# Shopvac DC improvement



## cambriahouse (Feb 10, 2013)

Currently, I am using my Sears Craftsman shopvac for DC. the biggest problem is that even though its 16 gallon, it takes much less than that to stop effective operation. Once its about 1/3 full, the filter sucks the debris against itself. Also, fine dust tends to go right onto the pleated paper filter and plug it up. 

The proper thing would be to get a real DC setup, but I can't afford it right now. Maybe later this year a HF 2 hp DC setup.

I am going to start a lot of kitchen cabinets made out of maple ply. I need DC mainly for the TS, the 6x48 belt sander, the planer, and the jointer (4").

For the time being, I am planning on adding a debris and dust accumulator between the tool and the shopvac. Right now, the choice seems to be between the Oneida Dust Deputy ($40 + a container) and the Rockler Dust-Right Separator ($70 on sale).

Any preferences between the two systems?

Steve


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Have you tried the paper dust bags in your shop vac? They make a big difference in my experience.


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

Do yourself a favor and look into a Thien Style Separator, very inexpensive, efficient and you make it yourself.
http://www.jpthien.com/


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## tewitt1949 (Nov 26, 2013)

If your shop is set up to do this, you might want to take the filter out, put a hose on the vac outlet, and run the exhaust hose out the door or window. The impellers won't plug up if your dust is small particals. Bigger particals would stay in the bottom of the vac. Planner chips would probably plug it up. I've never tryed it but it might work. 

It would be intersting to know if it works or not.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

tewitt1949 said:


> If your shop is set up to do this, you might want to take the filter out, put a hose on the vac outlet, and run the exhaust hose out the door or window. The impellers won't plug up if your dust is small particals. Bigger particals would stay in the bottom of the vac. Planner chips would probably plug it up. I've never tryed it but it might work.
> 
> It would be intersting to know if it works or not.


You can get a foam ring to go on a pleated filter. I would at least put one of those on it.


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## cambriahouse (Feb 10, 2013)

ryan50hrl said:


> Have you tried the paper dust bags in your shop vac? They make a big difference in my experience.


Are the paper dust bags make/model specific, or do you buy generic ones? Where are they available?

Steve


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Size specific.....I bought them at sears.


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

Build a Thien seperater. I built one for my Ridgid vac when it was new. Ive never had to empty the vac or replace the filter. Theres still nothing in the vac after 2+ years of use.:thumbsup:


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## Toller (Dec 30, 2007)

cambriahouse said:


> I am going to start a lot of kitchen cabinets made out of maple ply. I need DC mainly for the TS, the 6x48 belt sander, the planer, and the jointer (4").


A dust deputy will do a much better job than a Thien baffle, though the baffle is cheaper. I haven't tried the Rockler, but it can't be better than the dust deputy.

But it is all irrelevant. A planer typically specifies 400cfm and a vacuum does about 100. It doesn't matter either way on the TS; without an overhead guard nothing will do a good job.


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## chirpfarm (Jan 30, 2012)

I received the rocker dust rite separator for Christmas and love it. I've never used the dust deputy so I don't know how they compare. The r ockler gets most of the dust and then any really fine sanding dust it misses gets caught by the paper bag filter which also made a big difference. Before I added those two features I'd have dust blowing out the exhaust port and making a mess, but now it catches most everything. Very happy with it for what it is.


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## Marv (Nov 30, 2008)

Rockler and Dust Deputy comparison...

http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/cyclone-separator-shootout/


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

BassBlaster said:


> Build a Thien seperater. I built one for my Ridgid vac when it was new. Ive never had to empty the vac or replace the filter. Theres still nothing in the vac after 2+ years of use.:thumbsup:





Toller said:


> A dust deputy will do a much better job than a Thien baffle, though the baffle is cheaper. I haven't tried the Rockler, but it can't be better than the dust deputy.
> 
> But it is all irrelevant. A planer typically specifies 400cfm and a vacuum does about 100. It doesn't matter either way on the TS; without an overhead guard nothing will do a good job.


 Really? Have you ever used a properly built Thien baffle? Did you read my post just above yours? 2+ years of use and theres absolutely nothing in my vac. I dunno how its gets "better" than that. Oh and my Ridgid vac sucks up planer chips just fine too.


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

I agree, after about a year I don't have a cup of dust in my dust collector using my Thien style separator. Cannot ask for any better than that especially when you consider the cost. :thumbsup:


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I have both, a Dust Deputy hooked to a shop vac and a Thein Separator in a 30 gallon drum hooked up to a Harbor Freight 2hp dust collector. Both work well and do their job. The planer and jointer produce a lot of the larger chips which get collected in the separtors before going into the vac/dust collector.

When I use the Shop Vac/Dust Deputy, the inner part of the Shop Vac remains basically empty. Same goes for the dust collector.
Good luck.


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

From what I've been reading, the Thein baffle and the Dust Deputy are virtually equal, given a well constructed baffle. Several months ago a member posted pics of a test he did with the Thein he constructed showing how little dust actually made it to the vacuum after running some cuts. I tried duplicating his test with my Dust Deputy and had virtually the same results. Any difference could be attributed to test differences; type of wood, # of cuts, etc..
My conclusion was that it becomes an individuals choice, spend the money on the Dust Deputy or the time on the Thein..either way is good, I've had the same bag in my Shop-vac since October 2011, I date them.:yes:


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