Dust Collector vs Shop Vac | Why One Might Not be Ideal for Your Workshop

Last updated on November 18th, 2022 at 11:35 am

When choosing between the dust collector vs shop vac, you need to evaluate the uses and compare them with your priorities. Pollution is a problem in the wood industry. You should not ignore the cleaning process that must take place in the same industry.

Dust collectors and shop vacuums are essential equipment for any workshop but have different functions. A dust collector is a large machine used to clean the air in a workshop by sucking up all the dust and debris. A shop vacuum is smaller and is used to clean up messes on the floor or in small spaces. Evaluating the differences will help you choose the best machine. Below is a detailed overview of the two devices, listing the differences and similarities. This will be a clear guide for you in your search.

Overview of the Dust collector

A dust collector is a product used to collect dust from the air to make it pure and clean for the human body. The machine is ideal for industries whereby machines produce poisonous gases that are not healthy for the natural atmosphere. When you are using the dust collector, it makes sure that unwanted gas is trapped and not got through. There are two types of dust collector systems. There are a small dust collector system and the considerable dust collector system. 

What separates the two systems is the size of the machines. The small dust collector has one phage system. The large dust collector system is larger than the small dust collector system. It involves two stages air suction and filtration. The stage air suction and the filtration take place parallel. It takes away dust from the air and gives a fresh perspective. 

Although the dust collector ensures you have clean and fresh air, it has advantages and disadvantages. It keeps the environment safe for both humans and animals. The dust collector does not allow a foreign ingredient to be part of the filtered air. The powerful motor and the innovative system make the tool highly efficient. 

The process is easy and quick, and the product does not make noise. That leaves your workers and nearby people with a peaceful environment. It is portable, and it does not take much of your time. However, different types of bags are for other gases. The types of dust collectors include inertial separators, fabric filters, wet scrubbers, unit collectors, and electrostatic precipitators. In a high-temperature environment, you need a cooling system. There is a need to measure the humidity due to high humidity gas.

Pros

• Two stages of air suction and filtration
• Clean and safe 
• High efficiency
• No noise
• Lightweight
• Easy and quick process

Cons

• The bag is not universal.
• The cooling measurement for a high-temperature environment

Key Features of a Dust collector

Motor

The Shop Fox W1685 uses a 1.5 Horsepower that produces 3,450 rotations per minute. The electric motor gives the required energy to drive the fan. It comes with a safety switch that has an oversized button. 

Blower

The fan clears the air in a reverse motion. 

Dust filter

Dust filters are there to trap bigger particles. The filter works in two stages. The first stage removes large particles and the latter deals with minor particles.

Filter bag

The bag used on a dust collector is not universal. Every gas has its specific filter bag.

Dust receptacle

It handles a high volume of dust. That is where dust is disposed of.

Overview of the Shop Vac

A shop vac is a product for cleaning your work environment as you get rid of the dust. It is ideal for construction and woodworking shops. It uses a powerful motor to ensure the environment is dust-free. A giant hose connects to the machine and a big canister for holding purposes.

 The shop vac is called a bucket vacuum. The wheels with the tool make it easy to carry around in the Shop. It is ideal for a high amount of dust. Using the shop vacuum comes with advantages and disadvantages. It is affordable, noise-free, and easily cleans dirty places. The machine is powerful enough to eliminate large materials without slowing down. 

It can be used as a pump since the pipe can also blow air. That makes it ideal for blowing furniture and mattresses. That makes it a versatile tool. However, you cannot use this tool for filtering the air. It is not all about high-pressure jobs. It does not make the air breathable. The tool is heavy and bulky. Using stairs can be a hassle with the machine. It consumes a lot of electricity. More watts means more electricity used. 

Pros

• Ideal for construction and woodwork
• Mobile
• Suitable for a high amount of dust
• Powerful monitor
• Versatile
• Noise-free
• Affordable

Cons

• Heavy
• It uses a lot of electricity

Key features of the Shop Vac

Liquid pump

The Shop-vac 9604610 6.5 has a built-in pump that pumps up to 50 feet and 6 gallons per minute. The water pump is attached to a garden hose to the side port of the Shop vac. It pumps water to another location. When it is complete, you can use the canister and empty it. However, that does not mean a Shop vac cannot work without the pump.

Motor

Shop vacs have different types of power sources. The Shop-vac 5987300 12 gallon has high performance. It has a 5.5-peak horsepower motor.

Drain 

There is an additional drain at the bottom of the tool. That allows the draining process to be easy and quick. 

Wheels

The wheels make the shop-vac mobile. That makes it easy to transport from one place to the other. 

Hose

The hose used by the Shop-vac is tough and big. That makes it withstand pressure from materials. That makes it durable. 

Canister

It uses a big canister that holds the debris. It has the power to withstand dirty places. 

Similarities

• Both products are for cleaning.
• They come with powerful motors.
• They keep the environment safe.

Differences

Uses

The cleaning process is what both machines do. However, the cleaning ways are not the same. A Dust collector is ideal for the industry and big manufacturing companies and houses for cleaning the air. The dust collector cleans the air, whereas the shop vac cleans the Shop. The dust collector gives you breathable air and removes the contaminants in the air.   

Machine

A dust collector uses bags to collect dust. The bag is not universal. The machine used on a dust collector and the one used on a shop vac differs. It would help if you used a specific dust bag.

Suction and hose

The shop vacuum connects a big hose and a big canister when used. The hose reduces the chances of having a clog from wood chips. In contrast, dust collectors come with low suction and a wide hose.

Stages

Dust collectors have two stages that involve separating larger particles from the smaller ones. A shop vac has one stage. 

Mobility 

Dust collectors are stationary, whereas a shop vac is mobile. It has wheels that make it easy to move from one place to another.

Weight

The shop vac is heavy and bulky, whereas the dust collector is lightweight. It looks like a bucket. Although it comes with wheels, moving in tricky spaces like the stairs remains difficult. That is quite inconvenient for the user. 

Electricity

The shop vac consumes a lot of electricity than the dust collector. It uses a lot of electricity because it is significant. The Watt is higher, meaning the electricity bill will also be higher. 

Volume airflow

A shop vac makes low-volume airflow with high static pressure, whereas a dust collector produces high-volume airflow with low static pressure. 

Cost

A shop vac is more affordable than a Dust collector. When looking for a shop vac as a beginner, you must expect to part with 40 to 120. For amateurs, they range from 80 to 200. If you want a dust collector, a small one ranges from 100 to 5,000 whereas a big one ranges from 10,000 to 80,000. 

Verdict on the shop vac vs dust collector

Finally, consider your use case when choosing between a shop vac or a dust collector. As this post explains, the two are not for the same task. They clean different spots. You cannot use them interchangeably. When your target is clean air for your workers in an industry, your ideal cleaner is the dust collector. 

If you are looking for a machine that cleans your wood workshop daily, you need a shop vac. To choose the perfect machine, you need to set your priorities right. The differences mentioned above will lead you to your ideal tool tailor-made for the task.