Time for a Dust Collector

[jteneyck]

What are your needs?  Portable, stationary, connection to one machine or multiples simultaneously?  I have a 1200 CFM 2 HP Grizzly and it's not really adequate for my needs, and I'm looking to upgrade.  It is portable and would probably work fine if I moved it to each machine and connected it with a short length of hose, but I have it connected to a hard piped system and the static goes up enough that I've lost some flow.  It's still fine for one machine at a time use except with my new 17" bandsaw which can generate all kinds of sawdust when resawing thick stock.  The DC just doesn't have enough flow to pick up all of that dust.  I even removed the cyclone I had added to the system, which added a lot of pressure drop, and it still doesn't have enough flow.  

My calculations showed I needed about 700 - 800 CFM.  I bought a DC with 1200 CFM rating (maybe even a little higher).  The problem is the static pressure drop can add up in a hurry and you have to be very aware of that and size your DC accordingly.  Make sure you buy enough CFM at the static pressure drop you expect.   

The Laguna DC's look very nice to me, too, and I don't think they are outrageously priced.  I'd question the $500 additional cost for the HEPA filter, too, but doubt I would go that route anyway.

[GeorgeV]

What you don't say is how many and what stationary power tools you wish to hook up and how extensive the amount of sawdust you create.

I have a TS, BS, planer and router table that connect to a Dust Deputy and my Shop vac that has a HEPA filter. It works well for me. The Shop Vac has yet to be emptied and the canister for the DD is easy to empty. Connecting to which ever machine I am using is just a matter of a disconnect and a reconnect from one tool to another.

[Turner52]

I have a JDS 3 hp cyclone fully ducted with blast gates at all machines. Main runs are 6" with reducers at machines as fits the machine. Works great

[chizlr40]

dont forget to check out penn state industries. i have had my bag collector w/1micron filters for over 20 years. works great, not bad to unload and overall very pleased

[Cecil]

Thanks to all. some good info here.  I will look at reviews for the other DC's mentioned.  At this point, I think I am between Laguna and Onieda, leaning toward Laguna.

[vapochilled]

I had the HF with filter, worked well, very well.
Moved up to a large grizzly unit, never really used it much due to noise and power limitations in my shop.
I now have the 1.5hp laguna cyclone and could not be happier!
Very quiet and about enough suck for each tool, though I am slowly getting back to hand tools, go figure

[Ken Vick]

The tools I have that challenge my cyclone are the 20" planer, 26" dual drum sander and the 16" resaw bandsaw.  If you have any of these, you should not settle for less than a 15" impeller and a 16" would be better.  By the time you buy the cyclone you are looking at you and buy the filters, you are in the range of a much better cyclone.  The Clearvue comes with around 6' of stacked Wynn filters, 5 HP and 15" impellers for about that amount of money.  Going up to a 16" impeller costs a couple hundred dollars more.  

Another factor is the amount of woodworking you do.  Are you in the shop for several hours every day or only a couple hours a week?  If I were in the latter category, I would go with a 2 HP Grizzly and suffer the occasional bag emptying experience.  Ken

[EdL]

Oneida super dust gorilla, yea, it hurt the wallet. In the end I've never regretted it.

Did my ducting 8" to 7" spiral and then 6" s&d pvc with 4" hookups. Exhaust is 8" pvc going outdoors. Collection is a 55 gallon drum.

Ed

[thewalnutguy]

Had a Grizzly 3HP bag system for a few years. Finally broke loose with the $$ for an Oneida Gorilla cyclone. As I had a filter of the same design and size as the one that came with the Oneida, I added a second filter to it. Originally had PVC duct work, wasn't happy with that and went to steel, using common 6" and 4" straight (not spiral) duct. I've got about 60 linear feet of duct, with 20 blast gates. The planer is some distance removed from the cyclone, so I added a garbage can with plastic separator top right next to the planer. Have several extra garbage cans, really handy when the can fills to be able to quickly swap it for an empty and keep on working. For several of the 90 degree bends I did spend the extra dollars for large radius units rather than the hardware store variety adjustable elbows. I've got an X10 outlet module for the cyclone, and several X10 transmitters located throughout the shop, including a key fob style transmitter on the fence of the table saw. Have never regretted the money I spent for the Oneida cycle.

[MikeBob]

I have only skim read all here, but no one mentions micron size that I saw. Get the smallest micron filter if it is in the shop were you are breathing the air.