Dust collection system

[Stephanie ODell]

I am new to this whole forum thing. I have a question about Dust collection systems and I don't know where to ask it.
My husband wants someone to help refine his Oneida Air Filter system in the workshop. We live in the Dallas area. He has a dust collection system in place, but wants to improve the attachments to his tools.

This is his Christmas present. Thanks!

[Mike Armstrong]

Have you contacted the Oneida people? If you bought from them, they'll prepare a design based on your shop layout - a good place to start whether you buy the hardware from them or DIY. There are also some tips on their website and I'll be glad to pass along some as well. I took their design suggestions and worked from there.

What size system do you have and specific tools are you interested in hooking up?

Mike

[Jim O'Dell]

Hi Stephanie! Welcome to the Creek!
Attachments to the individual pieces of equipment is a tough one. Is your husband in on this gift? or is this a surprise? The other thing, if we knew which tools he is looking to upgrade the dust collection on, it might help. But, with that said, many tools will require custom built hoods or pick ups to work as well as possible. If he doesn't have an overhead pickup/guard for the table saw, there are a few out there for sale. I hear good things about the Excalibur unit. Others here can point out the different ones that are available. If for a miter saw, that's a tough one to collect dust from. There is something commercially available called a Big Bulp, I think, but most people build their own.
So help us by telling us what the equipment in question is, and I bet you'll get a lot of possibilities. One other thing to try is the Woodworking Show is here this weekend, at the Arlington Convention Center. See http://www.thewoodworkingshows.com/dallasftworth/buy for information. You might get some ideas there, not sure. Good luck in your search! Oh, and I really like your last name!! Jim.

[Bob Dodge]

Hi Stephanie,

If your hubby is in on this project, have him contact me, and I'll be more than happy to help him design his lay-out. If it's a surprise, then I'll need some information from you.

Generally, I tend to approach each machine individually. We need to identify the problem areas in order to implement a proper solution. By far, the biggest error most people make, is using incorrect pipe diameters. This creates unnecessarily high velocity and resistance in the pipes, and reduces overall airflow into the machine-hoods. Under-sized pipe can cripple an otherwise stellar-performing dc. These solutions are often the cheapest and easiest to implement.

Oneida provides an excellent duct-layout service, however, unless the customer specifically identifies a special requirement, they'll provide a design based solely on machine-port size. They won't necessarily optimize the layout. That's usually just a communication problem between the client, and Oneida. If the client says "I want a 4" drop to this machine", that's what they'll give you. Often, that client has underestimated his/her requirement at that machine. I've re-designed quite a few of their layouts, and often, it's a very minor tweek here and there. Overall, they do an excellent job.

I'd need the model of the dust-collector, a list of machines being served by the dc, and a description of the duct-network. I'd have to know the pipe diameters as well.

Bob

[Cameron Reddy]

Stephanie, Bob is expert at this stuff, and he will work his tail off helping you.

I suspect from your post that your husband is not satisfied with the collection that occurs using the designed-in ports on his various machines. Even with a well-designed system, and a very powerful dust collector, some dust manages to fly off in one direction or another. On a tablesaw, dust gets thrown from the blade out the front, and off the top, of the table. In this case I put a wye connector upstream of the saw and I run a hose into the table saw port AND a hose to a Loc-Line (that's a brand of a unique segmented hose that can be moved around and stays put where you move it). I have a stand to which the Loc-Line is attached, and I move the Loc-Line around as necessary to catch dust coming off the front of the table. I have a similar setup for several of my power tools. And this works very, very well. See http://www.loc-line.com/application/index.html#