Yet another dust collection version

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  • Carlos
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2004
    • 1893
    • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

    Yet another dust collection version

    I've lost count of how many DC changes we've done over the years, but now I think I found the One True Solution (tm).

    I'm in the process of building an outdoor mini shed for the cyclone and motor/blower. The enclosure is 2' x 5' and made from 2x4s and 23/32 ply. I'm simply housing an Oneida steel cyclone with a 17 gallon container and a 3HP motor with a 12" blower. I could have made it smaller if I let the tubing protrude or used sharp bends. But being able to make gentle bends, keep the tubing protected, and have quick-disconnect capability for emptying the cyclone meant more space. I plan to leave a gap from the sides to the base for the air to flow out. I will not have any secondary filters; the cyclone is the only filter. This means new air will always be flowing down past the motor and out.

    My reasonings for the design choices:

    1. Reduce noise in the shop. I hate wearing PPE. I want to remove dust so I don't have to wear anything. I only wear hearing protection for the planer. The other tools aren't dangerously loud.

    2. Move fresh air in. We always work with the garage door open anyway, and either a fan or swamp cooler blowing in. Might as well move in even more air. You can't really remove the cooling from a swamp cooler, it works with lots of air flow.

    3. Space. The previous DC wasted a lot of space (Powermatic 3HP dual canister).

    4. Filters...we don't need no steenkin' filters! And with the air never recirculating, micron thoughts are a thing of the past.

    The platform is built, and the drawer for the barrel is done. Got a bunch of tubing really cheap used, already with 6" hand-made sweeps that are very smooth inside. Found an old Kufo 3HP motor with blower for $200, and the steel cyclone with barrel for $250. I sold the old DC for $500, which is what we had paid 6-7 years ago. Could have probably asked more, as it sold in less then 48 hours.
  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3564
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    #2
    Any neighbors nearby to enjoy the roar? I’d recommend installing the cyclone and all the piping before you build your shed. No sense working backwards if you don’t have to.

    Comment

    • Carlos
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2004
      • 1893
      • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

      #3
      The "shed" is very small and is a part of the base that the cyclone and blower/motor will be on. Neighbors will definitely hear it. The current situation is also loud, no way around that.

      Not sure what you mean by backwards. The platform is built, and some of the piping solutions are done. I'll finish that part today and probably also the verticals to hold the sides and "roof." When the base is done I'll take off the blower/motor and cyclone, move it to its home, then attach them. It would be too heavy to move all together.

      Progress photo: https://i.imgur.com/UGiSfmC.jpg

      Comment

      • Carlos
        Veteran Member
        • Jan 2004
        • 1893
        • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

        #4
        And my hope is that the plywood will absorb quite a bit of sound. I may even add some Dynamat or plain insulation to help. There is a block wall then the neighbor's house. Our houses are pretty heavily insulated, 2x6 construction, so it probably won't be terrible indoors. Probably less than a leaf blower. The old DC sits in the garage, and I work with the door open, so the neighbor the other direction would hear it.

        In any case, I try to not do much loud work after 9pm, and the only thing that runs the DC for a long time is the drum sander.

        Comment

        • capncarl
          Veteran Member
          • Jan 2007
          • 3564
          • Leesburg Georgia USA
          • SawStop CTS

          #5
          I installed my clear view dust collector in a corner of my shop, got it completely functional then started the noise suppression process. After I insulated around the blower and built the 2x4, lexan, plywood and armor flex building around it I found several things that I needed to do or adjust on the piping and fan housing. What a royal pain in the butt trying to do anything once the collector was inside a structure. I had made several large removable panels so I could have access but it seems everything I needed to touch was on the back side. If your machine is anywhere as noisy as my clearview is then your neighbors 2 blocks over can hear it!
          capncarl

          Comment

          • Carlos
            Veteran Member
            • Jan 2004
            • 1893
            • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

            #6
            Just fired it up. It's actually less noisy than the old Powermatic, don't know why. Maybe it's just perception since the old one was against a wall which might amplify the noise, and I tested the new one just out in the driveway. The base, cyclone mount, drawer for removing the drum, and interior tubing are all done. Need to move on to the electrical and getting the tube through the wall. I always cringe at cutting a hole in the side of my house, don' t know why. It's so easy to fix if needed.

            Another progress photo: https://i.imgur.com/vakyNA0.jpg

            I see what you're saying about access and all that. I'm going to build the verticals to support walls and a roof onto the base. But that will still allow easy access to install the heavy bits after moving the base. Then I'll add the side panels, and decide on a removable front for access. I haven't decided whether to cover the back which will be against the house.

            Comment

            • Carlos
              Veteran Member
              • Jan 2004
              • 1893
              • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

              #7
              I forgot to say... I'm shocked at how little dust comes out of the unfiltered exhaust. Zero visible dust. I held my hand over it and couldn't feel anything solid. So yes, I know something must be coming out, and it's the dangerous tiny stuff, but this really shows why a cyclone makes filters so much more effective. I picked up random piles of sawdust and even yard debris, tossed it into the inlet, and nothing comes out. I have random piles because...I'm building the DC and have no DC now... Also it's hard to build wood stuff when your wood shop is down for the very thing you need it for, LOL. But the Dewalt 20v tools are SO good and I'm working with soft wood, and don't need precision.

              Comment

              • atgcpaul
                Veteran Member
                • Aug 2003
                • 4055
                • Maryland
                • Grizzly 1023SLX

                #8
                Originally posted by Carlos
                Another progress photo: https://i.imgur.com/vakyNA0.jpg
                Would you consider moving the motor on top of the cyclone to save on space? You'd eliminate the extra ducting, too.

                Comment

                • Carlos
                  Veteran Member
                  • Jan 2004
                  • 1893
                  • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

                  #9
                  No, I don't want it that high. I mean, it was considered, and ruled out.

                  Comment

                  • capncarl
                    Veteran Member
                    • Jan 2007
                    • 3564
                    • Leesburg Georgia USA
                    • SawStop CTS

                    #10
                    Carlos, I can’t blame you for not wanting to put the motor on top of the clycone, it does increase the stack height. My shop has 10 ft ceilings and there is not a lot of room left under the bottom of the clycoe after it was mounted to the wall. I considered breaking the assembly apart and mounting the motor and fan assembly outside, bite the bullet and pipe out of the shop, to the blower and back into the shop....... just for noise reasons. I might do that still, it seems that most all the noise is blower related and to move that outside the shop would make it easier to quiet down the clycone and filter assembly inside the shop.

                    Comment

                    • Carlos
                      Veteran Member
                      • Jan 2004
                      • 1893
                      • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

                      #11
                      It's going outside, and has to meet HOA rules of either being below the fence height, or an approved change. So I'd rather just keep it below the wall. This also minimizes noise since the block walls should absorb much of the sound.

                      Before deciding to move it outside, I was indeed thinking of a stack in the corner of the shop.

                      Comment

                      • capncarl
                        Veteran Member
                        • Jan 2007
                        • 3564
                        • Leesburg Georgia USA
                        • SawStop CTS

                        #12
                        I don’t really like my dust collector being in my shop, taking up valuable space and creating noise. I mounted my dust collector inside because I keep my shop air conditioner/heat pump running 24-7 to ward off the South Ga heat and humidity, mounting it outside would suck out all the conditioned air and pull in heat and humidity. It’s not unusual for me to empty the 5 gallon drip bucket under my air conditioner every week. If your outside mounted dust collector gets to be too loud you could install a nice fence to deflect the sound and reduce its effect.

                        Comment

                        • Carlos
                          Veteran Member
                          • Jan 2004
                          • 1893
                          • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

                          #13
                          We have the opposite problem; in summer I run a swamp cooler to add humidity and cool the air. In winter there's really no reason to heat the shop, on the few really cold days I just wear a hat and long sleeve shirt.

                          Comment

                          • Carlos
                            Veteran Member
                            • Jan 2004
                            • 1893
                            • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

                            #14
                            The build is done. Now to move it into the yard and bring the power, ductwork, and barrel full sensor through the wall. Can't wait to hear it.

                            Oh, and still need to paint most of it.

                            Comment

                            • Carlos
                              Veteran Member
                              • Jan 2004
                              • 1893
                              • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

                              #15
                              Wired up the dust barrel level sensor today...

                              Comment

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