Help with setting up Dust collection for small shop

[Scott Davis]

Thanks for any input.
I have a 3rd car garage small shop and have used my HF DC for one tool at a time usage thus far. I now have a router table and Band saw that I would like to get hooked up more permanently.

I have 2 tools along one wall, and the table saw (PM 66) in the middle of floor. The HF has a Y connector on a 5" port at the machine with 2 4" ports on as inlets. I was planning to run a main line, from one of the 4" ports, down the wall. The tools are about 6' apart. The band saw is first, it has a 2" DC port. The Router table is next, this has a 4" port. I am planning to add a jointer at end at some point but don't have one yet. I would think it likely this would have a 4" port too. So the total run on the wall would be around 15'-16'. There will be no real turns other than a flex line from main to the DC maybe 2'.

I was thinking of capping the other 4" port to run a flex line about 10' to the TS when using it, along the floor, so this would be intermittent.

I am having a hard time figuring out what size the main should be, and the individual branches should be (band saw, router table, hypothetical jointer). I was thinking a 6" non-PVC main, with 4" branches, using appropriate reducers right at each tool.

Would this work? This is a weekend warrior shop, it literally takes me a year to build a project with 3 little kids, I haven't cut a board in 3 months currently. So I am not looking for a professional set up. At some point, I know a better DC is in the cards. My other issue is the DC and the other 3 tools run from same 110V outlet. I have to figure out if turning on the DC and band saw, or router table, are going to flip the breaker. The TS does have a 220 v plug but I am starved for more power currently. I suppose I could run an extension cord from somewhere else if I have to.

So some basic questions:

1) Anyone think my plan will be sufficient?
2) at each "Y", do I put a blast gate on both sides so that I can direct the flow to one machine at a time?
3) The TS in the middle of the garage is an issue. I have a Shark Guard, but have not used the port on top yet, I don't have a way to get a line there. The ceiling is really tall, and I don't see a great way to do it other than running a 4" on the ground from DC to the bottom of it. Unless I build some kind of overhead frame. There is no wall opposite though, so it would be awkward and a long run to get something overhead to the Shark Guard. Anyone have thoughts on this problem?

My thanks in advance. I learn so much from these forums and appreciate you looking.

Scott

[Joe A Faulkner]

Are you familiar with the Thien Baffle? A number of hobbiest have incorporated a shop made baffle into their HF DC set up. I have an older 2HP Grizzly that Iv'e converted. I'm happy with it. I'm sure it isn't moving as much air as is optimal for catching the fines - this is one reason I also run a shop air filter. You can check out this post on Phil's forum of one hobbiest who has several drops off a 6" main connected to a reconfigured DC. http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php...sg2255#msg2255. For saw dust/chip control, I think your proposed set up will work. I doubt that it will do a great job of collecting the fine saw dust coming off your machines, but it sounds like at this stage like many, you probably aren't ready to spend 2K plus on a DC set up.