This is the Rikon 12-gallon dust collector, model 63-110, and it’s the smallest I’ve ever seen that’s designed for use with a 4-inch hose size.
The Rikon portable dust collector features a 1.5HP motor that operates at 9.2A (1100W) and moves up to 142 CFM of air volume.
It has a power switch on top, carrying handle, and replaceable 0.5 micron filter cartridge.
Advertisement
Rikon’s product images don’t show the filter, but luckily Lee Valley comes through with detailed images.
From Lee Valley’s images, it looks like the Rikon dust extractor has a small pleated filter and disposable pre-filters. The vacuum comes with one pleated filter cartridge and four disposable paper bags.
Lee Valley says that:
A disposable paper pre-filter bag acts as a sleeve around a pleated cartridge filter, allowing the bulk of the material to settle into the extractor’s main collection canister before reaching the cartridge filter, extending its useful life.
In another Lee Valley product image, we can get a sense for the dust collector’s size, with a benchtop planer in the background.
Obviously this isn’t going to perform as well as larger vacuums and dust collectors with more powerful blower motors and higher collection capacity. But, it looks like it could be more suitable for dust extraction tasks than wet/dry shop vacuums while still being portable.
Advertisement
The product specs list the noise level as less than 95 dB.
A caster base accessory is also available.
It ships with a 6.5″ long 4″ hose, 2 hose clamps, filter cartridge, 4 replacement paper filters, and a step-down hose adapter.
Price: $300
MT
I was thinking this would be a great alternative for someone like me who only occasionally needs something like this—until I got to the price. 300 bucks? My wet/dry vac is fine.
Joe
Same. Lol.
Joe H
I would recommend using the Dust Buddy or something similar with your shop vac. Keeps the filter nice and clean!
Jason
That was my thought as well. It’s a high priced shop vac with a 4″ port. Nice, but not $300 nice.
MM
I’m curious just what the application is for this. Normally the point of a a dust collector of that size (4″ hose) is for rather high volume of dust and debris…but that is going to fill up such a small container in a heartbeat. The airflow rating (CFM) is about the same as the average shop vac. The filter style sounds similar too. Capacity is in the ballpark, perhaps even worse. But it’s twice the price? I’m curious just what this would offer over a shop vac?
Jared
Benchtop-sized tools in a compact workspace perhaps? Lee Valley has plenty of those and this might pair reasonably well with them.
If your shop is filled with full-size tools, I imagine this is woefully undersized. But if you’re pulling out your Rikon midi lathe to make some pens…
MM
I understand the desire for dust collection for small tools or a small workspace….but that doesn’t require a 4 inch hose or $300. A compact shop vac can do that job just fine.
Bonnie
Shop vacs are generally pretty bad at getting the airborn dust that’s the real dangerous stuff. But there are also cheaper traditional small dust collectors with much higher CFM than this Rikon.
Stuart
It depends on the circumstances.
For things like router table dust boxes, shop vacuums are very strongly recommended against. All of the ones I’ve seen have 4″ ports, otherwise there’s a great risk of insufficient airflow leading to motor overheating.
MM
Some tools may well require high CFM for cooling airflow, or whatever else. But this device is not exactly high on the CFM ratings. If 142 CFM from it is adequate for a benchtop tool then a similar figure from a shop vac should be too, so long as they are both actual measurements and not marketing hype. If the shop vac’s airflow is inadequate then this device would be as well, as the numbers appear to be about the same.
Bonnie
In theory the larger hose should provide better static pressure, so you’ll capture more dust (particularly the fines) assuming the CFM on both this and your shop vac are theoretical maximums (all too common) rather than measured at the end of the hose.
MM
If it had higher static pressure that would be an advantage, but I don’t see any numbers being advertised and most of the time a “dust collector” has lower static pressure compared to a shop vac measured at the hose end.
Nate
This is not the type of dust collector that most woodworkers will buy as their first. Lots of woodworkers with small shops start with a single dust collector on either a mobile floor mount or wall mount. They then move a flex hose between tools. The rub is that there’s usual one or two tools stuck in a corner or a nook that hooking up the dust collector becomes challenging for. This Rikon is a “problem solver” that you can put in the corner or nook next to those tools.
On pricing, this really isn’t too bad. You can get other small dust collectors for around the same price, but this one has a rigid bucket that’s easy to empty. Others use a filter bag that doubles as the collection device, they’re a pain to empty. The CFM on this isn’t very high, but would work well enough for a single tool.
This would work pretty well for a jointer, as those tend to spew chips rather than dust. And my jointer is far enough away from my big collector that I often get lazy and fail to hook up the hose for my big collector. I already have a collector and Festool dust extractor, but could certainly use this.
Nate
Replying to myself with some research Amazon has a WEN floor style for $129 with filter bag. There’s a few no-name collectors for around $200. They also have the Rikon for $275. Grizzly has one for $295 with a bag type filter. For the Rikon, Lee Valley is not always the cheapest source. They provide great service, though.
The Rikon’s filter is supposed to work down to .5 microns. The WEN states it has a 5 micron bag. Grizzly’s is a 30 micron bag.
Grizzly and Rikon get my nod for quality.
Nathan
cost wise. New shop vac of reasonable capacity 100, cyclone attachment thingy – 100 – connecting them together and getting them to move as a single unit with extra hose say 30-50 dollars.
so starting completely from scratch with a shop vac like device you could easily be within 50 bucks of this. OK
Use case – 4 inch hose. short of a planner that I don’t have, none of my tools have a 4 inch need. and I don’t run 2+ devices at once. but let’s say table saw mine uses a 2.5. and the mitre saw uses a 1-7/8 or maybe it’s a 2. but that flow rate with that hose makes me think it would have less pull with a smaller hose. so it won’t really flow any better than my shop vac and dust box when attached to my table saw.
It’s really too hard to compare without more info on flow of both the shop vac setup or this. but it would make an awesome side by side comparison.
Shop vac with cyclone thing and a bag in the vac vs this device and adapter onto a non cabinet table saw. Bosch or dewalt job site thing or ?. cut the same thing and weigh the dust collected is my first pass at a reasonable test.
where I think it would shine is what’s in that pic. a planner. I think my shop vac and cyclone setup wouldn’t keep up well with a planner . I don’t have one but I yearn for one so I don’t know how that would work.
MKY
Stuart –
But, it looks like it could be more suitable for dust extraction tasks ***that*** wet/dry shop vacuums while still being portable.
Stuart
Thank you – *fixed*.
Bonnie
For $100 more you could get an actual compact dust collector like a Dust Right, which doesn’t take up that much more space (they can lay on the ground totally fine if you don’t want to permanently mount it on a wall). Even that cheap DC has several times (650 vs 150) the CFM of this. Or go for the Harbor Freight 1HP that is half the price and will probably still outperform this Rikon.
The lack of wheels on this thing makes me think it’s not actually meant to be constantly moved around the shop like a Fein or Festool dust extractor.
Chris
They show a worm drive clamp on the 4″ hose, but in reality it should be a spring loaded squeeze clamp that can be easily removed. Combined with the carry handle, this would be a breeze to empty in the trash. The filters look very generic and potentially easy/cheap to replace.
$300 is a bit much, but I don’t feel as blown away as some are acting.
Chris
Wow, I found it on amazon and based on pricing history back to 2019 via KEEPA. This thing has been $200 or less for most of it’s life.
$300 is a ripoff as prices shot up in march.
M
I’d want to see a performance assessment of this thing. The advertised specs are not impressive enough to warrant my attention without that. Necking down from 4in to smaller ports will lower the CFM significantly. Not many benchtop tools have 4in ports – and those that do honestly perform no worse with a shop vac. And “less than 95dBa” isn’t exactly appealing since most shop vacs are also under that mark. The pitch may be different but they’re all still going to be 70-90dBa
Maybe they’re trying to angle for a dedicated dust collector for a single machine or something to save on piping a bigger one. IDK…I’m grasping here. Looks like it could easily fit under the wing of a cabinet saw so there’s that appeal to it I guess.
Drew M
Looks like a shopvac in dust collector clothing.
Frank D
Missed the opportunity to make it cyclonic and put wheels under it …
John
Way too low CFM for a 4″ system. Dust collectors need to be in the 1000 plus CFM to be useful for table saws, planers, drum sanders, jointers and bandsaws because you will have drop in CFM at the tool port. A Harbor Freight dust collector and a Wynn canister filter will be better than anything you will find in the $400-500 price range and higher because it will give the needed CFM for 4″ hose connected tools.
I’ve had a Jet dust collector for a decade and added a Wynn filter and it dramatically increased the pull at each tool.