Dust Collection question - putting it above you

[Chuck Trisdale]

I have been reading this forum for quite a while, but have finally found a need to ask a question. I have appreciated the many tips that I have been able to find in this forum, and also the great projects that you guys have done.

Although not new at all to woodworking - I am new to Dust collection. I have been creating nice MDF powder on my Garage floor for years now. I (and the wife of course) have finally had it with sweeping the stuff up and have gone with the JDS 1.5 HP system. Well it comes in today, and I will be installing it over the next couple of days.

Here is my question. I have 2 good places to put it. I have a storage area right off the garage that would be a good place to put it. I could run 4 inch up to the ceiling, through the wall and drop to about 3 work stations (only using one a t a time with blast gates on the unused ones.

The other option I am hoping would work is this: I have a powered attic right above my garage. I would love to put it up there and run a switch to the garage. I could just break a 4 inch hose through the ceiling and then out to workstations. That sounds great to me, except this gravity thing. I have never used a true dust collector - so I dont know if it will pull up like that.

For that matter I am also not sure of the 1st scenario either. I would go UP to the ceiling first and then down to stations in that one. Also there would be more distance on the hose. Anyway, I will appreciate any responses for this dust collection novice!

Again thanks for all the direction you guys gave me in the past without knowing it!

[Bart Leetch]

I would recommend that with a 1.5 Hp system you keep you duct as close to the floor as possible because its easier to suck down then up. I have a 2 HP system & have run it this way for several years. I have a friend that has the same system & runs it all overhead & even he has noticed the difference of how my system works compared to his. Plus it real easy to just lay it on the floor beside the wall & with PVC this also seems to ground it. I've never had static discharge off of my PVC.

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to SMC!

Gravity does not apply in dust collection. You are moving air in volume over a specific time at a particular velocity. The moving air is what carries the dust and chips along. Vertical "lifting" isn't a factor as the actual weight of the dust and chips is nearly ziltch. What you need to be more concerned with is returning the air back to your shop if you mount the system "upstairs"...

[Duan Packard]

I would think about the problem of emptying the DC.
Quite a bit of weight can be collected with the DC and then there is the problem of moving/emptying the dust bag.

[Chuck Trisdale]

I have open stairs going to that attic space (which makes heating in the winter a pain - but helps in this case), so the air return should be OK, I think.

Duan I need the exercise so dumping this thing can only help!!

I think I will at least try it up there, since it does make a corner to get to where it would sit (so it would help with noise some). Although, hopefully it wont be nearly as loud as the shop vac. I only used it sporadically since it was so loud.