Genuinely Exciting news (but only for me)

[JPG]

Go with the DC3300.

I agree! And I do not have one myself! What I have learned re dust collection, is that a vacuum cleaner is not the best implement. Although static pressure IS a necessary factor. it is not as important as air volume and velocity. Static pressure is secondary, but is necessary to maintain the volume/velocity.

Apply your 'get the best now' attitude re ss acquistion to the dc decision.

Get to understand how it works and what it depends upon.

[SDSSmith]

I have two DC3300's (one in each work area, plus a dedicated DC for my table saw) and have been very pleased with them. For the sake of balance, there are a number of folks over on the ssusers group on Yahoo who swear by the HF dust collector. Most have bought it with the 20% off coupon and many have fitted them with finer filtration canisters from Wynn Environmental (http://www.wynnenv.com/cartridge_filters.htm).

[pennview]

I have one of those HF dust collectors with the Wynn filter. It can't be beat for the money, in my opinion. With the filter, it allows you to use those see-through plastic bags. It runs on 110 volts and I have mine on a 20 amp circuit. It comes with a "Y" connector that accepts two 4" hoses. I don't use the "Y," but rather attach a 5" hose that I reduce to 4" or 2 1/2" as needed at the tool.

[8iowa]

I recommend the DC3300, especially for a home shop with limited space. The DC3300 is the quietest DC on the market. Some of them are quite loud, to the point of having to be placed in a separate enclosure. I doubt very much that the Chinese who put dust collectors together for HF ever do any testing in a sound room.

Compared with the safety concerns of tools that can cut us, workshop noise level isn't even on the chart. Far too many woodworkers are losing their hearing, incrementally, little by little, until it is too late and the only choice left is a hearing aid. In the long run, losing your hearing is just as bad as losing a finger - mayby even worse. If your shop is in an attached garage or the basement, the rest of the family will appreciate the DC3300.

Yes. I wear hearing protectors, but even with the DC3300 and the Pro Planer running I can still hear the intercom in the shop.

[pennview]

I don't doubt that some dust collectors can be noisy, especially when you start going up the Horse Power ladder, but I don't find the Harbor Freight model overly noisy. Then again perhaps I got the quiet one.

I did just go out to the shop and compare the HF with my DC3300 and didn't notice much of a difference. I could still hear the radio with either of them running. The HF does seem to have a higher pitch on whine than the DC3300, however.

While I like the DC3300 and it's been adequate for use with my Shopsmith equipment, including the planer, the HF with the Wynn filter sucks a lot better and collects much smaller dust particles than the DC3300 with standard hood.

[iclark]

My only remaining question is dust collection. There is a DC3300 nearby for 190 vs a HF vs a shopvac vs a broom and dustpan. The DC3300 is a bit big for my shop, but I'm thinking it is probably the quietest solution short of the broom and dustpan.

there are 2 versions of the DC3300. the version with the on/off switch mounted on the leg is quieter than the version with the switch mounted in the air-intake for the motor.

I have both versions and much prefer the newer (on the leg) version. for that price, though, I would jump on it. if it is the older version, then use it until you can find a deal on the new version. you should be able to sell the old one for what you paid for it. if the impeller is the white nylon (vs black plastic) type, then pick up a spare the next time that SS has a sale on the most-frequent-repair-parts.

also, if you want dust collection, then, for footprint, you are comparing the DC3300 or HF DC with a shopvac that has something like the Oneida Dust Deputy on the inlet side.

please remember that DC's do not replace the broom and dustpan for cleaning up large chips and small scrap. everything that goes into a non-vortex DC goes through the impeller blades.

[beeg]

The HF does seem to have a higher pitch on whine than the DC3300, however.

While I like the DC3300 and it's been adequate for use with my Shopsmith equipment, including the planer, the HF with the Wynn filter sucks a lot better and collects much smaller dust particles than the DC3300 with standard hood.

Watch out for the high pitch whine. It'll deaf ya every time.

"the HF with the Wynn filter sucks a lot better and collects much smaller dust particles than the DC3300 with standard hood." Apples and oranges comparison.

[paulrussell]

I just realized that I'm limited to the 1hp HF -- I don't have a 20 amp line in the garage. Looks like the Shopsmith is more power-friendly too.

[pennview]

Watch out for the high pitch whine. It'll deaf ya every time.

"the HF with the Wynn filter sucks a lot better and collects much smaller dust particles than the DC3300 with standard hood." Apples and oranges comparison.

I don't understand the apples and oranges reference. A comparison of how well collectors remove fine dust particles is a legitimate way of comparing them. It is the smaller dust particles that present the greatest health risk to your lungs in woodworking and the DC3300 with standard hood will remove dust particles down to 7 microns (according to the Shopsmith website) and the Wynn filter removes over 99 percent of particles down to 1 micron. For me, that's a vast difference in performance and my lungs will appreciate the difference.

Also, while the HF collector seems to have a higher pitch than the DC33000, it doesn't seem louder, and I believe it's the loudness that affects ones hearing, not the frequency of the noise. The higher pitch may be a bit more annoying, however.

If someone wants decent information about dust collection, visit the Bill Pentz website at billpentz.com.

I have about $300 in my HF collector and Wynn filter system.

[SDSSmith]

I don't understand the apples and oranges reference. A comparison of how well collectors remove fine dust particles is a legitimate way of comparing them. It is the smaller dust particles that present the greatest health risk to your lungs in woodworking and the DC3300 with standard hood will remove dust particles down to 7 microns (according to the Shopsmith website) and the Wynn filter removes over 99 percent of particles down to 1 micron. For me, that's a vast difference in performance and my lungs will appreciate the difference.

Also, while the HF collector seems to have a higher pitch than the DC33000, it doesn't seem louder, and I believe it's the loudness that affects ones hearing, not the frequency of the noise. The higher pitch may be a bit more annoying, however.

If someone wants decent information about dust collection, visit the Bill Pentz website at billpentz.com.

I have about $300 in my HF collector and Wynn filter system.

Art, The cost vs. the collection efficiency of the Harbor Freight/Wynn Env. combo is why I brought it up. Seems like a pretty good value and not all of us have $190 DC3300 available to us. To me it wasn't apples and oranges, it was dollars and sense.