Concrete Grinding & Dust Collection

[RickyMcGrath]

Started tearing out tile to do stained concrete. I have two DeWalt DWV012 vacs, a big 7" grinder, DeWalt 7" dust shroud and a 7" cup wheel. My vacs can't not keep up with the grinder and DUST EXPLOSION. Better than no vac, but I wouldn't even say it's catching more than 60%. Brand new filters, fleece bags, paper bags, it doesn't matter.

I am strongly entertaining the idea of making a dust separator for a 30 gallon trash can to help with the need for changing out filters and emptying bags but I'm wondering if there is anyone that has done anything like connecting vacs in parallel (or in series) not sure of the terminology I want for this.

Would putting a simple Y on the vac side be the best option? I definitely need to maximize airflow and suction without the two vacuums fighting each other.

Any ideas or recommendations?

[jeffmcmillan]

Putting the vacs in parallel will help flow rate (if they're matched) but that will only work if there's dust coming out of the shroud and it would be better to just get a working shroud.  Putting them in series could help filtration, but probably not much and it could screw with the vacs.

 

I'm surprised you're having a problem with those, I thought that was the intended purpose of those vacs.

[RickyMcGrath]

They work great on the small 4" shroud and cup wheel. But the 7" is just chewing up concrete and thinset faster than the vacs can Handle.

[comp56]

can you wet down the area? also run hosing from outlet of shop vac to a bucket or pail of water 1/3 full and let the air bubble with vent above 

[Stercorarius]

can you wet down the area? also run hosing from outlet of shop vac to a bucket or pail of water 1/3 full and let the air bubble with vent above 

Interesting, what do you call that, a concrete bong? I've never seen something like that, but it should work fairly well. Good info to know! Where did you learn this, or was it a Comp original?

[comp56]

My father's trick from way back blow dust into water, water will cut down the dust particles and reduce the dust the longer you use this the more sludge will build in the bucket so it will need to be cleaned out.