HF dust collector?

[John Torchick]

My Shop-Vac died today- motor started to smoke which isn't a good sign. I checked and a new motor is $79.10 plus S&H. I can buy a new Shop Vac for a few bucks more but will have a collection of accessories. However...my wife asked about the HF dust collector (her idea). I found that it will fit in the shop by moving a couple of things, including the Shop-Vac which is on a rolling platform. With a coupon, It would be around $170.00. I know that a Rikon impeller is used by many but the budget won't allow it right now. I'm asking if the HF DC is worth it. Pros and cons? Thanks for your help.
BTW, could the Shop-Vac hoses, 2.50 inch, be adapted to the HF unit?

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Couple of thoughts for your consideration:

If you don't have a DC unit then any unit is a step up.
The HF DC is very popular, which doesn't make it a good or bad choice, but you'd have company.
You can do the Rikonstein modofication at a later date, if you see the need.
2 1/2" hose is probably to small to function well on a DC unit. Restricts airflow too much. Most DC systems use one or more 4" ducts.
Having a DC is great, but you'll still want to have a shop vac. Even if you have a floor sweep on the DC.
In addition to ShopVac brand there is a new player, Vacmaster, that I thought offered better performance.
Vac performance is hard to assess. There is a measure called "airwatts", but this number is rarely posted, and ShopVac states that they do not use the industry standard calculation. I looked at CFM and neg pressure when I could find them.

 

[John Torchick]

Definitely- I would look at the static pressure and CFM as you mentioned. Sold blower wheels, etc. and never heard of air watts. Never understood the use of amperage for vacuum cleaners, either. If I'm going to get another vacuum, I'll skip the HF DC. Will look at the brand you mention and see where they are sold.

 

[Dave Bunge]

I've used a HF dust collector for about 9 years on a regular basis and it's worked well in my small shop. One key point is that the bag filter it comes with is only rated to remove particles down to 5 microns. In other words, smaller particles that are still dangerous to breathe will pass through the filter into the air in your shop

Wynn Environmental makes canister filters that will fit the HF unit and remove much smaller particles. I have one and it works well as measured by a Dylos particle count meter. Here's more info on from the Wynn site: https://wynnenv.com/woodworking-filters/

One other point: The clear plastic dust collection bag, the one on the bottom, does not seal well. It's held in place with a large steel band and spring tensioned clamp. When I first started using mine, particle counts in the shop would go up when I turned it on. I traced it to dust leaking past the clamp. I put some weatherstripping on the body of the dust collector for the clamp to compress against and that stopped the leaks.

 

[Bill Boehme]

FWIW, a standard shop vac hose (except for Rockler) is 2¼". I don't know why Rockler uses an oddball size.

For the money the HF dc seems to be OK, but with the cloth bag it will be spewing the most harmful dust right back into the air. In general, a shop vac doesn't make a very good dust collector and a dust collector doesn't make a very good shop vac just in case you are thinking of using a DC mainly as a shop vac. Also, don't use a shop vac hose on a dc when connecting to machines that need a high volume of air flow because the small diameter hose will choke off the air flow. My experience with cheap shop vacs and dust collectors is that they make up in noise what they lack in performance so get a good set of earmuffs.

For the small things that you turn, I think that you would be better off getting the best shop vac that you can afford along with a good filter rather than a bottom of the barrel dc. I have a portable Sears dc that is comparable to the HF dc and I can see a dust cloud hovering around the upper bag when it is running.

 

[John Torchick]

It seems I might be better off tossing the old SV and getting a new one. Just hate to buy the HF unit and then spend extra $$$ to "improve" it.

 

[Roger Chandler]

As mentioned........the HF dust collector is a big step up from any shop vac. I would not hesitate at that price, especially if you use one of their 20% off coupons! It is a 2 hp unit, and if it lasts you 5 years [likely it will last way longer than that!] you will get every penny you paid for it in return and with so much better dust collection than you currently have. You can easily upgrade the dust bag with several cannister filters available or even a 1 micron bag that is available.

I have a 1200cfm Delta collector that I've had for nearly 15 years or so, and it has done a wonderful job for my shop. The HF collector is designed on the same principle, and if the motor ever goes on it, then get a better one to replace it, which will not be much of an expense.......the impeller and housing are pretty much like any other brand including the Jet, etc.

I would jump on your wife's suggestion like a dog on a bone! Of course you will need the 4" flexable hose or pvc pipe as ducting for your shop.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Couple of further thoughts triggered from contributions above.

The Vacmaster comes with a removable muffler--that really works. I was surprised.

I was of the understanding that wet/dry vac hoses came in two sizes, but when shopping recently I found a variety of sizes out there including 1 1/4", 1 1/2", 1 7/8", 2 1/4" and 2 1/2". So another thing to check before buying.

The Vacmaster I purchased came with a fine particle filter suitable for drywall dust and ash, but not HEPA. A HEPA filter is available separately. I haven't looked into the cost, yet.

 

[Bill Boehme]

The motor on the HF dc would have to be 3/4 HP or less judging from the specs in the owners manual. For starters there is no such thing as a 2 HP motor that can run on 120 volts. The specs avoid saying what the FLC (full load current) is, but they say "peak" current is 20 Amps which is just marketing double speak for LRC (locked rotor current) which is the initial start-up surge. FLC is typically around 20% to 25% of LRC. The moral of the story is to not take any horsepower claims by HF seriously. Also, their CFM claim is calculated based on no hoses or bags attached to the centrifugal fan. If you think that you need those items then the CFM is probably closer to 500 CFM.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I have had very good performance from a 2hp Grizzly. They have several 110 units but for a 1 1/2 hp would be twice what the HF unit is but CFM of 1300 is worth it. I have had my Grizzly for almost 25 years and added a canister which I also highly recommend .

 

[John Torchick]

Got a new SV at Lowe's. New motor had no warranty. Friend suggested taking the motor to a local shop but still no warranty. $89.95 for a new and bigger SV plus a 5 year warranty. Now to put it together.