Valley Stream Vocational School contacted Air Purifiers, Inc. to develop a specialized dust collection solution for its woodworking education program.
Project Completion: June 2026
System Manufacturer: Nederman
Equipment Installed: 11 Nederman 881-EX High-Vacuum Hose Reels with Automatic Microswitch Controls and Three Outdoor High-Vacuum Collection Systems
Application: Portable Woodworking Equipment, Chop Saws & Small-Diameter Dust Extraction
System Design & Installation: Air Purifiers, Inc.
Valley Stream Vocational School contacted Air Purifiers, Inc. to develop a specialized dust collection solution for its woodworking education program.
Unlike traditional woodworking shops that utilize large, stationary equipment connected to centralized dust collection ductwork, this facility required dust extraction for smaller, portable woodworking tools, including chop saws and other equipment with 1-inch and 2-inch dust collection connections.
The school needed a system that would provide effective dust extraction when equipment was in use while allowing the shop to remain open and unobstructed when these tools were not required.
Air Purifiers developed an innovative high-vacuum dust collection system utilizing retractable hose reels, automatic activation controls, and outdoor vacuum collection equipment.
Vocational woodworking shops often serve multiple instructional purposes, requiring equipment and workstations to be moved, rearranged, or temporarily removed depending on the classes being conducted.
At this facility, many woodworking tools utilized small-diameter dust extraction connections that were not ideally suited for conventional low-vacuum, high-volume dust collection systems.
The school required a high-vacuum solution capable of providing effective dust extraction through smaller 1-inch and 2-inch connections while accommodating portable equipment throughout the shop.
Another important consideration was maintaining a clear and flexible instructional space. Permanent hoses running across the floor or hanging into work areas could create obstructions and potential tripping hazards when the equipment was not in use.
The challenge was to provide convenient, on-demand dust extraction that could be quickly connected to portable woodworking equipment and completely retracted when no longer needed.
After evaluating the school’s equipment, shop layout, and operational requirements, Air Purifiers designed and installed a high-vacuum dust collection system incorporating 11 Nederman Model 881-ex retractable high-vacuum hose reels, connected to three high-vacuum collection systems located outside the building.
The Nederman 881 hose reels were strategically mounted throughout the woodworking shop to provide convenient access to dust extraction at multiple locations.
Each reel allows students or instructors to pull down a vacuum hose, connect it directly to the dust collection port on a chop saw or other portable woodworking tool, and begin working.
A key feature of the installation was the incorporation of automatic microswitch controls on each hose reel.
When a hose is pulled down into its operating position, the microswitch signals the appropriate high-vacuum system to activate, providing dust extraction when needed. When the hose is disconnected and retracted, the control system shuts down the vacuum equipment when extraction is no longer required.
This automatic operation eliminates the need for students or instructors to manually start and stop the centralized vacuum equipment.
Once the woodworking operation is completed, the hose can be quickly disconnected and retracted into its overhead reel, keeping the work area clear and allowing the shop to be used for other instructional activities.
The three outdoor high-vacuum collection systems provide the suction required for the small-diameter connections while keeping the primary collection equipment outside the instructional space.
The result is a flexible, automated dust collection arrangement specifically designed for the changing needs of a vocational woodworking environment.
The completed installation provides Valley Stream Vocational School with a highly flexible, automated high-vacuum dust collection system tailored to the needs of its woodworking education program.
By combining 11 Nederman 881 retractable hose reels with three outdoor high-vacuum collection systems, Air Purifiers delivered an effective solution for small woodworking equipment that would have been difficult to accommodate using conventional dust collection methods.
The automatic microswitch controls allow the system to operate only when required, reducing unnecessary equipment operation while simplifying use for students and instructors.
The retractable hose reels provide an additional advantage by allowing vacuum hoses to be stored overhead and out of the way when the woodworking equipment is not in use. This helps maintain a clear, adaptable shop environment suitable for multiple instructional activities.
This project demonstrates Air Purifiers’ ability to engineer creative, application-specific dust collection solutions that combine effective source capture, automated operation, and maximum workspace flexibility.
