Question on Dust Collectors.

[Rick Ham]

Before I ask the question I fell I must describe My setup. I'm working out of a small two car garage, All my equipment is on roll around carts. Most all work is preformed on the driveway in the open air right now. Plan on adding a carport with roll up curtains that can be bought from green house supply centers. So basically I'm working out side.

My plans are to use a 55 gallon plastic drum with a lever lock lid. On top of that I'm going to attach a super dust deputy cyclone. From the dust deputy a flexible hose will attach to the input port of the harbor freight dust collector motor and impeller. This will all be mounted on a custom built roll around stand.

Now for the question. Seeing as how I'm working basically out doors, is it necessary to include the bag and filter part of the HF dust collector? I almost always have a constant wind around here and on hot summer days I have a large barrel fan that moves a lot of air. I don't foresee any problem in arranging the dust collector to where it is always down wind from the work area.

Main reason right now for wanting a dust collector is to minimize cleanup time on the drive way. Some day I plan on buying a house on a big enough lot I can build a dedicated shop, Till then I'm working in the great wide open.

I thank you in advance for any opinions.

[glenn bradley]

If I could vent outside, I would. Your tolerance will depend on the amount of spoil that gets past the cyclone and where it ends up. My neighbor's rather elaborate pond/fountain is the only thing that keeps me from pursuing this myself. Although it is quite distance away, I would end up dusting his beloved pond (and swimming pool for that matter. My dad vents outside to an area that is a purposely rather wild, side yard for both him and the neighbor's property making a great buffer, no problems.

[Rick Ham]

Your tolerance will depend on the amount of spoil that gets past the cyclone and where it ends up.

My neighbors haven't complained so far and I'm only using a shop vac for dust collection and it does not get near the dust a good dust collector setup would. Especially from my table saw, and router table. I don't even try on my planer. I use four in metal vent pipe with two 45 elbows and let the force of the planner and gravity to collect it in a plastic 55 gallon barrel. I have good neighbors and don't run any loud equipment before nine in the morning.

[Charles Li]

If it's anything like the smaller dust deputy (which I've heard it is) for shop vacs you'll be golden. I've got one on my shop vac and it's like magic. I recently got the HF dust collector and it is a world of difference compared to the shop vac though. Plus you get better air flow w/o the filter as well. You'll definitely be putting out less dust than you are now and if they haven't complained already... Of course, I did read some story on here where a guy was sanding floors and stuck a fan in his window. A neighbor around a 1/2 mile away or something came to complain because he was waxing his black car heh. Maybe that's just bad timing and you've had good luck? I don't know but like others said it's more dependent on your neighbors. I'm pretty certainly you'll be exhausting less dust at the end of the day.

[Rick Potter]

I have been venting my cyclone outside for about three years now, and have yet to see a sawdust mess out there. It shoots right at a block wall, 8 feet away, and the wall has no dust on it. Almost all of it goes in the drum.

[Curtis Myers]

I have been venting my cyclone outside for about three years now, and have yet to see a sawdust mess out there. It shoots right at a block wall, 8 feet away, and the wall has no dust on it. Almost all of it goes in the drum.

The dust that make it into the filter is very fine (e.g. powder).