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+-- Thread: I need more power from the dust collector (/showthread.php?tid=7329001)
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RE: I need more power from the dust collector - jteneyck - 03-26-2017
Your video was very informative, and suggests to me that your ductwork is far too small. It looks like 4". That might be OK for the first couple of machines, but not for the long distance you have it run all the way around to your jointer. Very nice job installing it all, but I think it's far too small. And running up to the ceiling and then back down, as others have said, is another handicap. It would be much better to run it waist high or at floor level. Frankly, with as small as your DC is, it would be better to use it as a portable unit; put it on casters and wheel it from one machine to another with as short length of 4" hose to connect it to each machine. Not as pretty, but more effective.
I just went through my 2 HP DC to improve the airflow to my bandsaw. I had removed my cyclone to get more flow a few months ago, because it added about a 4" pressure drop to my system. That helped but it still wasn't enough; the filter bags were still a problem. I had 11" of pressure drop near the fan inlet w/o the bags, but only maybe 6" with them and by the time I got over to my BS it was down to less than 2". So after looking at all those commercial cyclone systems, I took my DC apart and installed the fan directly on top of the cyclone, with about an 8" inlet between the two. Then I by bypassed the filter bags, increased the exhaust hose from 5" to 6", and ran the hose out a window, as TDKPE described. The cyclone gets all the chips and almost all the visible dust. Those changes gave me 5" of pressure drop at my BS and that works well for good dust collection. Of course I have to open a window to provide make up air now, but it works really well, cost very little to do, and is the healthiest option of all.
Make yourself a simple water manometer from a piece of clear hose and measure the pressure drop throughout your system. Those values will tell you what actions to take, and you can use it to measure the effectiveness of those changes.
John
RE: I need more power from the dust collector - rwe2156 - 03-28-2017
What he ^ said was spot on. First thing that I noticed was ducts too small and too long for that size blower.
I would add that DC is not only about what's coming in, but what's going out. Those cheap filter bags are not too good for a closed in shop. A cannister would be much better. Be sure to keep your respirator close by :-)
I think its better to use a mobile shop vac + cyclone to collect miter saw, router, and sander.
RE: I need more power from the dust collector - Strokes77 - 03-28-2017
Could it be simply that your biggest dust producer is at the end of your system? What if you re-do it so that the jointer/planer is near the front of the line?
RE: I need more power from the dust collector - ez-duzit - 03-28-2017
(03-26-2017, 02:20 PM)jteneyck Wrote: ...your ductwork is far too small...
Tiny ducting.
RE: I need more power from the dust collector - TDKPE - 03-29-2017
You guys are right - I thought it was just choked to 4" with corrugated flex at the inlet, but on closer inspection the whole network is 4". Smooth-walled, but small.
RE: I need more power from the dust collector - fredhargis - 03-29-2017
Ahmed, was any of this useful? Did you come up with a plan? Just curious.