Some dust collectors deposit chips into a barrel. Placing a plastic bag inside makes the barrel easier to empty. However, if the lip of the bag wraps over the edge and there is any sort of air leak in the barrel—whoosh!—up goes the bag into the vacuum. Here is a very simple solution. Cut a length of stiff but flexible plastic pipe (lawn irrigation pipe, Hula Hoop, etc.) to fit inside the barrel, and fold the lip of the bag over the tubing and down into the barrel. Bingo, the pressure is the same across the whole bag, and it stays put.

—ALAN CAMPBELL, Lexington, Ky.

Illustrations by Dan Thornton
From Fine Woodworking issue #294

	Workshop tip: Magnets ease dust-collector bag changes The magnets hold the bag in place while you tighten the strap clamp.
	Dust Collection: Our Favorite Articles The articles found in this collection cover all facets of dust collection–from finding the right dust collector to getting the most out of your current collector, from organizing your shop for efficient dust collection to designing a ductwork system.
	Fit Any Power Tool to Your Shop Vac A simple adapter makes hooking up portable power tools to your dust-collection system that much easier.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Festool Cleantec CT 26 E HEPA Dust Extractor

The clear winner here is Festool’s CT 48 Dust Extractor. It has amazing capacity relative to its size, and unmatched suction power. It packs in a number of subtle but very helpful design touches, like a clever foot brake and easy hose and cord storage.

Buy at Amazon

Rockler Dust Right 1250 CFM

You’ll need help to get this heavy unit onto its bracket, but if you’re looking for a central dust collector that won’t gobble floor space, this may be the unit for you.

Buy at Rockler

Shop Fox W1826

The thick, felted bag on this Shop Fox is a plus and a minus. On one hand, it makes the unit much less expensive than collectors with canister filters, and also lighter and easier to hang on the wall. Without a separate plastic bag to catch chips, however, they stay in the felt bag, and the shortish zipper on the bottom makes it tough to shake them out. Otherwise, the W1826 is an excellent value.

Buy at Amazon