Jack Medure Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 i need to upgrade my dust collection systems. I currently use shop vacs on all my tools, it is not working out the best. I am looking at the delta 50-760, has pretty good reviews, by the time i get all the parts and pieces i am in the price range of $700.00 My question is, if im spending that much would i be better off with a top of the line festool dust extractor. I know its a great system but does it replace a permenate, 4" dust system.? Also, i am looking at the jet air scrubber, also has great reviews. But by upgrading the dust controll do you think it is nessasery to get a air cleaner as well? At the moment the main tools i need it for is my planer, table saw, miter saw and router table. For all of my festool stuf a good shop vac seeks to do the job. My shop is a 16x16 garage any opinions would be great! thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevmc Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Just my 2 cents but I dont think the delta and festool dust collectors are interchangable, depending on what kind of tools you use. for thinks like routers, sanders circular saws etc, I love my festool dust collector. Its plenty powerful and easy on the ears. Another similar dust collector is the Fein. IF you are going to use these for larger tools like a tablesaw, planer or jointer, I would recomend something like the dust deputy to save on bag replacement. If those tools have 4 inch or larger dust port however, I don think those dust collectors will move enough air to satisfactorily work. Given the size of your shop I might look at something like http://www.bing.com/shopping/dust-collector-1-1-2-hp-1100/p/DB20BC2CFF664EDE5011?q=jet+dust+collector&lpq=jet%20dust%20collector&FORM=HURE Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Medure Posted January 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 I agree, the delta I'm looking at seems to have the better reviews. I do want to get the festool 36 but I think I need a full size system before the festool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 You might consider the Grizzly G1028Z2 1-1/2 HP Dust Collector. I have one in my shop that is hooked up to my bandsaw. It works great. I've had two Grizzly 2hp units in the past that I replaced with a Grizzly 3hp cyclone. Both of the 2hp units also worked great. From the little research I did, it looks like the Grizzly is less expensive than the Delta you are looking at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Medure Posted January 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 i will look at that, i consider myself a novice in all this. I welcome all the feedback. Just looking for the best bang for my buck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Medure Posted January 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Another question, with a good dust collector is there a need for a air cleaner as well? Jet and rockler make one for around $300. They both have good reviews, actually the seem exactly the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Every dust collector will let some dust escape. To be safer, wear a respirator so that dust doesn't get into your lungs. Instead, it will settle on the tools, bench, floor, etc in your workshop. To be safer, use an air cleaner to trap that dust so it doesn't get in your lungs later, when you aren't wearing the respirator. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmac Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 No "best bang for your dust collection buck" thread would be complete without a link to the 2HP unit from Harbor Freight. -- Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsiard Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I have the same delta unit you are looking at and am very pleased with it. I operated it for 2 years as a bagged collector and after moving to my new shop upgraded it with an aftermarket cyclone with pleated filter. I have a solid duct system and it handles all the chips my 15" planer can make with a 25' run between the planer and collector. I would look at the Grizzly product line as well, they seem to be constructed well and their price point is much more pocket book friendly. I suggest you stay away from the central machinery stuff from Harbor Freight though, as tempting as the price may be the quality and longevity will leave you wanting. As far as an air cleaner, collect the chips at the source first. An air cleaner will help but you would probably be better served with a festool or fien vac for your sanding tools. Hope this helps 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorkTheWood Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I have the same delta unit you are looking at and am very pleased with it. I operated it for 2 years as a bagged collector and after moving to my new shop upgraded it with an aftermarket cyclone with pleated filter. I have a solid duct system and it handles all the chips my 15" planer can make with a 25' run between the planer and collector. I would look at the Grizzly product line as well, they seem to be constructed well and their price point is much more pocket book friendly. I suggest you stay away from the central machinery stuff from Harbor Freight though, as tempting as the price may be the quality and longevity will leave you wanting. As far as an air cleaner, collect the chips at the source first. An air cleaner will help but you would probably be better served with a festool or fien vac for your sanding tools. Hope this helps Do you know anyone that has used anything from the Grizzly line? I am looking at those... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Medure Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I have the same delta unit you are looking at and am very pleased with it. I operated it for 2 years as a bagged collector and after moving to my new shop upgraded it with an aftermarket cyclone with pleated filter. I have a solid duct system and it handles all the chips my 15" planer can make with a 25' run between the planer and collector. I would look at the Grizzly product line as well, they seem to be constructed well and their price point is much more pocket book friendly. I suggest you stay away from the central machinery stuff from Harbor Freight though, as tempting as the price may be the quality and longevity will leave you wanting. As far as an air cleaner, collect the chips at the source first. An air cleaner will help but you would probably be better served with a festool or fien vac for your sanding tools. Hope this helps I'm glad you like it, everything I read is good. I use a good shop vac on my rotex sander, 1400 router and ts75. Do you think the festool vac is worth it, does it make that much of a difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
areynoldsre Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I've got the delta in my shop and love it. I'd recommend investing in duct work (either metal or pvc) so you can hook up each machine and a remote switch to turn it off and on. I just bought a 4" flexible hose and move that from machine to machine as I need to - and I have to turn the collector on with the switch on the unit. Of course that means I'll often do, "just one cut" without the dust collector and make a big mess because one cut turns into ten or twenty. Part of my shop is in a carport and is mostly outside so I do really dusty operations out there and let the breeze clean the air for me but if my shop was full enclosed I'd consider the air cleaner. The dust collect gets most but not 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsiard Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Sorry Lou I don't know anyone who owns a dc but I have used the G0691 table saw and was impressed with its quality of cut and construction, even though I ended up buying the Steel City 35625 TS I stopped at the Muncey PA store a number of years ago and had that same impression then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billt928 Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I have the delta 50-760 and I purchased a Festool last week. I would say go with the delta 50-760, its a great DC for the price. Now that I have both types of DC I can say the festool is best left to the hand power tools it was designed for. I do prefer the festool when sanding or using my TS55, but the big stationary tools its just no match for a 4" system. I also have a powermatic pm1200 air filter to deal with the fine airborn dust. it works well with some good features on the remote. though many may say its too expensive. The order I purchased them are delta 50-760Powermatic pm1200festool midi (hepa version w/137cfm) The festool is the only one I regret, other than the auto on and how quiet it is. I do not feel I got that great of a bang for my buck over my HD shop vac that seems to perform the same on the dust extraction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Medure Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I ordered the delta today, it will be in tomorrow. Looking forward to it. Thanks for all the feedback on the topic, how do you feel about your festool vac, I use a big shop vac on my ts75 and hand power tools, it seems to do a good job, did you notice a big difference when you got te festool? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Medure Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I somehow missed the second have of your response, on note the regretting the festool do you think its because it is one of the smaller ones or it is just a nice shop vac? Think the 36 would make much difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billt928 Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 I somehow missed the second have of your reaponce, on note the regretting the festool do you think its because it is one of the smaller ones or it is just a nice shop vac? Think the 36 would make much difference? My understanding from Festool is that all the models now use the same 137cfm motor as of 9/30/11 and include hepa filters and self cleaning bags. please see this link to festools blog for more info They told me that the only real difference was the capacity of the bag. Its a nice vac for sanders and hand power tools like I said before I seen no real difference in performance but it does have some nice features that are more for convenience like the auto on and varible suction control. I seen no improvement on the dust extraction side of things next to my shop vac with a Bosch VAC005 5-Meter Vacuum Hose 35mm and a hepa filter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brtech Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 While I also think the HF DC is a much better buy, you bought the Delta, and it's a fine solution. You asked about air cleaners. The collective wisdom on it is generally, yes, you should have an air cleaner. If you could get all of the dust to get into your DC, then you probably wouldn't need it. But no tool is that good, and dust escapes. The air cleaner gets some of that. The DC is much more valuable than the air cleaner, so you start with that, and then add the air cleaner. You can DIY an air cleaner. Back to your DC. You really should upgrade the filter to a .5 micron canister filter. It's better for your lungs, and it is more efficient (you get more CFM than with a bag). You also might consider a Thien baffle in a trash can separator before your DC. It will do a much better job of getting stuff out of the airstream before it hits your filter. How are you going to plumb it? If you use hard pipe, 4" is your best bet. It would be great to use 5" on the main line, but getting 5" is expensive. The DC doesn't have enough CFM to use a 6" main. 4" drops for sure. PVC Sewer and Drain is the usual recommendation. No 90s, no Ts. Use wide sweep elbows or two 45s and a short straight section, and wyes. Blast gates on all branches and have only one open at a time. Try to avoid any flex. If you use flex only, 10' of 4" flex works. More usually is iffy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 I have the Delta and I think it works well. It comes with the 1micron bag, which is much better than a lot of the other lower priced units. If you were going to upgrade the bag to a 0.5micron cartridge, then a lot of units (HF, the 2HP Grizz, Delta, etc) would also be good candidates. The suggestion for a Thien baffle is a good one - I have yet to do it to mine, but it's on my list. I used 4" thin wall S&D (from home depot) - much cheaper and ligher than Sch40 PVC. +1 on no 90's - use 2 45's to make a more sweeping curve. An air cleaner is not a replacement for a good DC. I usually only turn mine on when I'm in the shop if I did something that creates a lot of non-collected dust (my CMS, for instance, does not have dust collection yet). Otherwise I turn it on (on a timer) when I leave the shop, for added air cleaning. The JDS 750 and Jet AFS1000 units got great reviews for the smaller units....some manufacturers make bigger units as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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