Dust Col. Adapters: what works? 4" to 2-1/4 OD or 2-1/4 OD

[Dennis Leahy]

In my case, having just completed the PVC run, I will not be making any changes immediately. If there was a way to cut out a 6" x 4" wye, and replace it with a 6"x 6" wye, and run a 6" flex hose for the (future) drum sander, I would do it. However, since my shop is so small, I literally have back-to-back-to-back fittings. To go up the wall where the dust collector sits, across one wall (under a window) up to the ceiling (abutting a soffit covering the house's HVAC ducting), and then take a 90° turn down the other wall, I have a 45°, 45°, wye, wye, 45°, 45°, 45°, 45°, wye all connected with just enough 6" sewer pipe to glue them together. I can't remove and replace any one piece, so I literally would have to start over with the PVC to get 6" wyes in-place. The cost difference would really only have been in purchasing 6" flex hose down to the machines, and probably some adapters to drop from 6" to the machine port sizes. So, like I said, I'm a bit pissed off that I didn't spend more time on Penz's site or ask a few more questions. Then again, I wonder if the Grizzly G0548Z, with its supposed 1700CFM max and 10" static pressure max would really have moved enough air once the 1 micron filter canister was micro-clogged with real-world dust. If that unit, at its "doable" price point, is honestly not up to the task, then once again, I would be stuck collecting most of the dust and only a percentage of the finest particles.

I think what Bill is trying to tell me is that I won't see any dust. I think what Alan is trying to say is to underscore Bill Penz's words, and make me realize that I could have done better with larger ducting, and that there will still be invisible dust particles in the air. And, at this point in the life of my wallet, that means either scrounging for a fan, buying a pleated/pocket filter and some pre-filters and build an air cleaner, or start saving up for a commercial air cleaner unit. I wonder if this cheap one at Grizzly is a waste of money: http://www.grizzly.com/products/g5955

Dennis

[Bill Arnold]

... I think what Bill is trying to tell me is that I won't see any dust. I think what Alan is trying to say is to underscore Bill Penz's words, and make me realize that I could have done better with larger ducting, and that there will still be invisible dust particles in the air. ...

Alan has been quoting Pentz's site almost verbatim - nothing wrong with that. There are good points about what both of them are saying but there's also something to be considered in real life situations. Experiences of other woodworkers in their shops should carry as much or more weight than speaking to the pure engineering aspects of a DC system.

In my case, I get excellent collection from the 4" port at the bottom of my tablesaw cabinet. I've added collection above the blade as well. There is no cloud of dust around the saw. Now, when I ran duct to my tablesaw, I took 6" to a 6-5-4 wye under the bench behind the saw. The 5" side runs to a 5" blast gate only a few inches away from the 4" port on the saw. I did this so that, at some point, I can increase the port size on the saw. That modification has taken a back seat to everything else because I don't have the "cloud of dust" surrounding my saw.

For my miter saw, I have a 5" duct off a wye on the 6" main. It feeds to a 5" blast gate and 5" pipe runs to the bottom of my MS dust containment box. I stayed with 5" in this case because the side of the box is MDF that I could cut out easily. I can tell no difference in dust containment between having the 5" hard duct and a 4" flex that I had run to the containment box originally. When I cut a piece of MDF without the DC on, there's a cloud of very fine dust billowing out of the upper portion of the containment box and drifting around the room. With either the original 4" or the 5" I now have running to the box, the fines are drawn into the box and DC pipe immediately.

My system allows me to have multiple ports on a branch open simultaneously. Quite often, I'll have the MS and TS gates open as I work between them. I see no appreciable reduction in dust control in that situation.

You can see my overall duct system (as approved by Oneida) as well as certain details on my website by clicking on my name above, then clicking into my site.

[Steve Milito]

I think what Bill is trying to tell me is that I won't see any dust. I think what Alan is trying to say is to underscore Bill Penz's words, and make me realize that I could have done better with larger ducting, and that there will still be invisible dust particles in the air. And, at this point in the life of my wallet, that means either scrounging for a fan, buying a pleated/pocket filter and some pre-filters and build an air cleaner, or start saving up for a commercial air cleaner unit. I wonder if this cheap one at Grizzly is a waste of money: http://www.grizzly.com/products/g5955

Dennis

My shop has no windows and no cross ventilation. The whole shop will fill with a haze of fine dust in a matter of minutes. Using a single stage DC with a bag filter only make things worse, and fills the room with dust in a matter of seconds. Therefore I bought the Jet air filter which is similar to the Griz above. There is no way you can remove fine dust fast enough once it is finely dispersed in the air. It does help with the fine dust that settles everywhere after making working in the shop, but the shop still gets very hazy. I've concluded, that if I want my shop to be safe and enjoyable, I need to catch as much dust as I can from the source. Thus, I'm shopping for a cyclone.