Our initial testing shows that the three motors create nearly ten times the suction of a standard collector, and two to three times the cfm of a shop vacuum. Or better yet, modify the tool port to match the duct size. Thankfully, we have no neighbors within 1,000 feet to complain about noise or dust if it didnt Overall, Im fairly happy with this rig. Painted Wood: A Sin? Collecting dust at its source not only makes you a tidy woodworker, it can keep you a healthier one, too. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. Although I initially doubted their effectiveness, due to dust still collecting on the tops of everything in the shop, I now am sold when I see how much is trapped in the filters. I have a 3hp Delta dust collector with a 4 inlet. Tom Fuchs, I guess I have four dust collection systems in my shop. But the voice-activated On/Off switch eliminated my biggest user complaint when the rig first began to work. Avoid filters labeled "HEPA-type" or "HEPA-like," or that make vague claims such as "removes up to 99 percent of the smallest particles." Which hand planes should a power-tool woodworker buy first?
Consistently high readings indicate you should inspect your system for leaks. I have a Jet re-circulator and a Wen recirculator. cyclone ciclones ciclone industriais extractor
It all works pretty well, except for the wood explosions caused by routers and the particularly odd placement of the dust port on my Grizzly planer. Filters: American Fabric and Filter, 877-742-3653, americanfabricfilter.com. Our biweekly podcast allows editors, authors, and special guests to answer your woodworking questions and connect with the online woodworking community. The higher cfm proves sufficient for drawing dust through 4" duct connected to stationary tools. I cant imagine not having a dust collection system. PVC electrical conduit for the ducting, as it has larger radius bends than plumbing pipe, reducing friction that would otherwise steal velocity. A gasket in the clamp creates an air-tight seal. They have been certified by a third-party tester to trap at least 99.97 percent of .3-micron particles.
Leaks around filters, collection bags, fittings, and ducts reduce a collector's effectiveness. Each branch has a blast gate that I have to set whenever I get ready to use a specific tool. For example, in our shop, a diagonal trunk to the bandsaw and router table would have reduced duct length and eliminated two elbows. They need not be right next to the tool's dust port. This serves my larger generators well (table saw, planer, jointer, etc.). Start your 14-day FREE trial - and get building! dust external collector air compressor closet lumberjocks homemade shed woodworking rooms advertisement Response to Floor Question: Dont Forget the Appliances, Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To, Rob wondered what your solutions are for dust collection, Order Woodworking Plans, DVDs and Supplies. The typical method for determining what size dust collector to purchase involves finding the static pressure (sp) of your ductwork, the airflow in cubic feet per minute (cfm) required to move dust from your tools, and plotting those two numbers on the fan curve for a given dust collector. I also have a RIGID vacuum with dust gates to my smaller tools.
To accommodate those big bends, I raised the dust collector by mounting it on a custom wall bracket. Diameters of 4" and up ensure that you find the size best suiting your system. Editor, My JET 1hp dust collector is the best tool in my shop. It also overcomes far more resistance, reducing the need to minimize sharp turns, duct length, and flex hose. Spiral duct [above] and Quick-Clamp pipe [below] and their fittings are purpose-built for dust collection. Options for ductwork include PVC and several types of metal piping. Run the largest pipe you can as close to the tool as possible. I use a shop vac with an Oneida Dust Deputy on sanders, routers, etc. Oneida Air Systems, which provided technical advice for this article, provides a free design service for customers. A channel routed around the opening in this bracket cradles a Quick-Clamp gasket to secure the duct.
In last issues eZine, Rob wished our U.S. readers a happy Fourth of July (Independence Day in the U.S.). In this seven-part video series,, Chris Gochnour's sideboard combines usefulness, strength, and beauty in a contemporary case piece. Three great finishes (that aren't polyurethane). Elbows have smooth interiors and large radii, and heavy-gauge construction ensures durability. Large hoods, purchased or shop-made, can corral and direct dust to your collector [below]. Connecting the hose to each piece of equipment is sometimes a pain. Handheld tools, such as random-orbit sanders and routers, don't easily connect to the large ductwork of a whole-shop system, and the small dust port on such tools chokes off airflow. Its much more comfortable than a dust mask or respirator. Jay Simmons, My dust-collection solutions run through a plethora of tools. Only the smallest particles pass through the impeller and on to the filter, so the filter stays cleaner, and airflow remains constant. We shadowed two experienced makers and installers of custom cabinetry to bring you simple tips and tricks that will keep your built-in projects (and your sanity) on the bubble.. UNLIMITED membership - Get access to it all. Rabbeting a shelf; Strength vs. appearance, Editor's Letter: A new tool with every project. Theres no heat/AC and ambiance aplenty! In addition, I have a box fan situated above a furnace filter close to the ceiling. A well-planned dust-collection system traps the tiniest of particlesthe ones that can cause the most lung damagebefore they become airborne. Click for full details. To protect your health, seals throughout the system must be tight and the filter must trap the smallest particles. Wye fittings with 45 branches are suitable, but the tight radii of 90 elbows reduce system efficiency. When calculating the full cost of a system, save money on ductwork, if needed, to invest in a better collector and filter. Last week Rob wondered what your solutions are for dust collection, and many of you share the brief (and extensive!) Dylos DC-1100 Pro air quality monitor, woodmagazine.com/dylos. Instead connect them to a shop vacuum or dust extractor with HEPA filtration [below]. The first step in setting up an effective whole-shop system involves selecting the dust-collector location and from there, laying out duct runs to each tool, providing the air a path with the least resistance possible.
(See Sources for the bit we used.) I have added four hanging air filters to the shop over the years. Every layout involves compromises. Although it is nothing like my friends dust collection system (3hp Powermatic) who poured his concrete floor over the 6 PVC with risers to his various machines and automatic open/close blast gates as machines are turned on, but then you could eat off the floor of his shop. Randy Walter, Heres what I use: 1) Broom and dust pan; 2) Two shop vacs connected to small machines and one mobile vac; 3) Box fan enclosed by four large filters on shop floor; 4) Clear View Cyclone 5 hp with 6 pipes. Illustrations by Dan Thornton Some 2-hp dust collectors run on 110-volt circuits. Wow, what a difference! Phil Zoeller, I use a Grizzly dust collector, a shop vac and a Grizzly ambient air filter. Art Abrahamson, I have a JET Vortex set up to collect sawdust from my lathe, and it has a gate that I use as a vacuum to clean up the floor and tools. You'll be glad you did. The dust collector is so quiet in the shop that I had to hang little tape flags in the opening to see when it is running. I had it all plumbed up with gates and branch lines, etc., but Ive found that just a single direct hose with no gates or branch lines to the machine Im using works the best. Nah. We have created these special content collections organized to give you a deep dive into a range of topics that matter. So heres my cut on dust collection. Since these tools are on casters, the hose will always reach wherever I want to use them. I have two shop-made box fan/air filter assemblies that I use when Im sanding larger pieces. Start your 14-day FREE trial - and get building. In-depth articles, up-close photography, and detailed illustrations. Living in Florida and heavily reliant on air conditioning, I also wanted to find a way to return the air directly, instead of pulling in warm air from the outdoors. Our recommendation is to find a collector with a minimum of 2 hp, a 12" or larger impeller, and a rating of at least 1,300 cfm. That may mean a wye or two 45 elbows rather than a 90 fixture with a tighter turn. Anything larger requires 220 volts. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. With floor space at a premium, I wanted to place the dust collector in the garden tool storage room next to my shop.
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. This may inflict a temporary hit on your budget, but a too-weak collector simply won't do the job.
Look for filters labeled HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air). However, most list a cfm number. Thats collected the old-fashioned way with a broom and dustpan or a broom and shop vac. Alan Gesler, I have an Oneida SuperCell hanging on the wall and drag the hose from machine to machine. Gerald R. Jensen, My career was in chemical industry manufacturing, and I spent a major portion of my time making sure my folks were kept safe, even when they didnt want to be. Yes.
I added a door so the canister could be cleaned or replaced, and installed acoustic insulation in the box to absorb sound. Consider these pointers to keep your shop and your lungs in great shape. This puts it out of the way, yet close to the chip-producing tools that demand the most of a dust collector: the tablesaw and planer. Place blast gates in easily accessible spots. I connect my shop vacuum to smaller tools, mostly my palm sander, via a Dust Right FlexiPort hose system. Snap-lock pipe [below], typically used in home heating and cooling applications, offers elbows that can be adjusted to create broader radii, but the joints need to be sealed with tape. dust system workshop collector layout control wood garage woodworking remodel industrial organized controlling keeping modern discover 99-029, Woodcraft. (In our shop, the jointer, another chip-producer, rolls into position to use the planer's port, when needed.) The Supercell requires 220 volts. So I take dust control seriously in my shop for myself and any visitors. Anyway, you asked for it. First, I re-oriented the dust collectors motor/impeller unit so I could connect it more directly to both the filter/bag unit and the Oneida separator. In both styles, a motor-driven impeller pulls debris-laden air through an inlet. Collecting dust from mitersaws, radial-arm saws, and lathes can prove difficult because their open design lets material fly all over. From Fine Woodworking issue #293. Sign up for eletters today and get the latest techniques and how-to from Fine Woodworking, plus special offers. But if this puts ducts in walking paths and work areas, vertical branches may be required. Whats unusual about my dust-collection system isnt the components. I have a smart-home switch that activates the dust collector. Im not allergic to walnuts or walnut oil, but walnut dust causes an asthma-like reaction. In short, everything is on wheels, except for a few tools that can live permanently mounted to a wall. Some piping is under the floor (raised via 28 joists off the concrete) and some hidden behind the workbench on the floor. I studied central dust collection systems and even have the ceiling space to accommodate one. Manufacturers determine cfm in a variety of ways. The 4" and 6" diameters match the inlets on many collectors, but collectors with 5" inlets require adapters, and the mismatched duct reduces system performance.
Since my shop is in the basement of our home, keeping the dust under control is important so we have a healthy environment. Then 4 PVC comes up through the floor in five places for the table saw, band saw, planer, jointer and one extra for whatever. Our testing shows that in most cases, halving the claimed cfm provides a truer measure of performance when attached to ductwork. A single-stage collector with a low inlet [below] will benefit from ductwork placed at floor or knee level. Operate gates [below], whether shop-made or purchased, by pulling or pushing the gate open or closed. After sealing them, you'll know whether the dust-collector filter does its job well or requires an upgrade. Attaching flex hose requires adapters. All working together with a recently installed one-ton mini-split A/C makes woodworking in south Louisiana enjoyable. Lynn Barbier, I still use mostly an old-fashioned broom and dustpan for most my dust collection and a shop vac to get in the machines and tight spots. I also have a shop-made fine dust filtration box with four 16 x 20 disposable filters. Freud 18 "-radius flute bit no. Thin-wall PVC costs less than schedule 40 and proves plenty sturdy for dust-collection use. My solution was to enclose the filter canister inside a large plywood box, which directs the exhaust back into the workshop via an opening in the wall. Im using a relatively small Grizzly 4 intake wall unit. Seal them with weather stripping, tape, or caulk. Two-bag collectors typically have more power and airflow than a single-bag. I THINK that was the right move (I KNOW it was the cheaper one), but Im willing to learn otherwise. My planer and joiner are moved to an outlet that utilizes the Vortex so all of the chips produced get sucked directly into its bag. Cindy Navarro, I have a central dust collection system that works very well for me. The building is rickety; the tin roof doesnt leak except when its raining. I figure why waste the BTUs from the shavings? The bandsaw, a less-demanding tool, sits at the end of the longest trunk. Its that I found a way to locate them outside my shop. Match your duct to the inlet size, not the wye.
With only one machine in use at a time, this works well as I use a section of flex hose to connect to each machine. Spiral pipe requires pop rivets or sheet-metal screws to connect fittings, and joints must be caulked or taped. So when placing turns and connecting branches, opt for elbows that provide the longest-radius turn possible. Get instant access to over 100 digital plans available only to UNLIMITED members. An Oneida dust centrifuge separates the particles and sends them into a barrel with a plexiglass window I crafted, so maybe Ill know when to empty it. If the port doesn't match the hose, use an adapter [Sources]. Net result: I still have a dirty shop that NEVER will become a Better Homes photo shoot, but its not hip-deep in sawdust anymore! Richard T. Rodgers, The easiest way to deal with sawdust is to use hand tools. Peter Fabri, I have a Rockler Dust Right wall-mounted vacuum with a cyclone dust separator. I still have dust, just somewhat less. The high volumes of air a whole-shop dust collector moves can collapse 26-gauge and thinner snap-lock pipe, so look for heavier-gauge pipe and fittings. If you have more than 20' of ductwork in any one run, you plan to open more than one branch at a time, or use lots of flex hose, bump up to a higher cfm, which may mean a 35 hp model. dust woodshop wood systems system woodworking workshop collector layout magazine welcome pdf working To save even more floor space, I raised the shop floor to allow the ducting to pass below it and emerge where its needed, eliminating hoses underfoot. Theyre similar to many othersI have a large single-stage collector connected to a large cyclone separator (Oneida Super Dust Deputy). When I built my shop four years ago, I decided to forego a central system with ducts and to use a portable Mini-Gorilla from Oneida Air Systems. When turning, I wear one of the air-filtering helmets and have begun to wear it more often. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, Shaker candle stand with Christian Beckvoort, Tool review: Infinity "Quick-Snap" vacuum hose and adapters, Workshop tip: Plastic tubing keeps bag in dust-collector bin, Workshop Tip: Simple micro-adjuster for any crosscut fence, Editor's Letter: Technology and the future of woodworking. 2022 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Collectively, these work well for me. Gary Petersen, First, Form follows function. My shop is a single 20 x 40 room in an old farm shed/barn (formerly occupied by mules until the arrival of Massey-Ferguson). Heres how. In a single-stage collector, the debris passes through the impeller before the heaviest waste drops into a collection bag, while the filter bag captures smaller particles as the air exhausts. WOOD magazine Design Editor John Olson fabricated a holder [below] to secure vertical duct runs. And I LOVE to clean the floor at the end of a job. Become an UNLIMITED member and get it all: searchable online archive of every issue, how-to videos, Complete Illustrated Guide to Woodworking digital series, print magazine, e-newsletter, and more. It takes 1300 .3-micron particles side by side to span 164 ". For smaller generators (sanders, drill press, etc. UNLIMITED Membership is like taking a master class in woodworking for less than $10 a month. Locating the collector centrally in the duct run, rather than at one end, helps minimize duct-run lengths. Choose ductwork in a diameter that matches the inlet on your dust collector [ below]. I heat my house and my shop with a boiler that will burn wood pellets or corn. I also have a ceiling-mounted dust collector. Airflow drops as dust coats the filter bag interior, but filtration typically improves. Of the options shown here, PVC pipe [below] costs the least and many home centers stock it. One branch goes directly to the compound miter saw setup, while the other branch goes to the 20 of 4 hose with a quick-release connector at the business end. In spite of its spaciousness, theres not enough room to permanently mount my floor-standing machinery, so over the years Ive castrated two table saws, two band saws, one heavy 5hp planer, a jointer, a two lumber organizers/racks, router table, belt sander, maple workbench, shop vacuum, etc. Clamp a short section of flex hose to the tool port and then to the duct. As we worked with Oneida Air Systems to design a dust-collection system for our photo shop, they asked us to try the Supercell cyclone [opener photo], a new, small-shop approach to sucking up dust. But Id still need some 4 flex hose to make the last few feet of connection to my mobile equipment, so I opted to horse around 20 of flexible piping instead. (All my large dust makers are ducted for 4 vacuum hose connections). But we had to route the duct along the walls because the shop's drop ceiling provides no solid structure from which to hang the ductwork. I use the box fan/furnace filter-type air filtration, and it works well. Rout the recesses right to hold a lid upright. If a collector spews fine dust back into the air, it's doing more harm than good [ above]. All Rights Reserved. Every foot of ductwork adds friction to the airflow, creating resistance, as do changes in duct direction, a reduction in duct diameter, and the rough surfaces of flex hose. Get woodworking tips, expert advice and special offers in your inbox. My shop stays very clean now. Mike Renfro, I have a small shop (one stall garage size) with my dust-producing tools along one wall.
The corn burns hot enough that I have very little creosote build-up from the wood. Dave Palas, My dust collection consists of a broom and dust pan, a shop vac with a Dust Genie Cyclone attachment and a larger dust collection bag unit with a large Dust Genie Cyclone attachment. ), I use a large shop vac with a Dust Deputy from Oneida attached.
Difficult? If you had to recommend three, which hand planes should I start with? Dust-collection fittings, adapters, and accessories: Woodcraft, 800-225-1153, woodcraft.com, Rockler.
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