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My five year-old Delta dust collector (Model 50-760 – with a one micron bag) gets light to moderate use. The collector seems to be working fine. (When I service the collector twice a year, I vacuum the bag and shake it to remove dust.) However, it occurred to me that I know next to nothing about the collection bag. Two basic questions: (1) Should dust bags be changed—and if so at what intervals? How will I know when the “useful life” of the bag is over? (2) What is the best way to clean the dust bag? Thank you for your guidance.
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Consider this a bump, but if we get a nice windy day in the summer, I will take it outside and secure it to the swingset and let the wind clean it a little for me. I think a little dust on them makes them better, but that is hearsay.
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I have the same thing with mine. Unfortunately it doesn't see as much dust as it did years ago (kid stuff gets in the way from too much woodworking), but I have about the same process. Not sure when it should be replaced.
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04-15-2018, 06:33 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-15-2018, 06:34 AM by fredhargis.)
A lot of the replacement part depends on the overall quality of the bag. In most cases the bags are very long lived but there is a point where the pores get so clogged the bag can't breathe and you can't clean them (same with canister filters). AFF takes their felt bags and singe the fuzz off on the inside, they claim that the dust cake will build to a certain level and then the rest will simply fall off. That didn't keep me from cleaning it once a year or so. I would first beat the snot out of the bag with a 4' long 1" dowel, this was while it was still on the collector. Then I would take it off and hang it outside and repeat the beating. Lastly I would turn it inside out (do this outside, or not at all...it's a mess) and vacuum the surface. Most of them say never, ever, wash the bag though I've heard a few folks have done so without any damage. My advice is that once the bag gets to where the DC is moving air (and you're sure the problem isn't elsewhere) after cleaning, it's time to change.....but I can't imagine it being that way in 5 years in hobbyist use. Bear in mind that the dust cake is considered part of the filtration system of the bag, it may not perform at 1 micron when it's clean.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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(04-14-2018, 10:07 AM)jihhwood Wrote: My five year-old Delta dust collector (Model 50-760 – with a one micron bag) gets light to moderate use. The collector seems to be working fine. (When I service the collector twice a year, I vacuum the bag and shake it to remove dust.) However, it occurred to me that I know next to nothing about the collection bag. Two basic questions: (1) Should dust bags be changed—and if so at what intervals? How will I know when the “useful life” of the bag is over? (2) What is the best way to clean the dust bag? Thank you for your guidance.
Thanks for the responses! I should be able to get plenty of use from the bag!
