Got my HF 2hp dust collector today.

[JimD]

The examples of DC in a conditioned space are interesting. But my shop is not conditioned space. It is insulated but has no AC or heat. In SC, it gets hot but is shaded and I find it OK to work in. In winter, we occasionally get cold at night but daytime temps are typically around 50 in the winter - again livable. I have also had a DC with bags, open ones and shaker felt, and with a cartridge filter. The cartridge filter is definitely what I would do again but I hated cleaning it. So for me, I think venting outside will be best. A super dust deputy will minimize the dust in the discharge and the flow of air will actually be welcome in the summer. I use the shop with the garage door and the back door open anyway. But I understand that if I put in a window AC, also a possibility, then the DC could eliminate or at least decrease it's effectiveness.

I wonder if there is any way to arrange a air to air heat exchanger to allow makeup air while transfering some conditioning to it. It's probably too big an expense to be practical unless I figure out how to make it. Cartridge filter is probably a lot cheaper, space efficient and thus practical. But for unconditioned shops, I still think discharging outside is best. It eliminates filter cleaning and should increase airflow.

[capncarl]

One of the dust collectors at my old job looked like 4 connex boxes stacked in a square, elevated on legs with semi trailer under it to collect the debris. This was for peanut dust and peanut skins. It had 100s of filter bags inside the box with a screw auger constantly removing the debris. What made this system work was a bag blow off system and a bag shaker. Every so often jets of compressed air would blow the collector bags and a large vibrator would shake the heck out of them. This system worked for 6 months without a filter bag replacement, or about a week if someone turned off the air and shakers.
Where am I going wit this???
I see that some brands of shop dust collectors with cartridge filters have a hand crank that spins an arm inside that rakes across the pleats of the filter to shake dust off. It's got to be better than nothing but surely it doesn't do much for the life of the filter, dragging across the folded pleats. Beating on the outside of the $350 filter does get a lot of dust falling in the collection bag but I don't want to do anything to damage the filter.
I salvaged a 10" oscillating auto buffer that the pad came off. I intend to fabricate a mount for it and attach it to the top or side of my Wynn filter to shake the dust off. The first test I did on it shook the whole collector so I know it will work. I'll post progress photos when I finally get around to that project!

badk to you Lee, more photos please!
capncarl

[atgcpaul]

I salvaged a 10" oscillating auto buffer that the pad came off. I intend to fabricate a mount for it and attach it to the top or side of my Wynn filter to shake the dust off. The first test I did on it shook the whole collector so I know it will work. I'll post progress photos when I finally get around to that project!

badk to you Lee, more photos please!
capncarl

Looking forward to it.

[capncarl]

JimD, I agree. For non-air conditioned shops just squirt it outside. The ducting should restrict the fan enough to keep it happy and airflow will be a lot greater that a filtered unit. None of the neighbors will know unless you aim it at their pool.

[leehljp]

I decided to put the DC in the adjoining side room (6x8). This means that I need to get a bunch of fittings - 3 Ts, 3 gates (4 inch) gates, some elbows, along with a few others. I will be in Branson MO the first week in October, and there is a discount tool place there with a large choice of DC fittings of many sizes at a good price.

Since I am moving my shop around, trying to get my lathe INSIDE the AC/Heated side, it will be a few weeks before I can get it up and running anyway. I do have it together and running, but not the duct work. I have a couple of trash can type of filters to catch the majority of saw dust, but both of them need to be altered. They have 2 inch inlets and I need 4 inch inlets on both. One is for the 2 hp just purchased, the other can is for the 1 hp that will next to the lathe inside.

Explanation: For the grandkids visitation, my dad built a 20 x 20 "play room" (17 x 17 inside) about 25 years ago with AC and heating and plumbing. It has a 10 x 20 side room (outside dimensions) that is walled up to 4 ft and the top 4 ft is screened and lattice work. This was a picnic area. Next to the 10x20 side was the bbq/grill room. That is where the big HF DC is. The 10x20 has been my shop and it included all of my stuff from Japan and what I had back here. No heating or AC possible on the side/open room.
The plumbing was cut turned off while we were overseas and after dad passed in '96. I have a LOT of work to get the plumbing going again. It is way down my priority list for now.
SO, I have two shop areas, one inside and one open to the weather temp.

[leehljp]

JimD, I agree. For non-air conditioned shops just squirt it outside. The ducting should restrict the fan enough to keep it happy and airflow will be a lot greater that a filtered unit. None of the neighbors will know unless you aim it at their pool.

6 ft behind the room for the DC, is a 6 ft wall between me and my neighbor. Just on the other side of the wall is their pool!

This post does get me to thinking. There are alternatives to be thought of. If done right, I won't need the bags. Thanks! Learning a lot.

[poolhound]

My favorite HF 2hp setup is by DIY Tyler, this should be a link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RAoj4urS-Y

If I get one, I hope I get as good a price. But mostly what holds me back is space. I will probably vent outside too, instead of using a cartridge filter.

I adapted my Delta DC in a similar fashion with the Super Dusty Deputy, its great. The only pain I have is emptying the bin and the dual wedges shown in this video gave me a great idea how to improve it. I also have to guess when its getting full so may have to think about adding a window somehow but not sure how that will change the integrity of the bin. Anybody else done this?

[poolhound]

With respect to the AC/heating issue for external DC setups, I have been operating mine this way for just over a year. As I am located in Phoenix,AZ working in my shop without AC in the summer would be unbearable if not impossible with temps in the 110-120 range fairly common during the hottest months. I decided to locate my DC in a custom built add on to my shop that is also part wood storage and my compressor is in there. There were three main reasons, 1) saving shop space, 2) noise, and 3) reduce recirculating dust (no filters are perfect).

I can report that I have not noticed any appreciable difference to the temperature when using the DC. I have an old wall mounted unit in there which does an OK job in the mornings but in the high heat of the afternoon tends to struggle anyway. When using saws, planers etc. IMHO although there is undoubtedly cooled air being sucked out they are not on for that long and I dont see any particular issue. As I have been doing more turning lately my DC has been on for longer periods at a time. The shop is still OK to work in and given my 3 main criteria for external location I would not consider bringing it back inside. My AC is probably working harder but not sure I can tell how much even if I looked at my electricity bill.

I am still using the felt filter and recently swapped the plastic collection bag for a second felt filter (thanks CapnCarl). In theory this should increase my airflow but I have yet to setup a test to prove one way or the other. This winter I will try and test this along with a setup that would essentially vent to the open air removing the filter entirely. I have some bits to make a U-tube Manometer and it is on a long list of shop projects.

[atgcpaul]

I adapted my Delta DC in a similar fashion with the Super Dusty Deputy, its great. The only pain I have is emptying the bin and the dual wedges shown in this video gave me a great idea how to improve it. I also have to guess when its getting full so may have to think about adding a window somehow but not sure how that will change the integrity of the bin. Anybody else done this?

Mods, sorry if this isn't allowed--linking to other sites. Not sure how else to share this information, though.

Looks like someone has made a DIY version of Oneida's Dust Sentry (http://www.oneida-air.com/inventoryD..._no=AXB999110A) using just 3 parts. That proximity sensor price is no joke, though, unless you get it off eBay.

Parts list at bottom: https://forums.woodnet.net/printthread.php?tid=7288214
Schematic: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachme...9&d=1456340190


Somewhere else I read that the user had intended to install a small window in the side of their bin and mount an LED a little bit away from the window inside the bin. When dust reached that level, the LED would be obscured and that would be your indicator that your bin needed to be emptied. I think this is the approach I will use because it seems like the simpler route and won't cost me a lot if it doesn't work. I'm already using Loring's remote switch so if I add a tap off the outlet that controls my DC, then I can also power that light.

[Stytooner]

Honestly I would not put anything electrical inside a barrel full of possibly explosive fuel. I did put a window in my old barrel. It works okay. You do have to shine a light into it.
What I plan on doing with my new barrel is to just drill a small hole. Maybe 1/4". Then use a long length of all thread. Put it through the hole and use maybe a 2" square or circle of plywood on the bottom end of it. It will start out on the bottom of the drum or close to it. Pick it up every so often and let the sawdust back fit the void it was in. Then let it rest again on the top of the pile.
The other way to use the same method and so it doesn't get stuck on the bottom of a full barrel is to keep it up top all the time and drop it down when you need to check the level. No chance of any spark with that method and you don't have to bend a plastic window, though that part was easy to do. Just lay some thin acrylic on the barrel and heat it up with a torch slowly. It will start to conform perfectly to the shape of the barrel.

[JimD]

I think it is on Sawmill creek that guys are trying to come up with a good level sensor for a dust bin. Another idea that I might try is to put a light in the dust bin (I would use a led) and if the bin is a bit translucent you can see the level. I normally just empty the 5 gallon bucket under the dust deputy on my shop vac before starting to generate a bunch of dust. My dust deputy is clear enough that if I mess up, I see the dust build up in the bottom of it.