Where to buy duct?

[wayne ateser]

Where is the cheapest place to purchase 4" duct and fittings for a dust collection system. This could be galvanized pipe or PVC, whatever is cheapest.

[Jim Becker]

PVC sewer and drain will be the least cost in most cases...your local 'borg or a pumbing supplier. Check the yellow pages. But 4" is also a bit small outside of some drops...to tools. In many cases, 6" duct is preferable for a main duct. Dust collection is all about moving air at a given velocity and at low pressure. Small duct can only hold so much air.

[wayne ateser]

thats a good tip. 6" will be fine....i just need to eventually get it to 4" at the motor. I see Lowes only shows 4" pipe. Its reasonably priced at $0.56/ft so piping the garage would be inexpensive.

[Matt Guyrd]

Jim...in the case of the single-stage HF DC, which has a 5" inlet with a 4" wye, should one take the wye off and run 6" hose to the equipment using some type of reducer, or stick with 5" runs to the machines?

Thanks.
Matt

[Jim Becker]

Absolutely take the wye off! Personally, I'd go with 5" if that's what the inlet maxes out at 5" (must use metal in that case) or make a new inlet that's 6". (My original Oneida cyclone was spec'ed at 5" for the most part and most of the critical drops in my shop remain at 5". The main's upgraded to 7" branching to 6" with the larger system) 5" duct can handle moving substantialy more air than 4" at the same velocity; the same being true of 6" over 5". But this is just general discussion...there is good information on sizing available on the Internet, both privately created and by certain vendors as well as some resources published in past issues of the magazines and books on dust collection.

[Mike Weaver]

If you want to learn more than you ever wanted to know about Dust Collection, peruse Bill Pentz's site (under "Dust Collection & Cyclones"):
http://www.billpentz.com/

-Mike

[wayne ateser]

If you want to learn more than you ever wanted to know about Dust Collection, peruse Bill Pentz's site (under "Dust Collection & Cyclones"):
http://www.billpentz.com/

-Mike

Yea. I read his DC info. Lots of incredible great info. Thats why I got the DC and am buying a .5 micron filter for it. I just dont want to spend more on the ducting then in the vaccumm filter and thats why Im just trying to find the cheapest pipe. A 10' section of the smooth bore flex costs more then the DC.

[Jim O'Dell]

If you decide to go 6" PVC, most of us had/have a hard time finding it. Look at the plumbing suppliers. Needs to be a fairly big yard. I found 1 in Fort Worth that had it, but didn't know it by S&D 2729, even tho that is stamped on the side of the pipe!! Ask for thin wall sewer and drain, gravity feed pipe. I paid 1.86 per foot for the first 2 pieces I bought, then when I went back, I talked with a different guy and he gave it to me for 0.94 per foot!! The third time I took the receipt with me and a different guy turned and asked the guy from before if that was the right price, he looked at it and said "Yea, I gave him a deal on it. You're the guy with the big stereo system and the dogs, aren't you? It's ok, sell at that" But the 1.86/ft seems to be the more normal price. If you live near Texas, let me know, I'll send you a link to the company I got mine from, they have outlets in all the states that touch the Texas border. Jim.

[wayne ateser]

thats good input. I'll do a yellow pages on irrigation supply, then plumbing supply and call to inquire and use the key words you mentioned "thin wall sewer and drain, gravity feed pipe". Im in LA area. The BillPentz site also has a description of making your own fittings with the PVC by heating and stretching.

DId they have a collection of fittings too. Ill need to get from 6" to 4" at each station.

[Al Killian]

I cut a larger opening on my HF dc. Penn state ind. sells metal hoods with a adheasive back. I put this in place of the 5" and made a big differencs in air flow.

[Matt Guyrd]

Jim and Al...thanks for the insite on the HF mods. I hope to take possession of the DC this afternoon, assuming the local brick and mortar has it in stock.

Matt

[Paul Wingert]

I paid 1.86 per foot for the first 2 pieces I bought, then when I went back, .

I pay about $2.50 a foot for 6" PVC.. It's not cheap, but I guess it encourgages you to make small runs and minimize turns.

[walter stellwagen]

Check the yellow pages for Hercules industries 6" spiral heavy duty pipe is cheaper and a good deal easier to work with (plus other fittings work) . They are in the hvac business, Comercial but they sell retail a lot cheaper than any DC suppliers

Walt

[wayne ateser]

Check the yellow pages for Hercules industries 6" spiral heavy duty pipe is cheaper and a good deal easier to work with (plus other fittings work) . They are in the hvac business, Comercial but they sell retail a lot cheaper than any DC suppliers

Walt

Cheaper then the Sewer and drain PVC pipe?

[Pete Brown]

Just make sure your fittings aren't 90* turns. You want more of a wye shape. You may get lucky by purchasing commercial fittings/wyes and supplying your own straight runs.

Pete