WmZiggy wrote:I got the pics uploaded. Below is the HEPA machine in the rafters. Here is my 4" system with the 10 micron bag above. Note the additional trash can to drop catch any metal or other particles the could damage the impellers. I use a remote control 110V plug-in with the button on my apron. Then all you have to throw are the gates.
I guess I should add that I avoid sanding like the plague. This is why I hand plane my work, and scrape it if it needs further tool marks removed. I'm not a purist, but I avoid hand sanding machines as much as possible.
A couple of things here. If your DC has a 10 micron bag (or did you mean 1 micron?) all of the fine dangerous dust is being spewed back into the shop. You should have 1 micron filters as a minimum. The ceiling mounted HEPA filter, while it is 1 micron or less, is not designed for a shop environment. Those residential room filters have a very low CFM air flow. Not nearly enough for a wood shop. A $1200.00 commercial Honeywell ceiling mounted HEPA filter only has 325 CFM. The fact that you have yours mounted up between the joists further restricts the efficiency.
Ceiling mounted air cleaners are certainly a very important aspect of dust collection in my opinion. My 30' X 40' shop has two Powermatic PM1200 ceiling mounted air filters. They are 3 speed and just under 1200 CFM each on high speed. They have 1 micron filters. My actual dust collector is a Clearvue Max cyclone at just under 2000 CFM. The shop stays very clean. The window sills almost never get dusted and don't have anything on them. The computer station gets dusted maybe once or twice a year and as you can see from the picture my Performax 16-32 drum sander is right back there by the computer.
It is all about air flow and not suction. Buy the most air flow you can afford.
