dust collection

[Godet]

I have a pretty small shop (about 9 X15) and its filling up fast...I've been pretty good about attaching the shop vac when I'm using machines, but it's just not getting the job done. So I'm looking for a small unit, perhaps even one that could be set up outside with just the hoses running into the shop

Any suggestions?

[DALSAW]

I have a Grizzly 1 hp unit it works fine as long as you hook it up to one machine at a time and the hose isn't longer than 10 or 15 foot. My shop isn't mutch bigger than yours it's a 12'X16'.

[PMR]

I have the Harbor Freight 2 hp, added a 1 micron top bag in a 2 car garage. I attached it with a 10 ft hose, works very good. Lot of bang for the money, Pat

[PaulMarcel]

Sounds like you'd prefer to vent the chips outside, maybe to a cyclone to get the chips in a garbage can and no top filter unit. That would get the bulk of the DC out of your shop. What you could use is a Steel City mini-DC. It is basically the impeller and motor; that's it. You could move it machine to machine with a quick tie hose clamp. The other end could be a long collapsible hose (like Rockler and others have) that gets you outside the shop. Either connect it to a garbage-can cyclone lid for a 4" inlet or just vent it into your annoying neighbor's jacuzzi. That mini has more than enough CFM for a table saw (well, not a contractor with a wide-open back) and lunchbox planer. I used it with lunchbox for years. If you look around, the mini-DC can be had at Woodcraft during those 20% off promos for ~$45; even if you change your mind later, it's useful...

[Sac]

If you want to keep the thing outside, and use duct work to hook up to several machines at the same time, then I would recommend something with a good deal of suck. Seeing that you want to keep it outside means that you really don't need to worry about filtration all that much either. This will help keep the cost down. If you want to do it as cheap as possible, and this is the only time that I am going to recommend something Harbor Freight, but I would go get a coupon and get their 2HP bag unit. then you could also do something like Paul recommended and use a separator of some sort. I think that this would suit your needs just fine. the only thing that you need to be careful of is checking the unit to make sure that you don't over fill it. Out of sight, out of mind.

[Bobby]

I use a Jet DC-1100, and have a 6" duct from the collector that branches into two 5" mains that are almost identical in length. This way, no duct run is too long from a machine back to the dust collector. I just use 45 deg. wye fittings (sheet metal) and then flex hose to each machine. I put a metal blastgate at each machine so I can close off all ducts except the one I'm using to keep the airflow and air velocity high enough to carry the heavier chips.

Make sure you have enough flex hose so you can move your machines around for infeed/ outfeed. Also, if you do have the collector outside (perhaps in a doghouse enclosure) make sure you provide enough air discharge louvers or openings on any enclosure (I figure that by taking my potential CFM divided by 500 "ft. per minute" velocity = the size in square feet of FREE AREA opening or louver you need. Most louvers are approx. 50% free area, so you'd need to double your number.

Example:

1,000 CFM / 500 ft. per min. = 2 sq. ft. FREE AREA, or approx. 4 sq. ft. GROSS AREA, so maybe two 12"x 24" louvers would be ok. Screened openings would have much more free area but they tend to let in the weather.

It's better to oversize these than undersize so your system won't starve for air. You'll need every bit to carry your chips away or they'll settle in the ducts and your machines may stay dusty.

The same goes for the shop itself--if the collector is outside, you're removing a lot of air from the shop, so you need to have wall or roof openings big enough for this "make-up air". I would size that using the same method as above.

Bobby

[jHop]

If you don't want too big a collector, there's a 1HP Jet, the 1 HP harbor Freight, a smaller Delta, a smaller Grizzly, or hack your old leaf blower/ lawn vac. If you are planning on using a lunchbox planer, I'd recommend at least 1.5 horse, but that's from theory, not practice. You can go with a small shed or large dog house to store these in outside, and put louvered windows or doors on three sides. (I'd say no more than 1/3 total wall height.) Again, theory. And Bobby is completely correct: whatever air you have going out via the DC system needs to be replaced. most shops keep the DC in the same area as the tools to prevent any air loss for this reason. But for noise issues, the bigger collectors in another room help with this. You need to keep a door or a couple of windows cracked to allow adequate draw.

Come heating and cooling season, this gets to be problematic. You also should remember to close these air access points at night. Not just for moisture. you might find a couple of new shop residents the next morning.