Found out my dust collection filter was basically useless for 8 months

I was cleaning out my shop last week and finally checked the micron rating on my dust collector bag. Turns out the stock bag that came with my Delta unit only catches down to 30 microns. That means all the fine dust from sanding MDF and hardwoods was just floating back into the air. I found a chart from the American Lung Association that said particles under 10 microns are the ones that get deep in your lungs. So I basically spent 8 months breathing in dangerous dust without knowing it. Has anyone else switched to a 1 micron bag or a cyclone and noticed a big difference in air quality?

3 comments

3 Comments

lee.drew14d ago

Went through the exact same thing with my old Shop Fox unit a few years back. Stock bag was maybe catching the big chips but all that fine MDF dust just hung in the air for hours after I'd finish sanding. Swapped to a 1 micron felt bag and a dust deputy cyclone and the difference was night and day. Air actually felt clear and I stopped coughing up that nasty brown stuff after sessions. Called it useless because honestly for health reasons it basically was.

kim.zara11d agoMost Upvoted

Useless" might be a strong word but if you're in there sanding MDF every weekend like I do, that 30 micron bag might as well be a cheese grater for your lungs. Swap to at least a 1 micron felt bag, you'll see a difference in how long the dust hangs around.

lucasjackson14d ago

Yeah but 30 micron bags still catch A LOT of the junk, so calling it "useless" feels like a stretch.