Setting up New Basement Shop - Need Layout Ideas

[Duncan Ellis]

It also occured to me last night I might be able to install my dust collector in the garage. If you look at the above diagram, there is a crawl space to the right of the lower right egress door. It's above 6 six long (below a mud-room) and beyond that is a rather large garage. I'd have to drill a six inch hole through the foundation wall for the duct but it would allow for a much larger bin (garage ceiling is 10ft) plus it's right next to power, etc...

More ambitious, right above the garage is an unused attic space. It would also be possible to just run the duct all the way through the garage into the attic below, and not loose any floor space whatsoever.

Either way, the dust collector is likely the first thing I'll buy. I've had enough bad experiences with improper protection in my metal working and painting career to know that my health is not something to take lightly.

thoughts?

Duncan

[Andy Giddings]

Duncan, as long as you size the DC and ducting correctly and have the remote triggers necessary makes perfect sense to me (will also need a fill detector on the sawdust bin)

[Duncan Ellis]

Is there any constraint on the length of the duct between the sawdust bin and the bottom of the cyclone. Could I put the cyclone in the attic, and the fill bin on the garage floor? Save myself a little floor space.

Duncan

[Andy Giddings]

Good idea and in principle I can't see any down side to the idea. As long as the duct is the same size as the exit hole of the cyclone I can't see that there would be an issue. I'd recommend talking this through with your DC supplier though, just in case

[Greg Parrish]

Is there any constraint on the length of the duct between the sawdust bin and the bottom of the cyclone. Could I put the cyclone in the attic, and the fill bin on the garage floor? Save myself a little floor space.

Duncan

Honestly don't know but you probably won't gain that much floor space as most of the cyclones are pretty tight foot prints. Maybe some of jet/laguna style and maybe some of the grizzly's are a little larger based on design but the ones from Oneida, ClearVue and Penn Industries are pretty small footprint.

If you look hard in this picture you can see my oneida tucked in the corner. The whole thing is only a few inches wider than the drum itself.

[Andy Giddings]

Agreed that Duncan won't gain much in the way of space but will be a much quieter environment to work in

[Greg Parrish]

Agreed that Duncan won't gain much in the way of space but will be a much quieter environment to work in

True. I should have clarified that I think it's a great idea to move the cyclone to the garage above the basement if possible, but I wouldn't worry about separating the cyclone to the attic and drum in the garage as it won't make much difference in space and will just complicate the design and further lengthen the runs. He will already need to pipe his return air filter back into the basement as it is with the components sitting in the garage so that will further limit the footprint in the garage.

[Jim Becker]

Is there any constraint on the length of the duct between the sawdust bin and the bottom of the cyclone. Could I put the cyclone in the attic, and the fill bin on the garage floor? Save myself a little floor space.

Duncan

Yes, you can do that. I helped a friend install her Oneida unit in the attic of her shop building with the bin down below in the actual shop space. That said, keep in mind that while DC is primarily about air flow in volume (CFM) to move the material, not just bends in the path add resistance. To some small extent, gravity will come into play just a little as you do the rise from the shop up to the inlet of the cyclone. And you don't want a bend in the line right at the inlet. Best performance dictates at least a short, straight run into the inlet of a few feet.

On the idea of putting the cyclone in the garage, you'll want to be concerned about distance on the duct as that adds resistance and lowers performance. Again, DC is primarily about air movement in volume (CFM), but friction does come into play and increases with distance, not just with bends in direction.

[Duncan Ellis]

Thanks. Since my garage is essentially adjacent to my basement shop, the length of duct added would be 6-10 feet (distance across the short crawl space). I'm looking at 3HP cyclones. I'm going to do some measuring tonight, but I think I can fit the entire unit comfortably on the front wall of the garage.

Duncan

[Jim Becker]

So if you do the garage route, keep that entire duct run between the shop and the cyclone at the full inlet port size...likely 7" or 8" for a 3hp cyclone of quality...to maximize performance. Don't drop to 6" until you get to the first branch in the shop.

[Duncan Ellis]

So if you do the garage route, keep that entire duct run between the shop and the cyclone at the full inlet port size...likely 7" or 8" for a 3hp cyclone of quality...to maximize performance. Don't drop to 6" until you get to the first branch in the shop.

Thanks. Make's perfect sense.

I'm currently looking trying to decide between the Clear Vue, Oneida 3HP v series, and the Grizzy G0441.

Duncan

[Brian Tymchak]

Duncan, I would also recommend adding an air cleaner in your basement shop. Basements have no air flow in practicality, except for that provided by HVAC. Although the cyclone DC will get most all of the dust created by saws, other activities put a lot of fine particulate into the air. It will settle out on surfaces, but will also get picked up by HVAC, get tracked into living areas, and most significantly, get into your lungs. And, you should also get a radon test done and do any mitigation necessary to make sure the basement air is good for long term exposure.

[Jim Becker]

Thanks. Make's perfect sense.

I'm currently looking trying to decide between the Clear Vue, Oneida 3HP v series, and the Grizzy G0441.

Duncan

Two of these vendors are dust collection specialists...

[Duncan Ellis]

Duncan, I would also recommend adding an air cleaner in your basement shop. Basements have no air flow in practicality, except for that provided by HVAC. Although the cyclone DC will get most all of the dust created by saws, other activities put a lot of fine particulate into the air. It will settle out on surfaces, but will also get picked up by HVAC, get tracked into living areas, and most significantly, get into your lungs. And, you should also get a radon test done and do any mitigation necessary to make sure the basement air is good for long term exposure.

Thanks.

I did have one on my list. I'll also probably add an exhaust fan to the existing egress window in case I need additional ventilation. I can use the conditioned crawl space adjacent for make-up/intake air.

[Duncan Ellis]

Two of these vendors are dust collection specialists...

Point taken.

On your comment regarding the use of 8" before the first branch fitting, does this limit me to using metal ducting? I don't think I've seen 8" PVC sewer pipe, and Sch40 would be pretty expensive. The PVC had some appeal due to ease of assembly and availability.

I'm planning on buying the dust collector and table saw at approximately the same time. Everything else will come as projects require it.

- Right now, I'm looking at the G0691 Grizzly saw.

Duncan