Should I jump on this CV1400?

[Bob Wingard]

I believe the 1400 would satisfy your needs, but I also think his price is a good bit too high. For not too much more $$$ you can get a new 1800 with the contactor, remote, blast gates. all included. It you all be brand new (not a major consideration) and it would be at your doorstep WITH a new WARRANTY.

If you buy the 1400, you will, most likely always be second guessing your decision ... get the 1800 and don't look back.

[David Kumm]

I agree that the price is at the top for a used system. There was an 1800 in Oregon recently for $500 that was a great deal. $750-900 is more in line IMO. Dave

[Michael Hamilton, ID]

$500 for an 1800? In Oregon? You've given me hope. This 1400 in in Bend (I'm in Boise), in fact here is the ad I should have included in my original post:
http://bend.craigslist.org/tls/2926350673.html
The unit looks pretty clean at least in such a tiny photo. And he did take some time to paint it. Here it is enlarged a bit:



But both of you are right, it's too close to what I'd pay for an 1800. I might ask Clearvue about what it would take to upgrade it for interest's sake though.

[Michael W. Clark]

Michael, its hard to go wrong with more CFM in woodshop dust collection. Given the amount of time you and your wife are spending in the shop, you would definitely appreciate any improvement. I think the other replies pretty much have this covered.

I looked at a picture of the JDS multi-router, that could be a tough one to tame with a hood. You will likely never generate enough CFM to pull all the dust into the hood, so you need a hood that encloses the bit as much as possible so the dust is thrown or deflected into the hood. Of course, you can't limit access to the bit or function of the machine. What if you did a clear plastic hood over the top of the bit with at least a 4" hose attached. Is possible you could mount it with magnets to the face of the router mounting plate? This way, you could sort of see through it and it could be repositioned as necessary depending on the cut and bit changes. It may take a hood on the bottom as well, or maybe it would be better with two hoods, one on each side.

Since you are spending a lot of time in the shop, better DC will also reduce the clean-up time and frequency. If you are doing this for profit, that equals production time.

Mike

[Paul Wunder]

Michael,

I own a CV1800 and I run a basement hobby shop.I do not run more that one machine at a time. Because of height constraints, I asked Ed Morgano at purchase time (the original owner of ClearVue) if I should consider the CV1400 because it was a little shorter. He advised against it because it had significantly less power and so I bought the 1800. Ed canceled production of the 1400 shortly after that. I am pleased with the 1800.

[Michael Hamilton, ID]

Thanks! That pretty much settles the question.

Michael,

I own a CV1800 and I run a basement hobby shop.I do not run more that one machine at a time. Because of height constraints, I asked Ed Morgano at purchase time (the original owner of ClearVue) if I should consider the CV1400 because it was a little shorter. He advised against it because it had significantly less power and so I bought the 1800. Ed canceled production of the 1400 shortly after that. I am pleased with the 1800.

[Michael Hamilton, ID]

Sorry I didn't reply earlier, thanks for your thoughts. I've tried all sorts of ways to tame the beast. Currently have a big Rubbermaid tub attached to a 4" hose catching a lot of the chips if little dust. I'm a great fan of rare earth magnets and actually have tried to design something that would simply attach itself to some part of the MR although alot of it is aluminum. Now I'm actually trying to visualize the thing encased like a sand blasting cabinet. Hmmm.

Otherwise it's one machine that's paid for itself many times over even at the huge price (it was "only" $1500 when I bought it years ago.)

Michael, its hard to go wrong with more CFM in woodshop dust collection. Given the amount of time you and your wife are spending in the shop, you would definitely appreciate any improvement. I think the other replies pretty much have this covered.

I looked at a picture of the JDS multi-router, that could be a tough one to tame with a hood. You will likely never generate enough CFM to pull all the dust into the hood, so you need a hood that encloses the bit as much as possible so the dust is thrown or deflected into the hood. Of course, you can't limit access to the bit or function of the machine. What if you did a clear plastic hood over the top of the bit with at least a 4" hose attached. Is possible you could mount it with magnets to the face of the router mounting plate? This way, you could sort of see through it and it could be repositioned as necessary depending on the cut and bit changes. It may take a hood on the bottom as well, or maybe it would be better with two hoods, one on each side.

Since you are spending a lot of time in the shop, better DC will also reduce the clean-up time and frequency. If you are doing this for profit, that equals production time.

Mike

[Michael W. Clark]

Michael,
I've never used one, so I'm not sure what would interfere with the operation. Assuming the face plate is aluminum where the router is mounted, can you attach something ferrous to the face plate that would not interfere? Then you could design your hood to magnetically mount to it.

Another option might be a hood support that slips over the top of the face plate. If this would work, the hood could be mounted to the support somehow so that the hood position can be adjusted. I'm thinking about how a router table fence guard is adjustable up and down, maybe something similar for the hood relative to the support.

If you enclose the whole thing entirely, you are going to be marginal on CFM, even with the large collector. You will want to minimize the openings. You could make some access panels that are hinged for better access, maybe out of plexiglass for better visibility. If you can exhaust from the bottom or side, you will not be pulling dust past your line of sight and getting the enclosure dirty, making it harder to see. I've always used about 200 FPM for in draft velocity in an enclosure, but you may need more velocity because of the router throwing the dust. If you have a 1000 CFM and you use 300 FPM indraft velocty through your enclosure openings, then you could have an area of 3.33 ft2. Remember, openings in the bottom and top count as well. If you could do about 400 or 500 FPM through the opening you are looking throuhg, that would be best. Sorry my post is only conceptual. Maybe it will trigger an idea for you.

Mike

[Michael Hamilton, ID]

I was kidding about the sand blaster idea. I think. It's the one machine that would take everything a DC could muster. I'm sure I'll need several pipes pointed at it. And several barriers to contain the spewing chips/dust.
Yep, I'll keep working on it now that I'm getting serious about dust after 30 years of neglect. The problem with the MR is that it moves the target so much - the XYZ axis thing, especially the way I use it, hogging out 4"x8" recesses in my box lids and trays and making box joints through four pieces at once. Hoods keep bumping up against vertical and horizontal tables, those long control handles etc. I'm working on adding my shopvac to the mix too. Plus a light breeze at my back with a fan, etc, etc. If I work something out I'll make a fortune selling it to JDS. Ha. Thanks Mike!

Mike (I actually go by "Mike" too)

Michael,
I've never used one, so I'm not sure what would interfere with the operation. Assuming the face plate is aluminum where the router is mounted, can you attach something ferrous to the face plate that would not interfere? Then you could design your hood to magnetically mount to it.

Another option might be a hood support that slips over the top of the face plate. If this would work, the hood could be mounted to the support somehow so that the hood position can be adjusted. I'm thinking about how a router table fence guard is adjustable up and down, maybe something similar for the hood relative to the support.

If you enclose the whole thing entirely, you are going to be marginal on CFM, even with the large collector. You will want to minimize the openings. You could make some access panels that are hinged for better access, maybe out of plexiglass for better visibility. If you can exhaust from the bottom or side, you will not be pulling dust past your line of sight and getting the enclosure dirty, making it harder to see. I've always used about 200 FPM for in draft velocity in an enclosure, but you may need more velocity because of the router throwing the dust. If you have a 1000 CFM and you use 300 FPM indraft velocty through your enclosure openings, then you could have an area of 3.33 ft2. Remember, openings in the bottom and top count as well. If you could do about 400 or 500 FPM through the opening you are looking throuhg, that would be best. Sorry my post is only conceptual. Maybe it will trigger an idea for you.

Mike

[Michael W. Clark]

Get one of these with an 8" duct.

http://www.plymovent.com/int-en/prod...tion_arms.aspx

[Carl Beckett]

I have a similar machine to the MR Mike, and I empathize with you. I swear the thing throws the chips straight into my face as the primary discharge. Im not sure there a many choices other than a large collection hood.

I wonder if you setup a secondary blower or fan going front the back across the system, with a large hood at the back going into your dust collection system, if you could get a cross flow current that would be enough to pull the dust through.