End Grain: Dust Collection for Beginners Part 2

So now that we have a basic overview of what will need to go into a dust collection system it’s time to worry about the biggest part: your dust collection unit.

While there are endless options of shape, size and brand for this part there are definitely some types that will fit your needs better than others. 

I personally have a Craftex 1 HP 570 CFM model with a 1 micron bag. I have found that this works great as a starter machine. I’ve had only minor issues with it that have all been easy fixes. For the price (usually under $200) I haven’t seen one around that should give you the same bang for your buck.

While I like my dust collector I think that’ll I’ll need to upgrade it in the next few years once I have a full shop set up because of the the low CFM (cubic feet per minute) which could impede the systems efficiency depending on big I make it.

If you’re looking for something bigger and stronger I’ve seen and heard many good things about the dust collectors made by Oneida. The ability to use a cart instead of just a bag to remove the dust and dump it seems like a large and less messy improvement to me. The flashing red light is also a great indicator of when to empty your bin since I’m sure many people, like me, like to push their collectors until they’re completely full. 

Since these are just my opinions based on what I know and have heard I definitely suggest looking more into even greater options to find the one that will fit right for you. If you have a smaller shop you may even want to think about investing in a wall mounted unit. The main thing is that you incorporate some type of dust collection to help remove those potentially harmful particles from the air. 

Like last time I highly recommend this dust collection basics book that I linked in my last post if you’d like to read more, I’ve learned a lot from the quick read.