DamianD Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 Whats the difference?? Does the extractor filter out smaller particles?? Clog less often? Whats different besides the major price difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 WT, it depends on what kind of machine you get and what you want it to do. Dewalt makes a really good one as does Bosch and Makita. Fein also makes them. I have two Festool Midi extractors. They essentially pull in all of the micro particles and pass through a HEPA filter. At some point, when I get a garage and move my shop there, I will put in a permanent extractor. It will be less expensive in the long run to run as I have to buy bags and filters. But my shop is in my basement and dust extraction and collection is a huge concern for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 shop vac run expensive filter most generally, cleaning with just shop vac works but once filter gets clogged performance is decreased and eventually dust and debre by passes and is let out with a dust extractor it will collect majority of the dust particles and will keep your shop vac filter clean and maintain best performance.there are 2 ways shop vac plus dust extractor or straight up dust extractor, cost is because dust extractor on it's own has blower motor ect ect.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamianD Posted December 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 WT, it depends on what kind of machine you get and what you want it to do. Dewalt makes a really good one as does Bosch and Makita. Fein also makes them. I have two Festool Midi extractors. They essentially pull in all of the micro particles and pass through a HEPA filter. At some point, when I get a garage and move my shop there, I will put in a permanent extractor. It will be less expensive in the long run to run as I have to buy bags and filters. But my shop is in my basement and dust extraction and collection is a huge concern for me. So its better filtration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamianD Posted December 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 Better filtration and having to change the filters less frequent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madman_us Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 get a cyclone dust collector. then you don't have to worry anymore about clogging up bags, buying bags or ruin the motor because the bag is full.buy one from Oneida or just build one - its easy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Javier Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 Most of the dust extractors I've seen are wet dry vacs (shop vac) all though shop vac is a brand sort of like Kleenex is tissue and q tips are cotton swabs. But not all wet dry vacs are dust extractors. From what I've seen dust extractors usually have tech built in that cleans the filters either manual automatic or semi automatic. This is useful because dust can clog up a filter even before the tank gets a tenth full. Dust extractors are a step up from wet dry vacs with premium features and are usually pretty quiet. They also cost a lot more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madman_us Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 Javier brought it to the point 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadlanthier Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 I have dewalts dust extractor, so glad I bit the bullet. Wallet not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamianD Posted December 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 Thanks for the responses. Im not looking into buying one of either, I was just trying to understand the differences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR99 Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 Most of the dust extractors I've seen are wet dry vacs (shop vac) all though shop vac is a brand sort of like Kleenex is tissue and q tips are cotton swabs. But not all wet dry vacs are dust extractors. From what I've seen dust extractors usually have tech built in that cleans the filters either manual automatic or semi automatic. This is useful because dust can clog up a filter even before the tank gets a tenth full. Dust extractors are a step up from wet dry vacs with premium features and are usually pretty quiet. They also cost a lot more.I couldn't explain it better Javier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 So its better filtration?Sorry for the late response WT. I think you really need to ask yourself what purpose you want use the extractor in. If a contractor...bite the bullet. Your mobile work site will be super clean keeping your customer happy. If you are a DiY type you really need to figure out how much you want to spend. You ca get a Cyclone or Dust Deputy and use it as an I between from your power tool to your Ridgid, Shop Vac....whatever shop vac. This cuts down on filter changes etc. by creating a vortex which traps the fine particulate in the dust deputy (or whatever brand as I use shop vac for any type of shop related vacuum) and allowing the the shop vac to only collect the bigger stuff. Air pollutants are cut down drastically. my Festool Midis can be used as both a shop vac or DC extractor but truthfully I use these tools for power tool use only. They have plug ins (which by the way you can buy and wore to a cheap shop vac) for my power tools and actually tun on and prove DC and particle containment and keep running for a second or two after your tool is off. They are quiet and keep things very clean. My next step will be a Dust Deputy for my Ridgid for use with my planer. For me dust contamination is very scary. I have a small woodshop in my base,ent and cutting MDF and various other types of wood can be hazardous so I am VERY particular about this subject. I hope this helps WT!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NERemodeling Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 I didn't see that it was already mentioned so I will add that most dust extractors, because they are designed to me used with a tool, have an outlet on the vacuum that is a tool actuated switch, plug your tool in, set the vac to auto and when you turn on your tool the vacuum will automatically turn on. When you turn off the tool the vac stays on for a few more seconds to clear the hose of any remaining dust.some of them also have variable suction so you can dial the suction up or down to match your application (most sanders require and actually work better with very little suction)like Javier said they are much quieter, are built with premium components and should last much much longer than a standard wet/dry vac.a bonus is some brands integrate their modular stacking tool cases with their vacuum allowing you to clip your tool cases to the top of the vac and roll them around together. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfwjr Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 get a cyclone dust collector. then you don't have to worry anymore about clogging up bags, buying bags or ruin the motor because the bag is full.buy one from Oneida or just build one - its easy I built a Thien dust separator that I attached to the lid of a 7 gallon bucket. It works great and I get almost nothing in the shop vac it all falls in the dust separator bucket. Madman is right it was easy to build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NERemodeling Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 I built a Thien dust separator that I attached to the lid of a 7 gallon bucket. It works great and I get almost nothing in the shop vac it all falls in the dust separator bucket. Madman is right it was easy to build.Yes, dust separators work extremely well.. I have the metal dust deputy cyclone and I mounted it to a wood box shaped like a sustained so it actually clips onto the top of my extractors. Excellent for things like planers, routers and tables and that make a lot of wood sgavings/dust; they also work extremely well with sanding drywall which usually cakes your filter very fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nordraw Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Dust is the most dangerous thing about wood working. way more then spinning blades or kick back, both of those are a concern too of course but the dust, the fine dust will kill you over a period of time without you knowing it until it's too late. Your lungs are not a good filter for wood dust that is for sure. If you are going to do a good amount of wood working dust extraction and filtering of fine dust is a must. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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