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Dave Polaschek
Nice write-up, Nathan! I’ve been getting cranky with my ceiling-mounted Rikon filter. They strongly dis-recommend modifying it to be always on, because (according to the tech support person I talked to) if the filters get clogged, the unit will shut down rather than overheating the motor. But I really want a ceiling-mounted unit I can hardwire to the same circuit as the shop lights so it’s always on when I’m working.
In hindsight, I wish that I had ordered 16x25" filters instead of the the 20x20 ones. That would give it a lower profile hanging from the ceiling with the same surface area but would require a smaller diameter fan. Nice thing about using a box fan or one of the barrel fans the guy in the second video uses is that they would be easy to wire so that they come on with your shop lighting. I may experiment at some point with some sort of manometer to help me see when it is time to replace the filters.
One thing that I do not like about my Wen filter is how loud it is, probably at least partially because it is sending its outbound 200+ CFM through a 6x4" port. This is one reason that I sometimes do not run it or turn it off. It can get a little annoying, especially if I am listening to music while out in the shop. My box fan seems to run quieter. That may also be in part because I have it configured blowing into the filter box which may dampen the sound a few dB. If the noise level of the DIY filters is not as annoying, I may just wire it to come on with the lights as well.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
