Dust collector

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ss600r

New User
Steve
I'm thinking of getting a dust collector. I work in a 3 car garage but only use half of it to work in. I was thinking a just a 1hp and using gates to cut off whats not in use. Think 1 hp is good? I found a deal on one for $100 but at the same time harbor freight has coupons for a 2hp for $140. The reason I was thinking 1hp was hoping it would be less noisy.
 

Cato

New User
Bob
I'm thinking of getting a dust collector. I work in a 3 car garage but only use half of it to work in. I was thinking a just a 1hp and using gates to cut off whats not in use. Think 1 hp is good? I found a deal on one for $100 but at the same time harbor freight has coupons for a 2hp for $140. The reason I was thinking 1hp was hoping it would be less noisy.
I think you might be happier in the long run with a 1.5-2hp DC. A lot of people are quite happy with the HF unit and most seem to upgrade to the Wynn cannister.

I have a 1.5hp Penn State unit w/canister and it is not in the least bit noisy. Don't know what kind of db's the HF puts out.
 

Bas

Recovering tool addict
Bas
Corporate Member
The difference in noise will be very small. I've heard the 1HP Delta and it's not noticeably quieter than my "2HP" HF machine. But you will definitely notice the increased performance. I recommend upgrading the bags to a canister filter like Bob described. The bags will get clogged with dust very quickly, decreasing the airflow. The Wynn filter I have has so much surface area it is no longer the bottleneck in the system (provided I clean it once or twice a year....)
 

ehpoole

Administrator
Ethan
In response to the original question, you'll want to use blast gates for optimal performance of just about any hobby-sized dust collector. There are tasks where you can get away with 2 or 3 gates open if you have a large enough DC (2-3HP).

I have an older 2HP JDS Cyclone DC ($1000 3-4 years back) that I am very happy with. By far you will get the best performance from Cyclone collectors since they separate 99+% of your waste in a bin before the impeller, allowing you to go for very long durations between filter cleanings/replacement. That said, the singe-stage collectors are a fine compromise for the average hobbyist -- just remember to be careful of vacuuming larger debris (blocks of wood, screws, etc.) as everything they suck up ultimately passes through the impeller.

The most ESSENTIAL feature to focus on, no matter what system (single-stage, or two-stage Cyclone), is 1-micron air filtration. Many base models only come with 3-5 micron filtration (or worse), which is just good enough to ensure that ONLY THE MOST HARMFUL dust remains in your shop. You'll have a cleaner-looking shop, but the air you breath will be just as bad for your health without 1-micron filtration.

Now that you are thinking about dust collection, you may also wish to begin thinking about ambient air filtration as well. An ambient air filter is an (often ceiling-mounted) air-cleaner that you power on when you enter your shop and leave running for several hours after. It will help remove harmful dust from the air as you create it -- especially the dust that escapes your DC system. It also helps to greatly reduce the amount of fine dust that tends to settle on every surface of your shop after a day of sanding.

It is good that you have dust collection on your mind as many don't consider this item until it becomes a problem. I know my father thought I was nuts when I bought my dust collector and ambient air cleaner BEFORE any of my larger power tools -- he could not understand why I would worry about dust BEFORE I was in a position to create alot of dust!
 

JackLeg

New User
Reggie
In response to the original question, you'll want to use blast gates for optimal performance of just about any hobby-sized dust collector. There are tasks where you can get away with 2 or 3 gates open if you have a large enough DC (2-3HP).

I have an older 2HP JDS Cyclone DC ($1000 3-4 years back) that I am very happy with. By far you will get the best performance from Cyclone collectors since they separate 99+% of your waste in a bin before the impeller, allowing you to go for very long durations between filter cleanings/replacement. That said, the singe-stage collectors are a fine compromise for the average hobbyist -- just remember to be careful of vacuuming larger debris (blocks of wood, screws, etc.) as everything they suck up ultimately passes through the impeller.

The most ESSENTIAL feature to focus on, no matter what system (single-stage, or two-stage Cyclone), is 1-micron air filtration. Many base models only come with 3-5 micron filtration (or worse), which is just good enough to ensure that ONLY THE MOST HARMFUL dust remains in your shop. You'll have a cleaner-looking shop, but the air you breath will be just as bad for your health without 1-micron filtration.

Now that you are thinking about dust collection, you may also wish to begin thinking about ambient air filtration as well. An ambient air filter is an (often ceiling-mounted) air-cleaner that you power on when you enter your shop and leave running for several hours after. It will help remove harmful dust from the air as you create it -- especially the dust that escapes your DC system. It also helps to greatly reduce the amount of fine dust that tends to settle on every surface of your shop after a day of sanding.

It is good that you have dust collection on your mind as many don't consider this item until it becomes a problem. I know my father thought I was nuts when I bought my dust collector and ambient air ceaner BEFORE any of my larger power tools -- he could not understand why I would worry about dust BEFORE I was in a position to create alot of dust!

Agree with all said! :icon_thum I have a 1 hp. and it's marginal. I do have the fine particle cleaner also. This is one case where "bigger is probably better!" :wsmile:
 

randwool

New User
Randy
I have an older Oneida 1.5 HP model with 5 manual-operated blast gates, plus a Delta air circulator hanging from the ceiling to clear the air prior to finishing. You do need some air filtration down to the 1+ micron level and expect to wear hearing protection when the big one is running. It's loud, but worth it.
 

Bill Clemmons

Bill
Corporate Member
Ethan's write-up was excellent, so I won't repeat what he's already covered. Just a couple of additional thoughts.

Size your dust collector based on CFM (air flow) and the largest dust producer now (or expected in the future) in your shop. Large dust producers include planers, drum sanders, jointers, etc. You can find numerous aids online that tell you the output of various machines, and the CFM requirements of each. I had a 1 hp cyclone in my last shop and it was woefully inadequate for most of my bigger tools. I have a 5 hp cyclone pulling 1,800 CFM in this shop, and it does the job.

My advice: make a list of each tool you want to collect to a dust collector. Then find the CFM requirements for that tool. Now buy the right collector. It's money well spent if you get the right one, but it's money wasted if you get one too small for your needs.

Bill
 
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