Dust Collector - Novice Style

[James Combs]

I have a JDS 16001 Dust-Force 1.5-Horsepower 1250 CFM Dust Collector with 1-Micron Canister. I was also given about a 100Ft of 4" schedule 40 PVC piping with an assortment of tees and elbows. I used the piping to make a pretty straight forward installation except that I placed a 55 gallon drum in-line just before the impeller opening (~3-4Ft). Take a look at the photos and tell me your thoughts. Do you think I improved or hurt the system. I have included a couple of upstream photos to show the typical connection to my equipment. Moving upstream from the DC the equipment is - Miter Saw - Lathe - Table Saw - Router Table - Drill Press. Note: the photos may look a little odd. They are composites of more then one photo.

[brian c miller]

I'd check out this site:
http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/cy.htm

[David Hostetler]

Add the baffle linked to above to your separator. I have 2 set up like that and they work GREAT.

Just a few things to keep in mind with dust collection.

#1. Air flow is king. You need to keep the air flow up to keep the dust suspended and on its trip to the collector.
#2. All the air flow in the world is worthless if you aren't picking it up at the tool. Check, recheck, and then check your dust hoods again. Most tool dust hoods could use some tweaking... Just make sure you are getting every opportunity to get the dust before it gets into the air.
#3. Once you get the dirty air to the collector, you need the dirt to stay put, while the air passes through, you need a filter that keeps flowing...

To address #1, and #3, you need.

A. Good straight pipe. 6" is best, but a 1.5 HP DC may or may not, most likely not pull hard enough to support 4". So keep your pipes as straight as possible, and avoid 90 degree bends if at all possible. A 45 degree bend, a straight run, then another 45 degree bend is FAR better. IF you have to use a 90 degree bend, use one with the longest radius you can find. They are usually called "Sweep elbows".
B. You have a good start on this, but minimize the amount of stuff that gets to the filter, so that the filter doesn't get clogged and stop flowing. Your separator can is a good start, that Thien baffle will turbocharge the effectiveness of that separator.
C. Every rib in the flex hose is a hit to your air flow. Minimize flex hose as much as physically possible.

You are off to a very good start, if it were me however... I would run the ductwork just above the separator, mid way along the wall, going to a 4x4x4 Y fitting (a 45 degree Y, not a 90 degree), to a 45 degree elbow, blast gate, then get as close as you can to the tool before you transition to flex hose...

BTW. I LOVE how the JDS DC more or less matches the blue barrel... Almost like they were made for each other...

[James Combs]

I can definitely see some changes to my DC system coming. I checked out Thien's site. Adding the baffle shouldn't be a big deal, already have it planned in my head. At the same time I will reduce the amount of flex being used especially at the DC and the barrel. Would you believe the colors were planned that way. You believe me don't ya.

BTW way... a big thanks Brian for the link and David for the critique and the suggestions.

I'd check out this site:
http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/cy.htm

Add the baffle linked to above to your separator. I have 2 set up like that and they work GREAT.

A. Good straight pipe. 6" is best, but a 1.5 HP DC may or may not, most likely not pull hard enough to support 4".

BTW. I LOVE how the JDS DC more or less matches the blue barrel... Almost like they were made for each other...

[David Hostetler]

Just FWIW, to reduce the flex hose to between my separator, and my DC, I lifted the DC onto a shop built stand...



In all honesty your setup is far more along than mine. Right now I am running a 20' flex hose between the separator and tool. I am in the process of a major shop remodel, involving moving everything closer to where the DC needs to live...

[Alan Schaffter]

James, I know your were given Sched 40 pipe instead of ASTM 2729 S&D pipe. Instead of wyes which have a gentler change in direction, you were given sanitary "T's" or T-wyes which have a small radius. Every inch of pipe or flex, every fitting, every change in direction, separators, and filters, etc. impacts flow and the effects are cumulative. As far as fittings, 90's are the worst, sanitary T-wyes (like you have) are almost as bad. As far as I can tell from the pics, you have a very large shop- a 1.5 hp DC doesn't have enough capacity for a plumbed system to begin with without adding any pipe, fittings, or flex to plumb that huge space. You really should have kept that DC as a portable unit. With a shop that big you need a 3 - 5 hp blower w/14"+ impeller and 6" pipe. Even with the most direct ducting you will not have enough CFM with 1.5 hp. The number of bends and changes in direction should be kept to a minimum and should be as gentle as possible. If you must have a 90 make it with two 45s with a short length of pipe between. It is often much better to make runs on the diagonal instead of orthogonal. It looks neater running pipe at right angles and parallel to the walls but is often the worst for flow because a setup like that needs a lot of 90s.

Here are some examples of wyes in both 6x6x6 and 6x6x4 PVC S&D:

[James Combs]

I very much appreciate the input. I will be taking a lot of the ideas I am getting here into consideration during my next up-grade especially the 3+HP DC. The current system will have to suffice for the time being as funds are pretty low but I definitely understand the why of each and every suggestion.

Much thanks to everyone who is contributing to this thread. Keep the ideas coming. I will still implement any that arn't big bucks. i.e. like the baffle in the pre-catcher.

James, I know your were given Sched 40 pipe instead of ASTM 2729 S&D pipe. Instead of wyes which have a gentler change in direction, you were given sanitary "T's" or T-wyes which have a small radius. Every inch of pipe or flex, every fitting, every change in direction, separators, and filters, etc. impacts flow and the effects are cumulative. As far as fittings, 90's are the worst, sanitary T-wyes (like you have) are almost as bad. As far as I can tell from the pics, you have a very large shop- a 1.5 hp DC doesn't have enough capacity for a plumbed system to begin with without adding any pipe, fittings, or flex to plumb that huge space. You really should have kept that DC as a portable unit. With a shop that big you need a 3 - 5 hp blower w/14"+ impeller and 6" pipe. Even with the most direct ducting you will not have enough CFM with 1.5 hp. The number of bends and changes in direction should be kept to a minimum and should be as gentle as possible. If you must have a 90 make it with two 45s with a short length of pipe between. It is often much better to make runs on the diagonal instead of orthogonal. It looks neater running pipe at right angles and parallel to the walls but is often the worst for flow because a setup like that needs a lot of 90s.

BTW Alan, is your DC remote from your shop. It appears that the DC might be in the garage and the shop is in a second story. Nice setup. I bet it is nice and quite in your shop.