# Dust Collector Cleaning



## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

What do you do to clean your dust collector filter bag. It shake mine out but it never gets it completely clean. Can I wash it or should i use an air compressor. Its a porter cable 1hp.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

They should be washable.


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## bobelliott (Feb 27, 2012)

*Don't forget to powder your bag*

You don't want to wash a DC bag. but if you do be sure to suck up a cup or two of flower before using your DC. Before using a new bag you need the flower treatment too. The reason is that the fine powder of the flower (or Talcum Powder) fills the the pores in the bag with a fine powder and it helps trap the ultra-fine duct you will be sucking up.


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## Nick Ferry (Feb 23, 2011)

i would upgrade to a pleated can filter - if that is not an option - *DO NOT WASH* the filter bag - think of it like adding water to cooking flour for paper mache - it turns into a paste glue - after you wash a cloth bag the paste will embed certain pores and dry limiting air flow - bad idea IMO


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

wfs said:


> i would upgrade to a pleated can filter - if that is not an option - *DO NOT WASH* the filter bag - think of it like adding water to cooking flour for paper mache - it turns into a paste glue - after you wash a cloth bag the paste will embed certain pores and dry limiting air flow - bad idea IMO


I was told by ShopFox that the bags could be washed. I replaced it with a washable canister filter that they said washing is possible but not recommended. I know nice huh. Sorry I wasn't thinking about the canister comment when I said they should be washable. I guess these guys could be right even though I was told the opposite. I'm not sure I agree but why risk it. 

Blow it out with air.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

I was always under the impression that as the fine wood flour was trapped in the filter bag it makes the bag more efficient at the expense of slightly reduced air flow.


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## bobelliott (Feb 27, 2012)

*You are correct.*

Years a go, in another life, (or at least in another research lab), I supervised a project for the EPA which tested the theory of pre-loading filters to improve dust particle collection. This was back when the "Legion Airs" disease was being studied.

We discovered that by pre-blocking the filter elements with a smaller particulate, which we called flowering or powdering , because we found baking flower and talcum powder was the correct size, improved air flow of the desired size range was improved by a factor of 10.


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

From the OUTSIDE of the bag, or canister, and this all depends on if your media is rated for air pressure, some will blow apart (mostly paper element pleated filters) you want to blow compressed air through the bag so you are driving the dust back in. Let it settle in the lower bag and remove...

You don't want your filter 100% clean, the caking of the wood flour is what makes the bag filter the ultra fine stuff in the first place.

I am not familiar with the Porter Cable 1 HP, but I suspect just like the rest of the Porter Cable floor standing tools, it's just a rebadged Delta model. So I am guessing it is basically a Delta 50-720. No matter. If it is a standard upright style single stage DC, you may want to upgrade to a good pleated filter, and a neutral vane or a Thien style separator to help that DC breathe better.


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## pvechart (Dec 14, 2011)

If you have a 30 micron bag it only filters the large particles (trade it in on a 1 micron bag). If its a 1 micron bag that is good, it will feel like a thick felt and do a great job of filtering. To clean... just lightly tap on the outside of the bag while it's running to remove any caking that has built up you will not be removing the flour in the pores, just the thick cake that can build up. See this link for some good info... http://www.americanfabricfilter.com/


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## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

Thanks for all the replays. I really appriaite it. I'm fairly new to using dust collectors and servicing them so any help is good help.


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## DeclanJustin (Mar 1, 2012)

I like to clean my Dust collector bags, both top and bottom, when every the bottom bags gets full. I find that the more I clean the bags the better the machine runs.


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