Dust Collection for a newbie

[Van Huskey]

The first question you have to ask yourself is if you are trying to protect your lungs or just collect chips... Once you have decided that and determined a budget people can focus more on a direct answer.

[Ryan Brucks]

Carl, yes you are right. I found the thread where someone tried putting a larger grizzly impeller on the 2hp HF, and it was way overloading the motor (actually tripping the breaker since he didnt want to see what would happen on a larger breaker). Wasn't too big like I remembered just overloaded the motor.http://www.cgallery.com/smf/index.php?topic=470.15

The Rikon impeller I was referring to is only around 12" diameter, so its barely bigger than the HF impeller which is around 10.75" so a small increase and IMO less likely to overload the motor. You'd still want to check the power draw though. Probably not worth swapping for such a small gain but just throwing it out there for anyone who is curious. Wish I could find that thread where it was done successfully.

(edit: on page 1 of that same thread I posted, someone else briefly mentions the 12" rikon impeller working for them. that must be what I recalled)

[Pete Moe]

I got a HF DC used as my first system. I got a cyclone lid for a 30 gal trash can from Woodcraft, and remounted the motor so that the intake is a direct mount to the lid, and the output is a nearly direct connect to the bag system.

My next purchase is a corrugated 2 micron filter... just have to keep saving pennies.

The most dangerous dust is the smallest dust... and you need a lot of flow to capture all of that. Van is right on about being aware of the choice you are actually making.

[Brent Romero]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have changed my mind about the wall mounted unit based on advice received here.

[Jerry Thompson]

I am going to tear my hair out in great wads! A lot of things confuse me but the more I read about dust collection the less I understand.

[Rod Sheridan]

The first question you have to ask yourself is if you are trying to protect your lungs or just collect chips... Once you have decided that and determined a budget people can focus more on a direct answer.

Agreed, shavings you can clean up with a shovel, the dangerous fine dust needs a proper collection system................Regards, Rod.

[Chris Parks]

I am going to tear my hair out in great wads! A lot of things confuse me but the more I read about dust collection the less I understand.

That is a common problem and is being discussed in in another woodworking place on the net right at this moment. It is a shame that links from other forums on stuff like this cannot be published here especially when they are dealing with a subject that is health threatening. I just can't see the point of not disseminating this sort of information by restrictions of this type. Can it be justified, I think not.

[tim young]

I would buy used as several have suggested as a short term improvement... Here's the reasoning to do so. At some point you will decide it isn't good enough because now you have 5 tools and not 2 that need DC. You're tired of moving the lines around. So you'll try to run 4" PVC and find it gets clogged or just doesn't have enough CFM's to pull all the material through. Bottom line is you'll want to upgrade. If you buy used you can resale and lose a minimum amount of money if any. That money will go towards a cyclone. We all end up there, it's just a matter of time. My 1st DC was a like new Jet 1100. It served it's time for 5 years and when I sold it, I lost $50. A very well spent $50. Unless you buy to keep until they die, I would not buy HF. When you go to sell, you'll have a hard time selling them and you won't get much for them.

[Michael W. Clark]

I would buy used as several have suggested as a short term improvement... Here's the reasoning to do so. At some point you will decide it isn't good enough because now you have 5 tools and not 2 that need DC. You're tired of moving the lines around. So you'll try to run 4" PVC and find it gets clogged or just doesn't have enough CFM's to pull all the material through. Bottom line is you'll want to upgrade. If you buy used you can resale and lose a minimum amount of money if any. That money will go towards a cyclone. We all end up there, it's just a matter of time. My 1st DC was a like new Jet 1100. It served it's time for 5 years and when I sold it, I lost $50. A very well spent $50. Unless you buy to keep until they die, I would not buy HF. When you go to sell, you'll have a hard time selling them and you won't get much for them.

+1. This is what I wanted to say in my earlier post in this thread, but Tim did a much better job.

Not to undermine the advise from others about a cyclone system, but this approach may be more financial friendly and allow your DC needs to grow as you acquire more tools. You just have to realize the limitations of this equipment and decide if it will work for your current/future needs. If you are running one tool at a time and can connect directly to it with minimal duct, this will probably be fine. If you want stationary tools with a fixed duct system, then a 3HP+ cyclone system may be better.

I believe you can get good bags for the single stage units if you don't want to do the cartridge filter. The benefits of cartridge filter is you get more cloth area in the same physical space, reducing your pressure drop and lengthening the time between cleanings. Most (if not all) commercial/industrial shops use bags on single stage collectors. Not saying it doesn't exist, but the only time I've seen cartridges used in these environments is when they have some type of automated cartridge cleaning system (Donnelson/Torit is one example). When using bags, they just turn off the system and beat them with a broom handle at the end of the day/shift to clean the bags.

[Matt McColley]

I suggest you have to answer a couple questions first...

1. As mentioned... do you want to protect your lungs or keep the shop tidy?

2. Are you going to hard plumb your shop (which can be really expensive)? or run the machines off of flex, directly to the DC?

3. Do you want to buy and use a DC or take on a DC project? For me personally, buying the HF DC and then spending time and money getting it to work well wasn't appealing.

4. Do you have a 220 v outlet available (or are willing to wire one up)?

5. Are you going with a bag filter? or a cartridge filter? (I'd strongly recommend at least a 1 micron cartridge)

Your answer to these questions will help focus you search.

I just set up my shop with this DC and three gated 4" flex runs and I'm very happy with it. Here's a review I found for the DC that I found helpful. I also run a Jet air filter in the shop as well, as you're never going to suck up all the nasties in your DC.

There is a ton of good info on Bill Pentz's site..... but fair warning.... you'll walk away thinking that you're family will all die within a week if you don't immediately drop $2K on a 5 HP Clearview cyclone and another $1K on piping and modifying all your machine connections to 6". There is an unpopular counter point out there that thinks that if you can't afford to follow Pentz's recommendations to the letter, and are foolhearted enough to continue woodworking anyways, you can improve your situation with a small single stage anyways.

[Ole Anderson]

I look back on my DC purchase and install as the highlight of my shop improvements over the years. It just ties everything together, literally. It even equalled the completion of my large computer hutch in personal satisfaction of a job well done and which will continue to give returns out into the future. Sure parts of it were a PITA, but overall, I couldn't wait to get back to work on it until it was finished. And now that it is finished, every time I step into the shop and fire it up to work on a project, I grin just a bit as I look around as see a steel duct dust collection system that looks like it was installed by a pro.

Shop tour: http://semiww.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9926