New Shop DC Setup

[Josh Hulit]

I'm planning my DC setup for my new shop and I'm looking for some input on a few things. I currently have a Delta 50-850 1.5HP collector, and I will be using a pre-separator on a trash can. Eventually I will be upgading to a cyclone, but that is not in the current budget. The DC has dual 4" ports, should I replace this with a single larger port? Was going to run 4 inch pipe to all of my machines, with blast gates at each machine. Should I go with 6" and then reduce at each machine? Trying to keep all of my runs under 16' or so. I will have a TS, shaper, planer, moulder, drum sander, and chop saw tied in to the DC.

My ducting runs for the most part will be under the floor, I plan on buying the pipe at Home Depot, what is the minimum gauge to avoid collapse of lines (26 gauge?). Is a galvanized pipe sufficient for exposure to the elements, or should I go with stainless?

Thanks!

[Joseph Tarantino]

rather than using metal ducting, try plastic drain pipe, the stuff used for landscaping water runoff (not sched 40 DWV stuff). it's much cheaper than metal (i don;t even want to think about SS!) and there is a transition piece (at the HD) that converts the 4" drainage pipe to 3" sched 40, and that sched 40 end accepts 4" dust collector hose really well.

like you, i have a 50-850. if i had a choice, i'd run 6" trunks and reduce to 4" as close to each machine"s blast gate as i could. as you plan your system, have you seen alan's video on his ultimate dust collector system set up? if not, check it out:

http://videos.americanwoodworker.com...ust-Collection

the transitioin pieces i mentioned above do what alan's cut off bell ends do regarding attaching the machine to the blast gate. and if i may suggest one enhancement to your DC that will help maintain airflow by keeping any filter (bag or cannister) cleaner longer.

add a baffle to your DC. i did it with a discarded 16" frying pan (apparently almost anything that's pan/dome shaped will do)and the improvement in the performance of the DC was stunning (what works quite well also is making a thien baffle and setting it in the DC drum, in the same place i placed my inverted frying pan):

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/40189

good luck with your project. i'd be really interested in how you connect 6" anything to the 50-850. i'm not aware of any fitting that will bolt onto the blower housing and accomodate 6" piping.

[Josh Hulit]

Thanks Joe. The only reason I was hesitant to use PVC was due to static electricity and risk of fire. But apparently many people are going this route, so it must be safe if grounded properly?

[John Lifer]

You get static even if you use metal. I have 26g on my DC in main shop, dropping to machines, and I use 10" pc of flex with metal wire to connect several of the machines. Still get static shock if I use by hand. PVC does give you more flexibility on fittings, but I'd use regular sch 40 rather than waste pipe.