Dust collection questions

[John Grossi]

Hi, I work in my basement shop, appr. 700-800 sf. My Delta 50-760 dc is on wheels and can roll to my machines. I use the 4" provided. I use an overhead jet afs 1000-b for fine dust control, (supposedly). I feel I could do better. Considering a Wynn 35a cartridge, which would set me back 135-200. If I go that route, which of the 3 35a should I get? Would I notice any improvement? How do I clean the cartridge, and how often. Also, would I do just as well getting a new bag for my Delta. Finally, would I do better selling what I have and getting a cyclone? Any input would be appreciated. John

[Gale T. Sharp]

Have you considered a Thein Dust Seperator in the mix?

Gale

[Dave MacArthur]

That's a pretty large shop, a 3 car garage is 650 sq ft, so you're like a 4-car garage. I have a Delta 50-760, and it worked decent but even in a 2-car garage area I was tired of rolling it around and hooking it up. I also have the Jet AFS-1000B, which I like a lot.

Mine has the 1 micron felt bag, and honestly even with that I felt that it was pumping a lot of dust back into the air. Chip/sweep up control is nice, but to me the important thing is fine dust control for respiratory health, and family protection of same. I'd think a basement would make this more critical.

I ended up purchasing a 5HP Oneida Pro2000 this year. Got it used with all the piping for a smoking deal, or maybe I wouldn't have--wasn't totally planning on it. In any case, if I had continued to use my 50-760, here is what I had planned and would recommend for you:
1. The bag filter is not sufficient for the airflow. Neither is the canister filter, but the canister is better.
2. I would build a thein separator underneath the motor. There is a thread on here for someone that fit a barrel in that gap , hooked it directly up to the impeller input, it was pretty sweet. The advantage of this is you dump most of the chips and dust before the impeller, and before the filter. Disadvantage is reduction of CFM and static pressure, and the 50-760 was marginal anyways--although it DID win in the magazine portable DC shootout, can't remember which issue but I think FWW shops 2007 or 8?
3. I'd be looking for a way to exhaust outside when able. Have to consider any gas appliances, air makeup, and heat loss in winter, maybe use filter in winter and outside in summer.
4. You can't run any piping with the 50-760, the 5' or so of hose is it's limit really, so if convenience was a factor, I'd get a cyclone with higher CFM.

Good luck!

[John Grossi]

Dave, You got me thinking of my sf. I wrote the first post sitting in my easy chair, half dozing. I know I can't fit 3 cars in there, so I got up, went downstairs and measured. More like 450sf. Measures 45X10. Sorry about that. Gale mentioned that seperator also. I went on thein website and am trying to gather some info. I am guessing it works similar to a cyclone. Chips end up in the can and dust either in the bag or the new cannister. My 50-760 puts the chips in that lower bag. What is the difference? It's got to be that it works much more efficiently. I might consider a cyclone setup like yours if I knew it was legal to exhaust outside. If I owned a plot of land in the country I would have no problems with it. I am guessing it is the small dust particles going outside. If I stood outside of where your cyclone vents out, and you were running your most chip producing machine, would I know what was going on? Would I think this must be a vent from the furnace, or would I get a face full of wood dust? How about the noise level? I live in a villa setting with 25 other homes. No one lives on my east side and that would be where I would consider it. Any insight would be appreciated. John

[Bill LaPointe]

I use the Thein baffle and vent a 3hp Jet outside. NO noticeable chips or dust. Not whisper quiet, but more than acceptable. I have neighbors on both sides and if I'm standing in their yard I can barely hear it.