Dust Collection Question

[Corey Pionk]

I'm going to be using a portable dust collector for the time being until I save enough change for a bigger unit. So I will be dragging it from machine to machine. So my question is my machines have 3 different port sizes, a 6 inch, a 5 inch and a 4 inch. Now what is the best and cheapest way to hook up each machine separately at a time. The collector has one 6 inch port or two 4 inch ports. Now what will I need to be able to hook this thing up to each machine?

[glenn bradley]

You don't say what the machines are but with a 6" port on the machine, I'll assume it's a beast. The easiest method would be to adapt each machine to a 4" port as this is most likely the size of your portable anyway. As a temporary solution, it may work out.

[Bob Dodge]

Hi Corey,

If you're simply going to hook-up directly to your machine, just use a 6" flex-hose on your dc. On your 4" port machine, use a 4" to 6" "enlarger". Looks the same as a "reducer" but the crimps are on the large diameter. Same at the 5" port. Use a 5"-6" enlarger. You'll find these fittings in the HVAC dept of a well-stocked hardware store, often for $2.-$3.

Bob

[Jim Becker]

6" flex hose and an appropriate reducer at the ports that are smaller.

[Bob Dodge]

Hi Corey,

Another point. A small dc that can use a 6" hose, may not necessarily provide very strong suction in that 6" pipe. If you're going to hook-up "directly" for now, a 5" flex-hose will probably be more convenient, cheaper, and a lot easier to find. A lot easier to handle and work with too.

I bought a 16 foot long 6" urethane flex-hose, and it cost me an arm and a leg, and was very difficult to find. It's bulky and difficult to store, and total over-kill as far as I'm concerned. I regret buying it. I had bought it for my 3hp planer, which I have to move into position to use it.

Bob

[Bill Pentz]

Corey,

I truly hate these kinds of questions and the normal responses. If you bought a portable dust collector, then you actually bought a “chip collector” meaning a unit that is suitable for wheeling between machines with a short length of hose. Our whole hobbyist market and mentality is geared to this same “chip collection” with our tool ports, etc. all setup to handle the roughly 350 CFM airflow needed to do a pretty good job of keeping our floors clean of the sawdust and chips we would otherwise sweep up with a broom. Chip collectors used indoors invariably fill our shop and home air if attached with dangerously unhealthy amounts of fine airborne dust.

If you want to protect yourself and those close to you from this fine dust, you need to either work outside while wearing a good tight sealing NIOSH approved mask, or spend a lot of time and money to fix your tool ports and hoods, move at least 800 CFM at your larger tools and dustier woodworking operations, and get rid of the fine dust. Although the better 2 hp dust collectors will move ample air, most find keeping them outside too inconvenient and eventually end up buying a cyclone separator. Because filtering is a nightmare of problems and expenses, most find it best to just blow the fine dust away that comes out of their cyclones into the outside air. Otherwise, you need fine enough filters to protect your health and filters with enough surface area to keep them from rapidly self-destructing.

I refer you to my web pages for more information.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hey Bill how are you.

Corey, I bought a chip collector, and my workshop became much more dusty and gave me sneezing fits compared to when I just went ala natural, and used a broom.

I finally built a cyclone, you can see the whole deal on my website, under my user name.

It is one from Bill's design. It works so well, I giggle every time I open the clean out below the filter stack, and there is next to nothing in that clean out.

I've ran 500 or 600 gallons of dust through my cyclone (at least) and I've gotten about 1/2 of one teaspoon of super fine dust in my clean out.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, and yes it is, but it is worth it, my shop is so much cleaner now, it is not funny.

The Bag Chip Collector donated the motor and blower to my set up.

You only get one set of lungs.

Cheers!