seeking dust collector help

[Sawatzky]

I think it is time to get a DC, but I don't know much about them. I was thinking about the HF one being that I have a 20% off coupon. Is this a good one compared to grizzly or delta? Also, I have heard and read that I need to get a 1 micron filter bag. Is this two bags or just one? Can I get them from HF and how much do they cost? Also, does HF sell the hoses and fasteners I will needed for dust collection? Thanks!

[JimD]

I have a 1hp Delta which I am happy with now that I have replaced the bags. I do not think HF sells the good bags. I got mine from Highland Hardware. Penn State industries sells DCs with the better bags already on them.

For hard hose, I recommend thin wall drain pipe (the kind for yards, not inside the house) from the local hardware store. For flexible hose, you should shop around on-line. Rocklers has it as does Penn State etc.. I bought plastic dampers but ended up making my own out of wood - they work better.

Jim

[Bulkley]

Get a bigger DC than you think you need. I have a 1hp General, but often wish I had got the 2hp. Having said that, look for volume of air figures; horsepower isn't everything.

One of the big problems of dust collectors is that they don't do a good job of separating the dust from the air. The inside of the air filter gets coated with so much saw dust that the air movement is restricted. For this reason, many home shop owners build or buy a turbine separator which they install between the tool and the DC. Personally, I don't understand why nobody makes a combination turbine/dust collector, or a conversion baffle to fit in a DC.

[LCHIEN]

Get a bigger DC than you think you need. I have a 1hp General, but often wish I had got the 2hp. Having said that, look for volume of air figures; horsepower isn't everything.

One of the big problems of dust collectors is that they don't do a good job of separating the dust from the air. The inside of the air filter gets coated with so much saw dust that the air movement is restricted. For this reason, many home shop owners build or buy a turbine separator which they install between the tool and the DC. Personally, I don't understand why nobody makes a combination turbine/dust collector, or a conversion baffle to fit in a DC.

They do make a combo unit, they're called cyclones, usually they start at 2.5 HP (where the DC's leave off) and go up. The Blower vanes are usually horizontally mounted and located on top of the cyclone which saves space over the separator. and the cyclone is much better engineered for efficient operation than the separators. They cost about $500 and up.

[JR]

No matter which dust collector you choose, you'll want to pick up this kit from Harbor Freight. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93601

I have the HF 2HP DC. It pulls a lot of dust. It is notorious for having a cheezy switch, though. I've bypassed the switch and am exlusively using an X10 wireless remote.

JR

[Bulkley]

I have the HF 2HP DC. It pulls a lot of dust. It is notorious for having a cheezy switch, though. I've bypassed the switch and am exlusively using an X10 wireless remote.

I built a massive work station for my saw using ideas from this forum. (Sorry, I don't have a suitable picture.) I put a 115v outlet on the back and a standard house switch just under the front rail. I plug my DC into the plug and control it from the front of my saw, which is very handy.

The cyclone looks interesting. Does anybody make cyclone baffles to fit an ordinary DC?

[JR]

I put a 115v outlet on the back and a standard house switch just under the front rail. I plug my DC into the plug and control it from the front of my saw, which is very handy.

Bulkley, that sounds like a good solution. A note of caution, though. I assume your OEM DC switch is still instaled on the DC and that you just leave it in the On position. That's how mine was and it still failed!

My (admittedly amateur) forensic analysis indicates the switch is underrated for the current being drawn. The switch contacts seem to align improperly, causing max. current in min. copper. The housing got hot and eventually misshapen.

YMMV
JR

[Bulkley]

I'm interested in that cyclone; but I don't have the space and don't want to spend the money. I have considered one of those ashcan cyclones, but again there is a space issue. My DC has to be mobile, because I connect it to my router table as necessary.

Anyway, everytime I open up my DC for cleaning, I am struck by how thick the dust is on the inside of the filter. A lot of the dust is not separating. There are no baffles or devices of any kind that would encourage particle separation; air just zips in and up through a nine inch hole. Since they can make a cyclone small enough for carpet cleaning, I see no reason my DC can't be retrofitted for better separation. I would think that even a smaller opening would help.

Any thoughts?

[SARGE..g-47]

Small, cheap and came with the low micron bag. Not a Onieda, but gets the job done....

Good luck..

[vtv010]

anyone has any experience with theis one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cyclone-Separato...QQcmdZViewItem

on the surface it looks like it would work for a small garage shop?

[LCHIEN]

I'm interested in that cyclone; but I don't have the space and don't want to spend the money. I have considered one of those ashcan cyclones, but again there is a space issue. My DC has to be mobile, because I connect it to my router table as necessary.

Anyway, everytime I open up my DC for cleaning, I am struck by how thick the dust is on the inside of the filter. A lot of the dust is not separating. There are no baffles or devices of any kind that would encourage particle separation; air just zips in and up through a nine inch hole. Since they can make a cyclone small enough for carpet cleaning, I see no reason my DC can't be retrofitted for better separation. I would think that even a smaller opening would help.

Any thoughts?

That's why the Jet, Penn State, Grizzly versions of the pleated canister filter have beater flaps on the top filter to knock off the fines and drop them into the catch bag below.

Also a neutral vane can help spin the dust in a cyclonic fashion so that more separation occurs dropping stuff into the bag below.

[Bulkley]

Nice compromise, SARGE. What I'm wondering though is if anyone had retrofitted inside that red band in the middle. In mine, there is nothing but a big ring, nothing to stimulate separation. It seems to me that some homemade device could help. LCHIEN, what's that neutral vane you mentioned?

[JR]

In mine, there is nothing but a big ring, nothing to stimulate separation. It seems to me that some homemade device could help.

Yeah, that's what Loring's "neutral vane" does. I'm sorry I don't have the link handy, but Loring posted a thread some time ago detailing the modification to his DC that does this. You might try to search for lchien and neutral vane.

JR

[LCHIEN]

Neutral vane

Nice compromise, SARGE. What I'm wondering though is if anyone had retrofitted inside that red band in the middle. In mine, there is nothing but a big ring, nothing to stimulate separation. It seems to me that some homemade device could help. LCHIEN, what's that neutral vane you mentioned?

the neutral vane is eactly what you are looking for, a home-made device to stimulate separation. see this article:

http://users2.ev1.net/~lchien/woodwo...ectorstuff.pdf

[cgallery]

the neutral vane is eactly what you are looking for, a home-made device to stimulate separation. see this article:

http://users2.ev1.net/~lchien/woodwo...ectorstuff.pdf

Loring is a genius. There, I've said it.

Should patent it and make them in various sizes for different dust collectors.