Dust collection systems..Whatcha got?

TMHunt

TMHunt

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Im really wanting to upgrade my dust collection capabilities in my shop. But really dont know the best solution for my shop size/needs/wallet. would love to hear your guys thoughts/suggestions and pics of your setups. Thanks!
 
You might wanna look over Pat's shop tour..................... he gave dust control some though as Don did. Pat's use of a wall mounted, central vacuum unit to keep wood dust and metal dust/sparks apart struck me as brilliant ( maybe a little expensive but much safer).

http://www.lemeeknives.com/pages/shop_a.shtml

As someone with, both, asthma and allergies I pay close attention myself but with more portable solutions then Pat and Don. If I ever manage to lay my garage shop back home out the right way. it'll have some smart dust control added beyond the Jet air cleaner and vacs I use.

Corey "synthesist" Gimbel
 
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For my dust collection was one of the first things I did and then built the shop around it, as someone with allergy’s fine dust really messes me up.

Currently I have dust collection for everything except my KMG since it can produce hot sparks it will have its own shop vac with secondary collection bucket with water in it.

My setup is a JET 1HP dust collection with the 3 micron bag, 30 gallon secondary fiber drum with cyclone fittings on the inside so that all the big heavy stuff collects in that and all the fine dust hits the bags on the JET. The duct work is 4" drain pipe, the blast gates are self clean out aluminium gates, the flexable hose for my metal cutting bandsaw, wood/kydex bandsaw and belt sander is the nicer PVC stuff so that it doesn't degrade over time and the whole system is grounded so that there is not an static build up. I also have room to expand the system if I like with one unused blast gate, and since I just used aluminium flashing tape to hold it all together it would be very easy to T in another 45 fitting if I like to add to the system.

All that done and been sometimes I do things in my shop that doesn't lend itself to dust collection such as using my chop saw or skilsaw, so for that I installed a floor sweep so I can just turn the dust collection on and sweep into the system.

Downsides to it would be that the system is loud so you don't really want to leave it on all the time so you end up walking back and forth a lot turning it on and off, I plan on fixing that by setting it up on a remote that will be in my shop apron pocket.

My metal cutting bandsaw is a portaband with the Rusty Offroad table, the dust collection port below it is built for a thickness plainer but fits nicely under it.

With this setup which is not perfect I am getting about 95% collection which is pretty good and I can spend the day out there without my allergy’s sending me running.

Here's some photos.

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Two years ago I moved . I put in a shop 9' below ground with 10" of concrete on four sides that became three when I put a partitioning wall with a door to divide the space into two rooms. I started off with concentrating on the two 2X72 belt grinders After all sorts of trials with some of them costing me some big dollars I decided to try some simple looking stuff by Onieda. I originally was going to go with a larger machine of theirs but ended up buying their Dust Deputy It doesn't look like much and isn't big. As a matter of fact though once I attached a a short length of 2" pipe with a 4" pick up cup on it, it just made it under the end of the grinders. This machine and canister is all metal. The pick up part is a cyclone and the canister is the collector. It requires a vacuum attached to the discharge side of the cyclone in order for it to operate. They say it collects about 95% of the dust. I believe it. It is truly an amazing machine !!!! How I don't know, because I don't feel a draft, about the top of the grinder but it takes in as well, all the fine dust from handle making. I do grind titanium as well as the other usual metals. I do have some water in the bottom of the canister to look after the hot spark thing. This little cyclone works better than a large squirrel cage fan I had in my last shop. My grinders are only a couple of feet apart. I just move it one to the other as needed. Frank
 
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HI Just a quick bit of imput as i work in dust and fume extraction so thought i could offer some advice, there are some really well thought out systems on here and the only thing i would say is try to avoid using too much flexible ducting, it really really hinders the performance of any system and is almost impossible to gage by just how much it will drop, now i also know just how useful it can be and im not trying to say dont use it just if you can use a little less it will increase your systems effiency.
im sorry about any of my spelling / punctuation its not my strong point.
and if you want some free advice or help with your extraction just pm me i'd be happy to help if i can
Gary
 
@Frank - any chance of us seeing some pictures of the Dust Deputy setup?

I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks

Corey "synthesist" Gimbel
 
I'm sorry, Corey, I've never sent even one picture. If you went to the Onieda site and saw this "machine" the "Dust Deputy" then all mine has is a sort 2" pipe coming off the inlet side which is on the side of the machine, not the top and the vacuum hose on the top. It looks weird and you might think it looks like it won't work very well, but it truly is "THE REAL THING". I only work on folders but the dust from mammoth ivory and tooth which is almost all of what I use used to get pretty bad, never mind the build up it creates. Maybe, Corey, if you send me an email at niro@telus.net I can get my wife into my shop long enough to take a couple of pictures to send you through my email? You certainly could post the pictures I send you. Frank
 
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I do a lot of woodworking and have a 3hp Cyclone system from Oneida Air. The Dust Deputy that Frank mentioned is good stuff. You can by a decent 2hp dust vac at Harbor freight for pretty cheap if you wait for a sale and use the 20% off coupon. That combined with the Dust Deputy and you're good to go. Check out the wood working forums at woodweb, woodnet, sawmillcreek. Or, Call up Oneida air and tell them what your shop is like and they will give you solid advice.
 
Most of the tools in my shop are JET....including my dust collection system. They make top-notch equipment....I think pound-for-pound the best on the market!
 
I have a 2 hp with paper filter that I am exchanging and building a bill pentz dust collector all out of 18 gauge mild steel. Everything will be welded and steal as I will 'suck up' everything from wood to metal sparks into a barrel with some water in the bottom. I have seen one working 5 years ago and very impressed. I am tired of dusting everything. This dust collector is not cheap, but I feel the benefits out weights the cost. You can also purchased it all assembled form the link below also.

http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/cyclone_plan.cfm
http://www.clearvuecyclones.com/

Dennis
 
Well, wjswiger, just keep your eyes on those cloth bags. You will have a fire, if not today, tomorrow. Frank
 
A lot of good info here guys. Thanks. Keep it coming. I'm learning a lot.
 
Gary, thanks for offering your expert advice. My use of the flexible ducting was mostly to avoid sharp bends as much as possible as I've heard say you should. Which one is worst, flexible ducting or sharp bends? I could do pretty much all of it with solid ducts but that would mean adding a few 90 degree elbows and some of those adjustable angle elbows.
Thanks again for helping us.
 
Gary, are you still here? I am ready to start work on the dust collector for my surface grinder and would love your input on flexible vs. solid ducts/sharp bends.
Thanks.
 
I'm not sure if this should be it's own thread, but will piggyback on it. I'm getting ready to work with g10 for the first time. I have a good mask rated for that stuff. I have a Jet air filter for the garage. I plan on working it wet and vacuuming the dust as it is created. Would it make sense to run a box fan and have a filter on it drawing the air from the sanding area too? also what micron filter would work best?
 
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