# Shop vac, or dust collector, for use during pen turning/sanding



## redfishsc (Sep 30, 2010)

Howdy all, 

I'm probably going to be re-vamping the way my lathe and stuff is set up. I want to set this up so that as much of the dust/shavings as possible are sucked up as I turn or sand.

I already have a good strong shop vac with a 14g capacity (something like a "5hp peak"). This would probably work fine but I'm afraid that this much use might burn it up. It might run, more or less, for a couple hours at a time. 



Would I be better off buying a 1hp dust collector? It would be a $200 cost but I know these stand up to long-term marathon use very well. 

Anyone have any suggestions?


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## Chasper (Sep 30, 2010)

I had been burning out a Shop Vac in about 12-15 months, I went through two of them.  I bought a Rigid Shop Vac and it has lasted 18 months now, plus it comes with a lifetime warranty.

I sometimes run it for 8 hours a day but I don't think it is the long periods us use that damage them, it is the dust that gets through to the motor.


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## nava1uni (Oct 1, 2010)

I have been using a Rigid shop vac for the past three years and I have used a Clear Vue with it and very little dust in my shop or the surrounding area.  The shop vac gets very little material in it, I use a Hepa filter and most of the waste goes into the container, which gets emptied every few weeks.  I also have a 1 1/2 hp Shop Fox dust collector, but I like the shop vac set-up much better and it is not as loud as the bigger dust collector.


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## lorbay (Oct 1, 2010)

nava1uni said:


> I have been using a Rigid shop vac for the past three years and I have used a Clear Vue with it and very little dust in my shop or the surrounding area.  The shop vac gets very little material in it, I use a Hepa filter and most of the waste goes into the container, which gets emptied every few weeks.  I also have a 1 1/2 hp Shop Fox dust collector, but I like the shop vac set-up much better and it is not as loud as the bigger dust collector.


Pm me with some pic's of your set up please.

Lin.


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## bradh (Oct 1, 2010)

Another big difference is noise. With the shop vac you will not hear the tool cutting, or even the phone ringing! A good dust collector is much quieter.


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## witz1976 (Oct 1, 2010)

nava1uni said:


> I have been using a Rigid shop vac for the past three years and I have used a Clear Vue with it and very little dust in my shop or the surrounding area.  The shop vac gets very little material in it, I use a Hepa filter and most of the waste goes into the container, which gets emptied every few weeks.  I also have a 1 1/2 hp Shop Fox dust collector, but *I like the shop vac set-up much better and it is not as loud as the bigger dust collector.*



I am curious what dust collector have you been looking at?  I ask because every DC I have seen work is at least 1/2 the noise of the shop vac.


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## redfishsc (Oct 1, 2010)

The dust collectors I've used were mostly the 1 hp floor models, and the 2hp upright bag models. 

All of them (Grizzly, Jet, Shop Fox, and Woodtec) were not as harsh sounding as a big shop vac. I'm not sure I'd say quieter, but definitely not as harsh. 

Problem is.... all those nice dust collectors belong to my employer and not ME:frown: so I need to buy my own for my pen turning shop.

My shop vac is hideously loud, but very strong.


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## Wildman (Oct 1, 2010)

I have a HF dust collector (loud) with hose running to Shop Fox Duct Collector Stand behind the lathe.  There are cheaper and better alternatives to that stand.

 I am more concerned with dust collection whether turning or sanding. Depending upon what am turning can adjust the stand to pick up some chips but not all. It does a great job of dust collecting. I do sweep up chips after finishing for the day and go over area with shop-vac.

Floor Dust Collector Stand 
http://www.ptreeusa.com/dustacces.htm#465

I got mine from Penn State Ind; don’t see that stand in their catalog anymore.

I also have a 16-gallon shop-vac, use when drilling on the lathe for chip removal and shop clean- up. One hand turns tailstock wheel in and out, other holds shop-vac nozzle to remove chips.  I have the filter and bags in my shop-vac.

I could not live without either piece of gear. 

This what I use for dust collector. 

http://www.wynnenv.com/35A_series_cartridge_kit.htm


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## redfishsc (Oct 1, 2010)

Using the shop vac when you're drilling on the lathe will also probably do you double duty by cooling the drill bit some. Good thinking and I believe I'll be doing the same. I only drill on the lathe.


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## BruceK (Oct 1, 2010)

I agree with what Cindy said.  I use a Fein Turbo III shop vac combined with a Oneida Dust Deputy.  Chose the Fein due to the low dB as I was tired of the Craftsman shop vac that made my ears bleed.  I got the shop vac in April 2008.  I haven't had to change the filter bag on the Fein yet, the Oneida separator works that good. 

I also have a 1.5hp Steel City DC with a wynn filter when I really want to suck up the chips, but I use the shop vac combo about 90% of the time.


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## DurocShark (Oct 4, 2010)

My poorman's rig:

http://blog.woodscrub.info/2010/09/dust-collection-at-lathe.html


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## Skye (Oct 4, 2010)

I was eyeballing my 280mph (or some such number) electric leafblower and was thinking.... (should have gotten an extended warranty)


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