Dust Collector

[Mike 55]

Hi,

I have a garage shop now. Before I moved to our retirement home I had a Oneida Dust Gorilla that was piped throughout my shop. That system really sucked. LOL

That would not fit into a small 2 car garage. I have a dust deputy rigged to a Rigid vacuum and it does a good job on small tools but it can't do the job on my tablesaw and 13" planer. I looked at the Grizzly 1 and 1/2 HP units. It's small enough and would fit but in my first shop I had a similar unit and emptying that bag was a pain. I don't see where you can replace it with a barrel like on a Oneida.

What do you garage shop guys have? I need it portable and about the the size of the units above 22 X 33 and 115v. 

Thanks 

Mike

[Murray M]

Hi Mike,

I'm somewhat new to DC--I just got my first Oneida cyclone and am trying to find the time to install it [although all the new filter parts just came in!]--but since nobody has responded I'll give you my .02. 

1) I really love Craigslist for DC. Particularly now in a pandemic there's just lots of shops that are retooling, relocating or needing to shed some stuff [by the way: big salute to the members here who are in this position]. This route usually allows you to afford a much better solution than if you were buying new. 

2) If you're in a place where CL is limited, or your needs are too snow flaked, or you/ve got money to burn then you've got a wide amount of options. Harbor Freight has highly recommended DC solutions that many members here love--this is easily the best bang for the buck. Grizzly is a decent step up and also has a wide following here. And sounds like you're familiar with Oneida--easily one of the best solutions if you have the money (and they have plenty that fit in your garage). 

3) DC is a rabbit hole. For proof visit Pentz's amazing [and somewhat controversial depending on who you talk to] book-in-the-shape-of-a-website. To save you some time reading his, ahem, generous volume of words: buy a more powerful DC than you think you need. Said in plain English: if you think you need a $500 solution then you should get a $1500 solution [or more if you want to follow his advise closely]. 

4) Which is why heading to CL is the best bet for most people. The truth is that DC isn't a fun purchase [at least not for me]. Most people buy DC to make a problem go away. In other words: they want a solution that becomes invisible. The ugly truth is that to get to "invisible" you need to spend more money then anyone wants to really consider when you're new to the game. It's so attractive to just spend $150 on the Harbor freight and consider the problem solved--and it's so unattractive to do that and still have a problem with dust...

5) The reason why Pentz is so over-the-top is for health reasons. Nobody in woodworking wants to talk about this [at least I don't]. But it is what it is: dust isn't so good for us [and some dust is WAY BAD]. So my recommendation to you and everyone: consider spending more money than you want to spend. Good health is also invisible.

[Mike 55]

Hi Mike,

I'm somewhat new to DC--I just got my first Oneida cyclone and am trying to find the time to install it [although all the new filter parts just came in!]--but since nobody has responded I'll give you my .02. 

1) I really love Craigslist for DC. Particularly now in a pandemic there's just lots of shops that are retooling, relocating or needing to shed some stuff [by the way: big salute to the members here who are in this position]. This route usually allows you to afford a much better solution than if you were buying new. 

2) If you're in a place where CL is limited, or your needs are too snow flaked, or you/ve got money to burn then you've got a wide amount of options. Harbor Freight has highly recommended DC solutions that many members here love--this is easily the best bang for the buck. Grizzly is a decent step up and also has a wide following here. And sounds like you're familiar with Oneida--easily one of the best solutions if you have the money (and they have plenty that fit in your garage). 

3) DC is a rabbit hole. For proof visit Pentz's amazing [and somewhat controversial depending on who you talk to] book-in-the-shape-of-a-website. To save you some time reading his, ahem, generous volume of words: buy a more powerful DC than you think you need. Said in plain English: if you think you need a $500 solution then you should get a $1500 solution [or more if you want to follow his advise closely]. 

4) Which is why heading to CL is the best bet for most people. The truth is that DC isn't a fun purchase [at least not for me]. Most people buy DC to make a problem go away. In other words: they want a solution that becomes invisible. The ugly truth is that to get to "invisible" you need to spend more money then anyone wants to really consider when you're new to the game. It's so attractive to just spend $150 on the Harbor freight and consider the problem solved--and it's so unattractive to do that and still have a problem with dust...

5) The reason why Pentz is so over-the-top is for health reasons. Nobody in woodworking wants to talk about this [at least I don't]. But it is what it is: dust isn't so good for us [and some dust is WAY BAD]. So my recommendation to you and everyone: consider spending more money than you want to spend. Good health is also invisible.

Money is not so much of an issue. Space is. With a 2 car garage that I keep the car in I have limited space for the tools I have. One wall has my Grizzly tablesaw with folding outfeed table, a 48" mobile tool chest that has my mitersaw and drill press, then comes my mobile oscillator sander. rigid vacuum. The other wall has wood storage wall mounted, tool chest, 13" dewalt planer and work bench. See, not much room for a Oneida DC. I had a 3500 sq ft basement for my old shop up north with 10' ceiling. Oneida at the time designed my system for free. I live in a 55 + community with a 10,000 sq ft shop. I use it for some things but it's a pain to drive there each time I need to do work. Plus it's not open everyday. The Grizzley I mentioned above like all the others in that category don't have a barrel just those bags that are a pain to empty.

[packerguy®]

Hi,

I have a garage shop now. Before I moved to our retirement home I had a Oneida Dust Gorilla that was piped throughout my shop. That system really sucked. LOL

That would not fit into a small 2 car garage. I have a dust deputy rigged to a Rigid vacuum and it does a good job on small tools but it can't do the job on my tablesaw and 13" planer. I looked at the Grizzly 1 and 1/2 HP units. It's small enough and would fit but in my first shop I had a similar unit and emptying that bag was a pain. I don't see where you can replace it with a barrel like on a Oneida.

What do you garage shop guys have? I need it portable and about the the size of the units above 22 X 33 and 115v. 

Thanks 

Mike

I have that in 450 sqft. Whats the issue?

I had the Mini-Gorilla Cyclone before and maybe that will fit the bill if you liked the Dust Deputy. The mini doesnt "suck" as much, but for something that runs on 110v, its nice. Just keep the filter clean often. Has the barrel like you're looking for too.... 
 

[Mike 55]

I have that in 450 sqft. Whats the issue?

I had the Mini-Gorilla Cyclone before and maybe that will fit the bill if you liked the Dust Deputy. The mini doesnt "suck" as much, but for something that runs on 110v, its nice. Just keep the filter clean often. Has the barrel like you're looking for too.... 
 

I took a quick look at the Mini Gorilla. I thought by the looks of it that it would be too big. To my surprise it's 24 3/4 X 28 about the size of the Grizzly I was looking at. Yea, it's 5 times the cost but after owning a 3HP Oneida I know the quality is there. 

Thanks for making me take a harder look. I have a few questions about it and will call them tomorrow.

Thanks

Mike

[lincmercguy]

I ended up with a 2hp Laguna C Flux when I got more space and I have been happy with it. Some say the compact cyclones don't separate as well as the big ones, but I have yet to have to empty the filter bag. My old DC was the 2hp Grizzly regular style with a Wynn filter. While it did the job, emptying was a pain and it needed to be emptied often.  Hard to complain since I sold it for what I had in it.

The Laguna is loud, but that's not an issue for me. Suction is definitely better than the Grizzly.  I still wear my mask for things that kick up dust like sanding and saw blades. I also either open up the shop or run the air cleaner. (Having doors on both ends is nice).  Honestly though, while the Laguna is a bit bulkier than the Grizzly,  the footprint is only slightly larger.

[Cabinet Monkey]

Some say the compact cyclones font separate as well as the big ones, but I have yet to have to empty the filter bag.

This is true.   It's simply a matter of physics, and your experience doesn't alter that.

The short cyclones may serve a purpose and separate better than a ringed collector ( physics again) , but they just don't separate as well as a cyclone with a taller cone.

[lincmercguy]

This is true.   It's simply a matter of physics, and your experience doesn't alter that.

The short cyclones may serve a purpose and separate better than a ringed collector ( physics again) , but they just don't separate as well as a cyclone with a taller cone.

Could be, I haven't had a tall cyclone, but it doesn't seem to be so much more that it causes a problem for a hobbiest.  Or maybe I'm just so much happier not having to clean out the ringed collector so often.  
  Either way, as a hobbiest, I'm happy with a cyclone that would fit in a garage.

[Cabinet Monkey]

Could be, I haven't had a tall cyclone, but it doesn't seem to be so much more that it causes a problem for a hobbiest.  Or maybe I'm just so much happier not having to clean out the ringed collector so often.  
  Either way, as a hobbiest, I'm happy with a cyclone that would fit in a garage.

You know the old saying.......ignorance is bliss.


It's not that those kinds of cyclones don't work, they just don't work as well a properly designed one.  There's clearly a market for them too.

[kurt18947]

I use a single stage collector with a Wynn cartridge filter. I made a Thien baffle to fit between the top and bottom sections. It's not perfect, especially with real fine dust but virtually no larger particles make it to the filter. For emptying, I empty when the clear bag is half full or less, dump it into a black trash bag. It's easier to maneuver the bag when it isn't as full and I can reuse the clear bag. I think having the chips further from the baffle also helps with separation. Another trick I found when replacing the clear bag was to hold it in place with duct tape then fasten the clamp, takes one less hand that way. I also lined the clamp's mating surface with adhesive back felt weather stripping. I think the seal is better that way.  The short cone cyclones weren't around when I got this but I'm not tempted to upgrade right now. I'd have to redo my modest DC plumbing and it's just not worth it. If I spent more time in the shop maybe.