sears computation of
>>HP.
>>Where in the heck do they come off with a 6 hp machine???? Was there not
>>class action suit a while back regarding bogus HP ratings??
>>
>>With 6hp you would need a 50 amp breaker to run the thing!!! I would bet
>>my
>>true 2hp motor on my Bridgeport mill weighs more than the entire vac and
>>its
>>accessories.
>>
>>Chris
>>"mgnric05" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected]...
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
>>> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
>>> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
>>> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>>>
>>> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> MGN
>>>
>>
>
>
>
> mac
>
> Please remove splinters before emailing
mgnric05 wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am new to woodworking. Was wondering whether a Shop Vac (6HP-16 gal)
> would be sufficient to collect dust from a table saw, mitre saw etc.
> Or do I need to buy a $200+ dust collector. I will be making cabinets,
> doing crown molding etc. Nothing industrial really.
>
> Any constructive comments with past experiences would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> MGN
>
No.
Get a DC. You can get a 115VDC DC and 20 feet of hose, a 1 micron bag.
A shop vac doesn't draw enough air to effectively collect from a table
saw, jointer, planer, etc. You'll NEVER be sorry you sprung for a DC.
I got mine the minute I got into WW'ing. There's no way in hell I'd use
my equipment without the DC running.
Dave