The best dust collector vs. the worst cyclone?

[Howard Acheson]

Just some info to throw into the mix. As you have found out, a cyclone unit reduces the air flow. The energy to swirl the air causes a reduction in CFM that can be quite significant. You need to upgrade the cyclone to match the CFM of non-cyclone unit.

[Larry Edgerton]

Larry, what filters do you have?

Good idea on re-purposing the fan for a downdraft table.

Dust Dog.

Larry

[Curt Harms]

I was thinking of adding thein baffles to the inside of the collector rings to keep the large stuff from getting into the filters. Seems like it is a fairly quick and easy mod and it gets favorable reviews.

That was my first thought. While not perfect, my Thien baffle makes a significant difference in the amount of material getting to my cartridge filter. There's virtually no planer-chip type material and not much fine dust. I use a drum sander very little which may account for little fine dust. Have you considered oversized fabric bags? American filter fabric is one source.

[Michael Zerance]

Have you considered oversized fabric bags? American filter fabric is one source.

No, but only because I don't know much about them. I looked on American Filter Fabrics website but did not see pricing. Compared to Wynn filters, do they filter better and allow more air through them?

[David Kumm]

There are lots of choices in both fabric and cartridge filters. With no cyclone in front to clean the debris you need filters that shake out easily and are surface loading so the dust and chips don't cling to the material. Talk to filter people about your specific application and get what makes sense. A great filter that clogs up and is hard to clean is worse than one slightly less efficient but can be kept operating. Dave

[Curt Harms]

No, but only because I don't know much about them. I looked on American Filter Fabrics website but did not see pricing. Compared to Wynn filters, do they filter better and allow more air through them?

I think they don't have prices because they will make about any size or configuration fabric filter you want. For example odd shaped to fit a certain space or way oversized compared to what the dust collector manufacturers offer. One of the misconceptions I had when starting out was thinking that dust collector bags being taut when running was a good thing, moving lots of air. Nope, being taut was restricting airflow.

[David Hostetler]

Just FWIW, I know this will run into money here, but why not sell both, and buy a good cyclone with good cartridge filtration?

I admit I am VERY leery of that F-5 Cyclone mostly because I know nothing about it.

The Powermatic is okay, but I would replace the bags with cartridge filters, and install either a Thien style pre separator, or a Thien baffle in each of the inlet rings of that collector. I would lean HEAVILY toward a pre-separator, Top Hat style, on a 55 gallon drum. If you could rig it to use disposable drum liner bags it would make emptying out that separator a WHOLE lot easier...

I would check your dimensions and layout on the rings of the Powermatic and compare it to the Wynn35A kits. If they fit without too much hassle, I personally went with the 35A Spun Bond filter for 2 reasons. MERV 11 rating, and washable. The NANO was not avaialble when I got mine but they offer a MERV 15 filtration rating. The Spun Bond run $161.00 each, the NANO run $177.00 each. Plus any taxes shipping and handling fees...

Mind you. I am in a small one man / one machine at a time shop, and as such am making do quite well with just a Harbor Freight 2HP / Wynn35A / Thien separator rig. My collection at the miter saw is vastly superior to stock, but still lacking. That should shock no-one...