Harbor Freight Dust Collector upgrade questions.

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    #16
    Sorry folks. I have been sidetracked with many other projects, including stripping wallpaper out of the master bath dressing room, and reskimming the now gouged drywall... Yay me!

    Much of this is in preparation for building the shed workshop, look at my pallet shed / shop build thread / inquiry. This is serious research. Pallets are easily available and free so as long as I don't need to stay within code and / or require permits I am seriously thinking going that way...

    Anyway, looking for the source for the Wen impeller, My plan at ths point is...

    #1. Replace the OE impeller with the WEN impeller. The Rikon appears to nowadays be unobtainium...
    #2. Replace the intake flange with a shop made flange with a 6" inlet.
    #3. Build a neutral vane " Thien baffle" directly into the HF DC. I want to get rid of the big drum separator. I need to buy back floor space.
    #4. In the new shop configuration, I am planning on 6" to 4x4 wye. One 4" run under floor, and one overhead.

    I need to design / build a cabinet for the BT3100 that allows it to be mobile, I.E. lose the extension table, I found I don't use it. Large stock gets cut with either the miter saw, or circ saw / guide fence... The big issue is going to be collecting dust from below the belly of the saw, from the blade surround, AND from the Shark Guard.

    I need to give serious consideration during the design phase for the new shop, to dust collection. My problem points with the current setup are....

    #1. The lathe. I somewhat doubt there is going to be any effective means of collecting the shavings that come shooting off of it.
    #2. The miter saw. The hood over the 12" slider is only marginally effective. Better than not, but not great...

    Prior to the new shop move. I plan on doing the WEN impeller if I can find one, converting to the 6" intake, and upsizing to a 6x4x4 Y fitting to put in place with the setup I am running now...
    Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

    Comment

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

      #17
      We tried a variety of things for the lathe, nothing really works. The most effective idea was a hood on an adjustable stand placed behind the work and moved as needed. But as you know, you may move your position a lot and moving the hood adds a lot of time and annoyance. So we gave up, as the after-clean was a lot less work. Oh, but it DID work great for sanding and finishing. All the dust would be caught, and finishing fumes did go out mostly. So at least the most dangerous part was well improved.

      I can't figure out anything that's great for a miter saw, unless you get a 10 HP DC with 12" tubes. The problem is making something that can miter and tilt, and that means a big open space. I've seen various magnet-based removable shield schemes, I might try one. Meanwhile the setup I've ended up with is very good at getting most dust, and what flies out is mostly just small chips. The brown parts are on magnets, to remove for mitering and cleaning.

      Comment

      • dbhost
        Slow and steady
        • Apr 2008
        • 9209
        • League City, Texas
        • Ryobi BT3100

        #18
        Originally posted by Carlos
        We tried a variety of things for the lathe, nothing really works. The most effective idea was a hood on an adjustable stand placed behind the work and moved as needed. But as you know, you may move your position a lot and moving the hood adds a lot of time and annoyance. So we gave up, as the after-clean was a lot less work. Oh, but it DID work great for sanding and finishing. All the dust would be caught, and finishing fumes did go out mostly. So at least the most dangerous part was well improved.

        I can't figure out anything that's great for a miter saw, unless you get a 10 HP DC with 12" tubes. The problem is making something that can miter and tilt, and that means a big open space. I've seen various magnet-based removable shield schemes, I might try one. Meanwhile the setup I've ended up with is very good at getting most dust, and what flies out is mostly just small chips. The brown parts are on magnets, to remove for mitering and cleaning.
        I'd seen someone use some rubber flaps riveted to the bottom of the blade guard, the idea is to capture the stuff coming off the miter saw blade and guide it up to the dust chute. I mocked up something similar using cardboard as a test, and it did work better than anything else I tried. I can see how sliding, at a bevel this will likely cause problems.

        The lathe as of now simply spews shavings, Sanding is just going to have to be done with a respoirator as everything just sort of shoots straight at ya. Yeah, a 10 HP cyclone would probably work, but not going to happen on my budget or with my space...
        Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

        Comment

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

          #19
          The other issue with the lathe is running the DC, using all that power and making all that noise, for many hours. The sanding and finishing was far less time.

          Also in my setup for the miter, I have the built-in 2.5" hose connected to the stock port, then going to a Y for the 5" backhaul. And the 4" you see into the box.

          Comment

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

            #20
            I gave up with trying to solve the miter saw dust problem by hooking up to a vacuum hose connection. In 2015 I built a box around the saw and pulled vacuum on the bottom behind the saw where most of the saw spittle always wound up. The dust collector I was using was the 1.75 hp Delta. The performance was not great. Not enough CFM. In 2017 I updated to the 1700 CFM ClearVue dust collector and replaced the 4” pipe to 6”. The improvement was remarkable but there is still some sawdust getting spit out the front. I don’t think the tiny vacuum connection will ever be able to catch everything that comes off the blade. Photo of the back of my miter saw cabinet with hood box, dust collection piping.


            colleClick image for larger version

Name:	B9A491C3-9C20-4EE0-A857-02301E16C6E8.jpeg
Views:	652
Size:	95.0 KB
ID:	846039

            Comment

            • dbhost
              Slow and steady
              • Apr 2008
              • 9209
              • League City, Texas
              • Ryobi BT3100

              #21
              Okay so here is the status.

              #1. Wen impeller ordered. Pending delivery.
              #2. 6" flange found on Amazon, no problem there, about ready to finish the order up. I have some other household stuff to get.
              #3. 6x4x4 Peachtree Y fitting for the DC in the Amazon cart.
              #4. Sourced up sufficient size huk of tempered hardboard for a Thien baffle.

              The plan at this point is going to be in 2 parts. First for the existing shop, second is for the new shop / shed buildout.

              In the current shop.

              #1. Upgrade the impeller.
              #2. Using a borrowed nibbler and my dremel, upsize the hole for the flange removing the OE 5" flange. Roll the edge / relieve sharp edges.
              #3. Install the 6" flange, using some white tub & tile silicone caulk to prevent any leakage.
              #4. Remove the existing drum cyclone separator.
              #5. Create and fit the Thien baffle, assuming I can't repurpose the one from the drum which I doubt...

              In the new shop.

              This is where I have questions. Would I be better off running a single 6" overhead, and running 4" drops that simply go low for my under table pickups such as the one for the bottom of the saw, and the router cabinet OR do I run a dedicated 4" run under the floor to where these items will be?
              Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

              Comment

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

                #22
                According to Oneida, 5" was the right size backbone for my 3HP collector, with their cyclone which also has a 5" input. So I'm sure 6" is too big for yours. I went overhead with everything, as I can't go under the concrete. But if I had wood floors I might have gone under. The overhead to the TS was the most complex, but worked out in the end.

                Comment

                Working...