How noisy is it Alex and do you have the single or twin motor version Ive been looking through loads of old posts on uk workshop and loads of people duct the vents and say that keeps the noise down I,m just trying to get as much info before I jump in and buy
I have a twin motor 63mm. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat, on the basis that it does the job well and I have every confidence in its quality and reliability. The point of a 100mm system is to avoid clogging in the pipes, which is sensible of you're extracting from a planer for instance, but pointless if you're just dealing with dust. If you're extracting lathe shavings, not just dust, you'll want the 100mm, but I would suggest you don't need to - you'll be emptying it every 5 minutes for a start. At my lathe, I only switch on my camvac for sanding. Bear in mind that for the same motor. the wider the pipe, the less suction you'll get. Having said that, I do extract from a planer and I've never had a problem with clogged pipes.
Yes, duct the exhaust vents, if possible to somewhere far away or better still to a different room. That's where the noise (and the heat) comes from, the motor noise is tolerable.
The other thing to watch out for is make sure you change the filters regularly. If you allow them to get too clogged up, obviously it has an impact on efficiency but it also causes a pressure buildup on the filter cages, which are only plastic, and they will break. (Do not ask me how I know this!!) It's a three part filter system - paper bag (the Record bags fit it too) inner fabric bag, and outer fabric bag. I have two sets of fabric bags, so I can change them and be back in action straight away, then I can wash the dirty ones at my leisure.
I hope that helps.
