Dust collector bin size?

[Jaromir Svoboda]

Hi, what size bin should I order with new dust collector?
35 or 55 gallons?
I like to order Oneida 5hp Dust Gorilla Pro.
Thanks

[Carl Kona]

Jaromir,


First question, do you have the height to use the 55? What do you use now (if anything) and how much dust do you create? If you filled a 55 gallon drum could you move it and empty the bin. If you only filled the 55 2/3 full it would still be more than the 35. If you have the height, you will have more flexibility with the 55. I just purchased a used cyclone that came with a 55 and sold the bin because I did not have the height.

[Bill Adamsen]

Hi, what size bin should I order with new dust collector? 35 or 55 gallons

Planng certain (most) woods creates volumes of shavings fast. If planing or jointing, I would go with the largest container available that can be made airtight.

[Jaromir Svoboda]

I have 10' tall ceiling. I had Grizzly 2hp cyclone with 35 gallons bin and planer will fill it fast.
I'll go with 55 gallons.

[Jamie Buxton]

If you have a 55 gallon drum full of sawdust, how do you empty it? Can you pick it up?
I have a dust bin which holds about 35 gallons under my cyclone. I can pick it up to empty it, but I don't think I could do that with a 55 gallon bin.

[Bill Adamsen]

If you have a 55 gallon drum full of sawdust, how do you empty it? Can you pick it up?
I have a dust bin which holds about 35 gallons under my cyclone. I can pick it up to empty it, but I don't think I could do that with a 55 gallon bin.

Excellent point. My containers are about 5.8 cubic feet (20 in diameter and 32 inches deep) which calculates out to 43-1/2 gallons. Sometimes I roll with a hand cart, but I can lift and carry full. But I also wouldn't want it to be much heavier.

I would point out that if you are on the suction side (bottom of a cyclone) it is important that they be air-tight. I keep a spare empty so that I won't be tempted to overfill.

[Jim Becker]

If you have the headroom...55 gallon for sure. And you'll still fill that up pretty quickly while milling lumber at the jointer and planer! If you don't have the height for the 55 gallon, perhaps a dual 35 gallon will work.

[Martin Wasner]

Go as big as your limitations will allow, then justify what you can in space and dollars.

[Ben Rivel]

Man, cant imagine trying to lift and empty a full 55 gallon steel drum.

[Rod Sheridan]

I have a 35 gallon drum that I can barely lift when full of sawdust, planer shavings are no problem however 35 gallons of dust from particle board is heavy.........Rod.

[Darcy Warner]

Mine is 12 cu. Yards.

[Bill Adamsen]

Mine is 12 cu. Yards.

Dust collector bin envy ...

[Jim Becker]

Man, cant imagine trying to lift and empty a full 55 gallon steel drum.

Most folks use fiber or plastic drums, not steel. My 55 gallon fiber drum isn't "lightweight" when it's full, but it's not all that heavy, either. And I only need to actually lift it down one step from the shop and then just a few inches onto the bucket of my tractor.

[Mark Blatter]

Man, cant imagine trying to lift and empty a full 55 gallon steel drum.

At my old shop we had two large DCs and could fill them in quick order. We had 55 gallon drums on both and always used two people to empty them into the garbage dumpster. One person could never, realistically empty them. Suggest using a 35 gal drum or at least a plastic 55 drum.

[Martin Wasner]

Dust collector bin envy ...

I'm curious why so small. We make a relatively small amount of sawdust, we'd fill that in a busy month. If we were pounding stuff through a moulder hard, I don't think that'd make it to the end of the week.