I've got a 2'x3' machine that spends most of its time on MDF, pine and plywoods. Right now I'm struggling with an old 16g Craftsman vacuum and a Dustopper separator on a 5g bucket. I have a dust shoe with double bristles installed. It maybe picks up half the dust and chips. I also have other typical tools I need dust collection for, but only ever one at a time.
I know I want a 2-stage system to keep things tidy, so anything I get will need that addition. I've been eyeing everything from the $200 650CFM wall-mount units with single 4" inputs to the $1000 ones capable of around 1250CFM with a 6" input. Until I get 220v down stairs I'll be using 115/120 for everything. Money is a big factor and I don't want to spend any more than I have to in order to get the performance I need. My 'happy medium' seems to lie near the Jet DC-1100VX-5M which can be had for around $500 a few times a year. I have a fairly confined space and it is just a weekend hobby so I don't need the fancy remote controls and all the convenience extras if the dollar difference is significant. But I don't want crap, either.
Any input and anecdotes are appreciated. Thanks!