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Think of your lungs as the filter of a vacuum – with the vacuum being your body. With that in mind, I think you’ll agree that dust collection and air filtration are key safety features in any workshop. Extensive exposure to wood dust in various forms can cause chronic bronchitis, emphysema and “flu-like” symptoms. Wood dust also can contain chemicals, carcinogens and fungi which can be inhaled into the lungs causing illness and/or permanent damage.
 Different from Ambient Air Cleaners which suspend from ceilings or sit on workbenches, there are a variety of Dust Collection Systems available on the market for your workshop. They range from a small 500 CFM (cubic foot/minute)Delta, that collects dust larger than 30 microns, to the 4800 CFM Delta 5HP Systems, which are good for larger shops. Ideally, you will have a filter bag that captures harmful, fine dust as small as 1-micron (FYI, one micron is one-millionth of a meter - in other words, it’s really small). I highly recommend (for about $80) an upgrade to a 1-micron filter if your system doesn’t have one.
 If you are still in the researching phase of your purchase, a dust collection system such as the Steel City 65200 retails for $319 and comes with a 1-micron (washable) filter bag. A Jet DC-1100A comes with a 30-micron filter bag and retails for approximately $300. A 30-micron dust particle is very small but still large enough to damage your lungs. These are just a few examples. There are more companies that manufacture Dust Collection Systems, each with varying models and sizes.
The filter bag attachment mechanism is another feature that varies by brand. The most convenient filter attachment comes with the Delta system. It has a steel spring built into the filter bag which easily snaps on and off for cleaning. The other brands are supplied with a separate steel clamping band that has to be manually tightened.
The bag option in dust collection systems varies between a filter bag and a filter canister. The canister filter provides more filter area but only catches particles that are 2-microns or larger. The canister filter has internal paddles that remove the majority of the dust thus prolonging the life of the filter. However if a large chip should break a hole in the filter though, there is no option but to purchase a replacement filter for approximately $200.
Space is an important issue when it comes to workshops. The footprint of a dust collection system and its versatility can be the deciding factors in your choice. Delta’s Dust Collection Systems have the added versatility of being reversible. By that I mean that you can either have the motor on top or the hose connectors on top, easily converted by unscrewing the mounting knobs.
 Festool, created their popular Dust Extractor Systems to be power tool triggered. It has special internal filters that clean the air as well as filter dust particles. A small system compared to the Delta giants; this is the perfect air-cleaning-dust-collecting system for the small workshop.
Most importantly, Dust Collection Systems should be grounded to prevent static discharge and potential fire hazard. Static build-up in the hoses, especially dangerous in low humidity environments, can be prevented by using hoses that have a metal cage (built-in ground) or by fitting your plastic hose with a Dust Collection Grounding Kit. These kits are available where Dust Collection Systems are sold.
**I’d like to thank Rick Peil, Industrial Sales Manager and Larry Long, Salesperson, at the mortar and bricks ToolKing store for their contribution to this article. Both of these gentlemen have over 30 years of experience in Woodworking. Rick can be reached at rickpeil@toolking.com.
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