Bought 4" PVC Schedule 40 - did I mess up?

[Dean Karavite]

Hello All,

Sorry for the newbie question. I was practically given a 1.5 HP dust collector (JDS with a 1 micron bag and a cyclone lid/garbage can) and though it is going to be very close to my table saw and router, I need to make a run to my sander, miter saw and a few other things. I bought a selection of gates and adapters at Woodcraft plus adapters that are supposed to fit 4" PVC perfectly.

I went to Lowes today and bought a mess of 4" PVC pipe and Ys... and it turns out the Woodcrafter adapters will not fit. The pipe I bought is SCH 40 and it seems the adapter was made for SCH 20 (duh, noticed that too late). However, I sure didn't seem to see any other selection of 4" PVC laying around Lowes. Quite honestly it will be easier (and more fun) to go back to Woodcraft vs. going back to Lowes to exchange, but are there adapters and options for working with SCH 40? Of course I cut one of my 10' pieces of pipe before realizing all this...

The ID of my SCH 40 pipe is 4" on the nose. Is SCH 20 not 4" ID?

P.S. My friend I got my DC from just got a new Penn Industries 3 HP cyclone and I helped him hang at least 25 feet of very heavy 6" pipe in a 14 foot ceiling. Man was that fun. I think he spent a fortune on the PVC and also got the thicker pipe. However, he is a pro carpenter, I am not. So, should I have some fun and tell him he could have saved $ and effort with the thinner wall pipe?

[Dean Karavite]

Now I am starting to wonder if 4" metal pipes would be better. I worked with them on a tricky drier run and it was very easy. Though everyone seems to say PVC is cheap, I'm not so sure now.

[Ryan Cassidy]

Check out the Sewer and Drain Pipe (S&D), it's cheaper than normal PVC, Thinner and much lighter. HD by me has it for about $6.50 a 10ft stick. Lowes definitely should have it.

Depending on the gates you bought, the ones I got from ptreeusa.com fit inside my 4" S&D pipe. I just put a bead of silicone and slipped them in there. It's not a terribly tight fit (hence the need for silicone), but it works great!

They do make adapters for a DC to PVC, but with all the ID, OD and different OD measurements between SD and Sch 40 I had about enough and just used the above method. 4" PVC hose from ptreeusa.com fits around the S&D for transition to the DC if you are curious as well.

Cheers,
Ryan

[Jim Becker]

Schedule 40 is not what you want if you're going to use PVC. You want the thinwall "sewer and drain" version. Schedule 40 is more expensive and heavier to work with, too.

BTW, keep in mind that the max CFM you can pull through 4" duct is about 300-350 CFM. If your DC can accommodate larger duct, you'll be better served by that and just reduce at the tool. Most of these mass produced collectors have a larger inlet typically behind a dual 4" wye.

[Dean Karavite]

Thanks to both of you.

I really think I am going to use metal. I actually have some left over pipe for my dryer and I pulled it out and it would work fine. Also, don't have to worry about grounding and all that.

Alas, now you have me thinking about going 6" all the way up to the tools, but I have one issue. I am using a garbage can lid cyclone directly in front of the DC, and it has 4" connectors. I have seen this DC work pretty well in a larger shop with 4" to everything, so I think I might just go with the 4" metal and see how it works. Since I have only a 1.5 HP DC, can I actually use vent pipe from Lowes? Is there any risk of it compressing? If I always have one gate open to a tool, I'm not sure I have to worry about it - right?

Anyone need two five foot pieces of SCH 40 4" PVC? :-)

P.S. So my friend with the 6" heavy duty PVC really blew it didn't he. That stuff was very heavy and he must have bought $600 of it with all those Ts, wye/s bends... ! I cant wait to tell him! Hey, what are buddies for if not to hassle each other now and again.

[Don Bullock]

...
P.S. So my friend with the 6" heavy duty PVC really blew it didn't he. That stuff was very heavy and he must have bought $600 of it with all those Ts, wye/s bends... ! I cant wait to tell him! Hey, what are buddies for if not to hassle each other now and again.

Just make sure you stand more than an arm's distance from him when you break the news.

[Duncan Horner]

Given he'll be near a bunch of 10' PVC, I'd stand at arm's-distance+10'

[Dean Karavite]

I'm letting him know by phone today! Gees, the guy is a great carpenter and makes really nice stuff, so I assumed he was on the right track here and that is why I bought the same stuff in the 4". Now, of course, I know better. A little research... when will I learn?

Seriously, any comments on my wanting to use metal instead of PVC? Can I use the metal 4" pipe they sell at Lowes for heating? Like I said, it is just one leg about 14 feet to a miter saw, disk sander and maybe one extra hose to use to pick up after a drill press on a bench. For the table saw and router table, I am 6 feet away from the DC and can just connect directly with the 4" clear stuff.

By the way, as an added option for my shop, I also scored a Delta Shop Master Air Cleaner, in the box and free. See pic below. So, if my little 1.5 and 4" pipe doesn't provide all the power I might have, it seems this will also contribute to keeping the shop air cleaner overall, right?

[John Keeton]

Dean, hvac 26 ga. will work great. But, I would go with 6". Cost difference is minimal - maybe not much difference at all and 6" should be readily available. The miter saw and disc sander will both produce a lot of dust, and I would prefer to install ducting that will have some future expansion capabilities. At some point, you may have a larger DC unit, or more tools. Just my thoughts.

[jerry nazard]

Dean,

John is right. I'll second the vote for 6" pipe.

-Jerry

[Scott Myers]

Yep, 6". That's my vote.

[Jim Becker]

I really think I am going to use metal. I actually have some left over pipe for my dryer and I pulled it out and it would work fine. Also, don't have to worry about grounding and all that.

You need 26 gage metal. Dryer pipe will collapse "very quickly" and even 30 gage HVAC pipe is subject to collapse in DC systems. 26 gage is sometimes referred to as "stove pipe". Note that HVAC laterals (wyes) are constructed backwards for DC flows.

On the grounding, there is no need to "ground" the PVC, either. There is no danger from any static charge outside of discomfort to your person.

[Bob Hallowell]

Dean I would go with 6" you can make a new garbage can lid- I would use Phil Thiens design. You can do a search and make it work for you.

Bob

[Dean Karavite]

Okay guys, I got it. I will go with 6"! Seems I have a lot of returns to make at both Lowes and Woodcraft! Seems Woodcraft only carries 4" and 2.5" - can anyone recommend sources for the various 6" adapters/fittings... I will need? Again, sorry for these newbie questions, but quite a few people have led me down this 4" path. I am starting to understand the whole concept here.

[Dean Karavite]

Sorry for the bump, but I need just a little more help. I have searched and am not finding any promising suppliers of adapters and such for 6" let alone 5". Plenty of people make a wide range of things for 4", so are there similar suppliers for 6"? I know some of you guys are hard core, but machining my own gates, 6" to 4" adapters... isn't a viable option. :-)