How We Installed Our Whole Shop Dust Collection System (Step by Step)

If you’ve been following along with our shop upgrades, you probably saw the video where we brought home our new dust collector. Well, we finally took the plunge and finished installing a whole‑shop dust collection system — and let me tell you, it has already made a world of difference.

In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how we set it up using PVC drain pipe, flex hose, homemade clamps, and a whole lot of careful measuring. Every shop is different, but I hope sharing our process helps you plan your own system with confidence.

Materials We Used

We go over everything in the video, but here’s the quick overview:

• About 100 ft of 4" PVC drain pipe

• Several Y‑connectors

• 45° and 90° elbows

• Roughly 40 ft of 4" flex hose

• Blast gates

• Homemade pipe‑strap clamps

• A handful of miscellaneous plumbing fittings

• A 4"‑to‑3" coupler for connecting flex hose to certain tools

If you want the full materials list, it’s in the video description.

Step 1: Setting the Dust Collector in Its Permanent Home

We started by placing the dust collector in the corner where we wanted it to live permanently. From there, we planned the main trunk line so the PVC could run straight up the wall.

To mount the pipe securely, we needed to find a stud — and instead of a fancy stud finder, we used what we lovingly call our “hillbilly stud finder”: a 16‑gauge, 2½" nail. Tap it in, and if you hit a stud, great. If not, the hole is tiny enough to patch with a dab of spackle.

Step 2: Cutting the First Connectors

The first pieces we cut were 9" sections of 4" pipe. These short pieces let us join a Y‑connector to a 45° elbow. Once we had several cut, we dry‑fit everything together to create a solid connector assembly.

The very first joint coming off the dust collector needed to be a double 45°, so we also cut a 37" vertical piece to get the height just right.

Step 3: Making Homemade Pipe Clamps

To secure the drops to the wall, we made simple DIY pipe clamps using pipe strap, a screw, and a nut. Bend the ends over so they’re not sharp, wrap them around the pipe, tighten the nut, and screw the whole thing into the wall with a 2½" screw.

They’re inexpensive, sturdy, and easy to customize for any pipe size.

Step 4: Running the First Horizontal Line

Once the first vertical pipe was mounted, we cut our first horizontal run — 27¾" long. After that, we moved on to the longest run in the entire system, which stretched all the way to the miter saw wall.

Because we had previously removed a wall between two rooms, a 2×4 still stuck out past the drywall. That meant we had to bend the pipe slightly around it and keep everything tight to the wall. Every shop is different, so we measured each section by holding the joint in place and measuring back to the previous one.

Step 5: Navigating Corners (and a Little Trial and Error)

When we reached the first corner, we tried using a 90° elbow. Some folks prefer two 45s for smoother airflow, but since we only had two corners in the whole shop, we decided a 90° would be fine.

Our first attempt didn’t quite fit, so we loosened all the clamps on that wall and shifted the entire run back a bit. That gave us enough room to fit the elbow and the missing pipe section.

We repeated this same strategy for the second corner — assembling the entire wall’s worth of pipe, hanging it loosely, and then sliding everything into place before tightening the clamps.

Step 6: Adjusting for the Doorway

On the third wall, we ran into a small issue: the pipe on the first wall sat 6" below the ceiling, but the doorway on this wall only had 4" of clearance. Since we knew this ahead of time, we planned to angle the pipe upward using a 45° elbow, then another 45° to bring it back across the door.

This let us maintain good airflow while clearing the door frame.

Step 7: Finishing the Main Trunk Line

The final long run measured 11 ft, so we cut a 10 ft pipe and added a short piece to reach the joint. We also added one last Y‑connector and capped the end of the line so we can expand the system later if we want.

Step 8: Cutting and Installing the Drops

We cut most of the drops to 20", which brings them about halfway down the wall. The only exception was the miter station drop, which we cut to 8" so it would sit above the equipment.

After that, we installed the blast gates using our homemade clamps. We didn’t have the proper adapters for the PVC sewer pipe, so we wrapped the ends with five layers of duct tape — and honestly, it worked great for now.

Step 9: Connecting the Tools

With the drops installed, it was time to hook up the tools:

• Dust collector: Connected using a 4"‑to‑3" coupler

• Miter saw: Connected with a custom adapter we made in a previous video

• Drill press & router table: Still deciding on the best dust collection method

• Table saw & planer: Sharing a 10 ft flex hose using a PowerTec connector

We’ll make more videos as we figure out the best solutions for the remaining tools.

Final Thoughts: Shockingly Good Suction

Once everything was connected, we fired up the system — and honestly, we were shocked at how powerful it was. Even with the pipe running all the way around the shop, the suction at the table saw was fantastic.

We didn’t glue any of the joints, and they’re snug enough that we’re not worried about leaks. Plus, leaving them unglued makes future changes much easier.

If it was helpful to see how we installed our whole shop dust collection system, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss what we build next.

As always — happy woodworking!