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I have an air extractor that I used for a grow room and was wondering if I could convert it into a dust collector for the shop.

This is the extractor: https://ventilation-system.com/product/vk-200#characteristic

It is rated for 780m^3/h (459 CFM).

I also have a couple of big 200L (50 gallon) drums and several meters of soft ducting (the silver corrugated type)

I want to hang the extractor from the 3,5m (11.5ft) ceiling and run ductwork down the wall to a 200L (50 gallon) drum (used as a separator), and from there run a flexible hose that I can hook up to different tools as I use them.

Despite the shop's 38 m^2 (409 sq ft) area, I only produce dust in a small section, so I don't really need complicated duct work running to lots of areas.

Is my air extractor suitable for dust collection with this setup or any other setup?

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    Hi, welcome to StackExchange. This needs an edit to give the relevant details up front. As it is it's paragraph five before we get to the information that gives a prospective respondent the info they need to begin to formulate an Answer. While you're doing that I suggest you pare back to give only the information that's directly relevant to the basic query you have.
    – Graphus
    Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 1:37
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    Now that aside I don't think this is a good fit for the SE format. What you're seeking to build could probably do with some spitballing, tossing a few ideas back and forth and that's what regular threaded forums are built for, rather than a strict Q&A venue which seeks to give canonical answers to a central query.
    – Graphus
    Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 1:41
  • This might be the right place to drop this: youtu.be/bwA1P4H_3ys (In short, there are considerations to be made about what "extractors" do vs. what "collectors" do, and how they interact with all the hoses you think you are going to run stuff through. To answer your actual question you will need to know CFMs and other air-flow details or no one can help you.)
    – user5572
    Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 15:14
  • Agree that this is an idea "shopping" thread rather than something suitable for question-and-answer format. So, unless this can be edited down to a single question ("will this CFM system run through X-inch hose be suitable for XXX use?") then I am voting to close.
    – user5572
    Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 15:17
  • I'm familiar with Stumpy Nubs and had already watched that, twice. Thanks anyway for taking the time. As for the 'actual' question, I think it's pretty clear (it's actually written down), despite being wrapped up in some context. (using this extractor and those drums could I build something). CFM are 480, it was on the data sheet of the product, but in metric. (Air)Extractor+Drum+Cyclone+Ducts = Collector
    – Ro Trad
    Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 17:07

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The size of the fan you refer to is about right for a small (single machine) dust collector. Most home shop machines require 600 or so m^3/hr flow. A thickness planer could easily require 1000. Your machine is rated at just under 900.

So, it could provide the air flow source. Your task then would be to build an adequately sized cyclone, collection, and air filtration system. Certainly doable, but I'm not certain you'd save much over buying a similarly sized dust extractor straight up.

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  • Hi, thanks for your reply. Great to know that the mt3/h is right, I guess I'll just have to build something up and try and take it from there. How much could I save? I'd say quite a bit! I live in Chile and things here are pretty expensive, specially specific equipment such a dust colection system. The cheapest one I found was about us$600, it features a 75lt bag and is 1150 mt3/h. Since I already have the extractor and a 120lt drum, and a 3D printer, I only have to buy some ducts and I don't think that I'd spend more than us$50, call it us$100 just to be sure. So thank you!!!
    – Ro Trad
    Commented Mar 21, 2022 at 13:19

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