Popular Woodworking 2001-10 № 124, страница 29

PW

Recommends

quite awkward. Two-stage units are easier to empty as the barrels effectively function as a self-contained garbage can. But if a single-stage bag is your lot, check out the clamp or restraining system that holds the bag to the collector. Whether a lever, straps or a long screw, take it into consideration or you might curse your decision. Our money's on the quick-release clamp.

I recently added a dust collector to my garage shop. While I've used the units for years, it wasn't until I turned one on in my smaller garage that the importance of ear protection hit home. Check the decibel ratings on the machines. Some dust collectors are less noisy than others, but they're all within the painful decibel range, so plan on wearing ear protection.

Air Cleaners

If you're interested in keeping your lungs as clean as possible, look into

an air cleaner. These machines are not connected to tools, but work independently, filtering the smaller dust particles that escape from a dust collector, or from power hand tools that might not be connected to your dust collection system. Air cleaners are also rated by cfm, but some math is required to find the correct unit.

Start with the square footage of your shop. Multiply the square footage by the ceiling height to get the total volume of the room. Then divide that volume by six (an air cleaner should re-circulate the air in your shop every six minutes) and you'll have the proper cfm rating for your shop. PW

occasional user

> Grizzly G8027, This is about the least expensive single-stage dust collector you'll ever find. We've been using it in our shop for a couple years with it connected to a table saw and have been quite impressed. The G8027 won a Best New Tool of 1999 award from Popular Woodworking.

serious home woodworker

• Penn State DCIB-XL, Penn State produces an excellent line of dust collectors with nice bags and easy-to-re-lease clamps. When you do the numbers, the DCIB-XL is a great value for the money and a champ in the shop.

> Grizzly G1029, This unit costs a little more than the Penn State, but it takes up a lot more space and can handle a lot more chips. Check it out if you run more than one machine at a time.

• Delta 50-860, This air cleaner is more rugged than its competitors, in our opinion, and is perfect for the serious home shop.

advanced woodworker or professional user

Bookshelf

For further education on dust collection, read "Controlling Dust in the Workshop" (Sterling Publishing) by Rick Peters.At just $15, it's a must-read for woodworkers who want to stay healthy.

• Powermatic 75, This unit is a common sight in cabinet shops.

• RBI 869-0014, Similar to the Powermatic, but it costs a bit less.

• JDS Air-Tech 750, We have three of these units in our shop and have been pleased with their reliability and performance.

• Cyclones, You also should be looking at cyclone systems from Oneida and Penn State. We haven't tried them in our shop, but plan to this year.

These tools have been tested or used by

the editors of Popular Woodworking

and have earned their recommendation.