Happy holidays to all woodworkers out there.

I want to start the new year out right by better protecting my lungs -and my family’s lungs-with an honest-to-goodness dust collection system. However, I am presently baffled by the array of components out there for doing this.

As I contemplate launching a production-level business, I really need to address  my set-up and the dust issue before I go any further.

I have a small, still-evolving basement shop with Unisaw, panel saw, miter saw, bandsaw, drill press, soon-to-be-planer ; I have additionally, a work station where I typically sand, pocket screw, biscuit and router parts. I am guessing, wondering, hoping that ultimately, a fixed network of hoses with individual ports and one, possibly two switch-activated collectors will allow me to reduce dust to neglible quantities. Presently I am relying on frequent vaccuuming and masks, which I know is a ridiculous way to run a shop, an easy way to develop lung problems and will shorten the life of my equipment.

Earlier today I was looking at the cheapest ($500) Festool mini hepa dust collector and wondering, will I be able to use this for my panel saw, Unisaw and miter saw? Probably not. Will I then need another more powerful collector for the panel saw et alia? Probably so.

My biggest challenge in the basement is space; it was not set up for a woodshop; there are several lolly columns making it problematic to wheel equipment around the space so I’m hoping whatever I end up using be a fixed system, that allows me to simply plug in and turn on.

I’m grateful for any and all input.