Time for a Dust Collector

[Arlin Eastman]

There was a guy is wood power tools or this forum who got a new Laguna for Christmas and was going to sell his New never put together Clearvue for $1600 which is a steal if you ask me.
If you can find his post ask him if you are close or driving distance or 500 miles and you still save $$

[akertesz]

You can look at these cyclones as well. They get good reviews on multiple forums.
http://cycloneseparator.com/

[ez-duzit]

I've just purchased a used (supposedly like new) Grizzly 3hp, 220-volt, 2-bag collector that I plan on converting to a cyclone some day. Paid $250.

[TDKPE]

You can look at these cyclones as well. They get good reviews on multiple forums.
http://cycloneseparator.com/

They look like a good deal at $200 for a 'large' size with 6" inlet.

I plopped my '2 hp HFDC' blower on top of a Pentz cyclone that I built, and couldn't be happier.  But I opened the blower's inlet up to 9" dia., and adapted the out to an 8" flex which goes out a casement window.  6" main ducting to blast gates and smaller hose to stationary machines, except the lathe and radial saw, which have 6" ducts (need all the air you can get with those machines).

Problem with the HFDC is that the blower wheel is small, so the air flow curve (as a function of static pressure) drops fast with resistance.  But by opening it all up, I get higher current draw and air flow, to compensate for the extra resistance of the cyclone and ducting.

OP:  If it's a permanent item, then I'd spring for the cyclone, or a strong canister filter unit, and add a cyclone pre-separator.  Or build a Thein unit.  But cyclone separators are just that - separators.  Not filters.  Great for taking the chips and larger dust out of the stream (though mine actually collects sanding 'flour').  But no matter what, I'd want tight final filtration, or vent it outdoors.  Or both, with blast gates or Y-valve to select, based on weather.  Breathing dust is a drag, and while no DC system is perfect, I'd still want the best I could manage. 

And add some extra ventilation (window or wall exhaust fan), and/or open the overhead door and aim a big floor fan out the door if in a garage and the weather permits.

And wear a respirator when feasible.

[Billbo]

I'm another guy that had a portable collector on wheels and later upgraded to a cyclone system.

After much research (and hand wringing) I bought the Oneida V 3000 (3HP Leeson motor) with HEPA filter.
- I bought it 7 years ago - $1500 (with a wall mount, fiber drum, and some accessories).

I sent Oneida a drawing of my shop and tools and had them design the pipe layout.
-- 6" steel pipe with blast gates (3) and short 6" flexible pipe reduced to 4" where it connects to a machine. 

I typically only run 1 tool at a time and have the other blast gates closed.
- The Oneida handles all my tools with ease (8" jointer, 15" planer, band saw, 19" drum sander, 10" table saw, router table, shaper).

Like others have mentioned the Oneida with the Leeson motor is fairly quiet. (A big, big plus.)

The Laguna looks pretty good, and I like the collector/drum release mechanism - could be a plus in your decision making process.

Best of luck on your "tool hunt."

[5thumbs]

I'm confused. How do you hook up a dust collector to a hand saw or a bit and brace?

[TDKPE]

I'm confused. How do you hook up a dust collector to a hand saw or a bit and brace?

By using a one-man Cone of Silence hooked to the DC, of course.

   

[Cecil]

I'm confused. How do you hook up a dust collector to a hand saw or a bit and brace?

The problem is that I have been using my Bit and Brace dust collection system for my power tools.  It leaves a lot to be desired.  Besides that, the bristles are getting short on the ole dust collector.

[Cecil]

I've just purchased a used (supposedly like new) Grizzly 3hp, 220-volt, 2-bag collector that I plan on converting to a cyclone some day. Paid $250.

For $250 I would buy the Grizzly and build a Thein too!

[Arlin Eastman]

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.

What is "Static Pressure"?