DRAPER 45L 40130 Vs FEIN Dustex 25L

[Dune357]

Hi everyone,

I need some buying advice. I need to improve my dust collection setup, especially in regards to fine dust collection. My dust extractor will have to work with a table saw and a planer as well as smaller tools like sanders. £250 is about my limit at the moment. Whichever on i go for, i'll be looking to use it with a Dust commander DXL.

My question is, out of the two which would be best? The Fein looks more versatile but i wonder if it's up to being used with the bigger tools when used with the cyclone. Am i best going with the draper?

Any opinions are welcome.

 

[MikeJhn]

First read this: a-guide-to-dust-extraction-by-member-siggy-7-t102025.html the Fein dustex is not the right unit to use with a planer and the Draper will struggle with most things, the above posted link will give you a better insight into what is required and the difference between dust collection and chip collection.

Mike

 

[Dune357]

Thanks Mike.

At the moment, i'm using a 550w Heavy Duty Chip and Dust Collector i got from Rutlands. It's rubbish for fine dust though, it's mainly a chip collector. Would a better approach be to keep this for the heavy stuff and get something else to handle the fine dust?

 

[MikeJhn]

For fine dust look to get a High Pressure low Volume vacuum extractor (HPLV) preferably one with a dedicated power on feature, I do sometimes steal my wife's Karcher for that reason, it has a reasonable paper filter and bag collection, but in the workshop I use a 2400watt Numatic for fine dust collection with four filters including an enclosed bag, this works well, at a push it will pick up some of the large chips, but will not clear a planer, its just the wrong type of extractor (HPLV) for that sort of debris, for that I use a 2000m3/hr (1.5Kw) chip collector with a pleated paper filter (HVLP), there is not substitute for using the right machine to do the right job, and a cyclone does not improve any of them, just delays emptying the filters and concentrates the fine dust into one contaminated area that you have to access and empty.

Mike

 

[Sideways]

I have similar challenges with planer, table, mitre and bandsaws plus power tools and sanders. I think Mike nailed it with the "no substitute for using the right machine" advice.
I used a cheap record power chip collector with my planer. Worked fine but it was noisy and leaked fine dust everywhere I sold it because it took up too much space in my v small shop.
I've been experimenting with a good low noise commercial vac and a dust commander cyclone.
The vac is great with power tools. Vac plus a "drop box" under my table saw is quite usable.
The cyclone definately saves bags but it drops the suction a bit and adds a lot to the noise level. The vac plus cyclone is just enough to let me use the planer for short bursts but doesn't move enough air and the planer outlet clogs regularly. On the other hand, the cyclone does stop all the chips while the vac bag stays empty.
I have tried a single motor version of the record power thing with a vacuum motor on top of a steel drum. Offensively loud and not enough airflow for the planer.
My conclusions were : high pressure low volume "vacuum" is most important to me for the saws, power tools and sanders.
Noise is an issue for me so the vac HAS to be quiet. Like <65dB quiet. Most cheap extractors are nowhere close to that. Fein tools look very well made and their original dustex extractor was quieter than the comparable festool. These two brands were real innovators in the early days of the power tool dust extraction market.
The cyclone is saving me bags but it isn't the answer to everything.
I'm still looking for an answer for the planer. It needs a HVLP extractor but I don't have space - indoors ...

 

[MattRoberts]

Unfortunately there is no one solution that fits all. As mentioned above, a shop vac style extractor will be fine for power tools, but will struggle with large machines. A larger HVLP extractor will be fine with large machines, but won't handle power tools and machines with small ports.

Also, don't expect miracles with the cyclone for fine dust - a cyclone relies on gravity to separate the wood from the air, so the smaller the particles / finer the dust, the more likely those particles will be carried up through the cyclone.

 

[MikeJhn]

The main problem with cyclones is because of the way they operate you cannot use a bag with them so the dust you are trying to avoid is collected into a drop bin and then you have to empty that into a bag for disposal, during this operation you are exposed to the very dust you have been trying to avoid.

Mike

 

[Dune357]

thanks for all the replies. i'll focus on looking or a shop vac, i can use my bigger extractor for the saw for now and see if it'll handle the planer

 

[kevinh]

I've no experience of the Draper but I have 2 Fein Dustex shop vacs in my workshop. A Dustex 25L with a HEPA filter that's hooked up to my bandsaw and bobbin sander, and 35L that's used for general clean-up and connecting to my track saw/router/random orbital sander etc... The Fein's are fantastic and their power tool adapter can connect to any of my festool/mirka tools. Very powerful. I had a Makita shop vac before that was great but the Fein's are better.

For larger machines you do need the larger HVLP chip collector though. Horses for courses