Hybrid dust collector delivers high suction for any tool

Supercell 35-gallon high-pressure dust collector, XSK000035, $2,400

Oneida’s Supercell combines the high suction of a shop vacuum with the dust-particle separation capability of a cyclone dust collector, resulting in a great ducted dust collector for a small shop. By using universal motors and fans—essentially three shop-vacuum motors— this dust collector achieves 90" of water lift, more than double the suction of a typical shop vacuum. That means you can attach any portable power tool with a small dust port—a router, random-orbit sander, or mitersaw, for example—and the Supercell’s suction easily overcomes the narrow port and hose that would choke a typical large-port dust collector.

We installed the Supercell in the WOOD® magazine shop with 4" ductwork and it’s proved up to the task. Even when we swapped out a 25'-long flexible 21⁄2" hose for the 10' length of 4" flex hose normally connected to our benchtop planer, we observed little drop in collection effectiveness. The Supercell lacks the airflow (CFM) of a typical 3-hp cyclone dust collector—we measured airflow at 400–450 cubic feet per minute with duct-and-hose runs of 15' or less—so you’ll get better collection on a planer, jointer, or tablesaw by keeping those machines closer to the collector.

The Supercell comes with a HEPA-rated filter that, in our testing, removed even the finest dust particles from the shop air in quick order, even when we sanded MDF. When we let the collector run with two blast gates open—and no other machines running—it scrubbed the air clean in just a couple of hours. That’s impressive!

As you might imagine, three shop-vacuum motors can get noisy and, although Oneida did a great job of reducing the noise, you should wear hearing protection when the Supercell is running. It also requires a 220-volt circuit.

—Tested by Craig Ruegsegger, Deputy Editor, and Tom Brumback