Very Efficient Machine

I have owned the Penn State DC1B-XL Dust Collector for at least five years. Probably when the one-micron bags were first available. I don't even remember what I paid for it. It easily doubled my expectations. I have a very small garage to work out of and I MEAN out of. To get enough room, I basically wheel my machines outside, to work. So central ducting would not help. Its very easy to switch from one machine to another. Loosen the hose clamp, move hose, retighten and I'm ready to go. Between my tablesaw, router table, portable planer, etc., There is never any saw dust or any other debris on the ground or still in any of the machines. The 12amp induction motor and ten inch propellor run about one-third the noise of your typical vacuum cleaner, let alone a shop vac. I still use the original ten foot hose that came with it. I have a rolling floor sweep that connects to it and any debris from hand tool work is simple to pick-up. Just sucking loose debris once from the floor, I accidently picked up a twelve ounce coke can. It went all the way through the hose, up against the cage that surrounds the propellor. Would I recommend it? I can't imagine life without it. As for the accessory muffler-WHY? At about 62 decibles, you simply don't need it. woodchuck1954 "a legend in his own mind."

A Champ

Like many reviewers before me I agree - this is a surprisingly quiet, highly effective machine. Likes: satisfactory noise level & spectrum, suction power is good, footprint size is good. Assembly was easy. Dislikes: no support for upper bag, window in lower bag can be damaged by sharp debris thrown by impeller. Wished it: would let me easily position the Y adapter to any rotation. I can just drill & tap a hole to accept the set screw in a new position, but it would be nice if I didn't have to do that...

A gem for a small shop

I have been using this "sucker" for a couple of months in my very small shop (the shop is in my bedroom as I'm an apartment dweller). For years I've used a "portable" collector for its small footprint. Finally it dawned on me that the bag on the floor and the complex arrangement of y-gate, blast gates, and quick connectors made for a large and inconvenient total footprint - plus I had to pick up the bag to keep from rolling over it when moving the collector. The DC1B looks like a bigger machine, but the size is all vertical and contained in the footprint. The built in Y gate (plus a pair of blast gates from another maker that connect directly to the Y) make for easy connectibility without taking up space. The draw is quite adequate to handle my midi lathe - I have a Big Gulp hood on the back and a 2 1/2" hose to a small mag mount hood at the front, I can run both or either with the blast gates depending on the cut I'm making. With quick connectors I can easily move it to the band saw where I also have two ports, or use it to sweep the floor. The mid height motor and inputs are a particular help to me, as bending is a bit of a problem on my prosthetic leg. I suggest to anyone starting up a small shop that they go directly to this machine instead of one of the portables, don't be put off by the apparent size - it really takes up less actual space than the portable.

DC1B-XL dust collector review

After only 5 or six minutes of running time I heard a very loud metal against metal banging sound. I found that two of the bolts behind the fan blades were loose and hitting against the fan itself. Since tightening these (and the two others)the collector has been working well and I am quite happy with it. By using the gates to close off the ports that I am not using, the draw capacity is sufficient to handle my needs. The machine is as quiet as I had expected and I am pleased with the performance.

Excellent Value

When shopping for a dust collector price was a major concern, after much research I felt the DC1B-XL was my best choice. I have used the collector quite a bit since receiving it and it has performed above my expectations! Assembly was easy and all the parts fit perfectly.The noise level is lower then I thought it would be also, much quieter then the shop vac I used to use. My small home shop is much cleaner at the end of the day now. The customer service from Penn State is second to none also! In my opinion the DC1B-XL with 1 micron filter bags is the best value for your dollar. b

How did I ever live without it !!!

I've owned this unit for 2 years. I use it for my table saw, band saw and planer, as well as general shop cleanup. The 1 micron bags were not an option when I bought my unit. Prior to my purchase I researched all the units within my price range and found this one received the best overall recommendation. I can second that opinion. When I placed my order, I also bought the remote control as well. Definitely get the remote, it's worth it's weight in gold. In the 2 years I've had my unit, it's worked flawlessly each and every time. Suction is very good, and the noise level is surprisingly low. If your using your wet-dry vac in your shop as your main unit, you are in for a big surprise once this arrives. Totally satisfied with this purchase. No regrets, and would buy the same unit again, should I every have to.