Dust Collecting: Filter or Not?

Question

Howdy all,

I am in the process of setting up a new shop and after reading about all the bad things about shop dust and your health I decided I better get a good dust collector. Every dust collector I see has a filter of some sort that filters all the harmful (and sometimes very poorly) dust while a bin collects the larger wood chips. Rather than worrying if harmful dust is being blown back in my workshop and if the filter is actually doing its job, why not just run the exhaust outside. If you have an open window or some other way fresh air can get into your shop, this shouldn't be a problem. Does anyone have a similar setup with their dust collector? Every setup I've seen online seems to use the filter approach and I would image it would be easier than to monkey with cleaning the fitler as well. Any thoughts?

-JC

LP · Accepted Answer

If you live in the tropics, go for it. If you live in Michigan where the December and January temps can reach thirty below zero, and where natural gas, electricity, propane, kerosene and wood costs have ballooned beyond all imagining, then you dont want to be pumping any of your expensive heat outside.

Rob V · Answer

Im actually thinking about doing that - I live in NC and the weather here is nice enought and my DC is located onthe outside wall of my shop.

Here is a question I have....does blowing all that air outside create anytype of negative air in the shop? What could happen in that situation?

Lawrence Wasserman · Answer

If you have a fuel burning appliance (gas water ehater, dryer, furnace, etc) sharing space with the shop it is possible to create a backdraft in it's flue leading to combustion gas coming iside the shop rather than out the chimney.

C & M · Answer

Most just go with a smaller micron sized bag - .5 to 1.0 - to be moreefficient.  I sequestered mine in the garage and plumbed the piping thru thewall.  I plan to encase it and open some panels back into the shop becauseof the heat saving issue.  I will cover the openings with furnace filtersfor additional filtration.  Mostly, I have this arrangement due to a lack ofspace in my small space.

Dust Collecting: Filter or Not?

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