Need a bit of dust collection retrofit help from you Engineers, please

[Westpacx3]

It seems i use my drum sander a lot. I prefer to clean up resaw kerf marks on the drum sander vs planner as snipe can be an intermittent issue. However, this also causes my pleated filter to fill up faster. I have seen and know I can buy a pleated filter with the flapper system mounted to it but dont have the hobby cash to spend on it right now, especially when my filter is fine.

My dust collection is mounted on the wall and my ceiling is vaulted so I see the day when going up the ladder and taking the 3 foot filter down will be harder and heavier. So, I was thinking about making or having made a flapper system that would spin by hand and gently beat the dust from the interior pleats without damaging the pleats themselves.

Perhaps some of you have one of these and can send me some photos or dimensions on what you have. The make up of the flapper material and how much it extends toward the pleats is probably the most important factor to not damage a 400.00 filter.

Thanks

 

[Bill Clemmons]

This may be more of a long term option than a quick fix. Several years ago I re-plumbed my exhaust to bypass the pleated filter and blow the fine dust particles out into the open. Fortunately I live in the country and that side of my shop faces into the woods. This may not be an option in your case.

 

[Westpacx3]

This may be more of a long term option than a quick fix. Several years ago I re-plumbed my exhaust to bypass the pleated filter and blow the fine dust particles out into the open. Fortunately I live in the country and that side of my shop faces into the woods. This may not be an option in your case.

My shop is close to the neighboring houses so not really an option and the space is conditioned so lose that as well. Thx

 

[holcombej]

Jim, I think that a DIY flapper would have to be almost perfect to hit all the pleats and not damage them. Have you tried compressed air from the outside of the filter? You could jury rig a wand so you could stand on the floor. Don’t know if it’ll work but would be a cheap test.

 

[Westpacx3]

Jim, I think that a DIY flapper would have to be almost perfect to hit all the pleats and not damage them. Have you tried compressed air from the outside of the filter? You could jury rig a wand so you could stand on the floor. Don’t know if it’ll work but would be a cheap test.

That is my current solution but I forget and then it builds up. I have never seen it this compacted before and was reminded of the flapper system Dust Right uses and figured to thrown it out there. The flapper not causing damage iseems to be the biggest issue to overcome.

Oh, when I think about it, I have an extendable air wand but it seems there as well, I forget. Maybe just need a note on the door to blow it out at the end of shop time. Thx

 

[Rick Mainhart]

It seems i use my drum sander a lot. I prefer to clean up resaw kerf marks on the drum sander vs planner as snipe can be an intermittent issue. However, this also causes my pleated filter to fill up faster. I have seen and know I can buy a pleated filter with the flapper system mounted to it but dont have the hobby cash to spend on it right now, especially when my filter is fine.

My dust collection is mounted on the wall and my ceiling is vaulted so I see the day when going up the ladder and taking the 3 foot filter down will be harder and heavier. So, I was thinking about making or having made a flapper system that would spin by hand and gently beat the dust from the interior pleats without damaging the pleats themselves.

Perhaps some of you have one of these and can send me some photos or dimensions on what you have. The make up of the flapper material and how much it extends toward the pleats is probably the most important factor to not damage a 400.00 filter.

Thanks

Hi Jim,

I realize that I am not addressing your specific need, but offer the following option:

Consider adding a cyclone between your dust collection system and your sander.

Klingspor shows a cyclone lid that attaches to a 5 gallon bucket:

Search

www.woodworkingshop.com

ClearVue Cyclones offers a nice (but a bit more expensive) option here:

Mini Cyclone Dust Collector - CV06 Mini System - Clear Vue Cyclones

The ClearVue Cyclone, by Bill Pentz, is the superior dust collection system designed to separate 99% of saw dust made by woodcutting tools.

www.clearvuecyclones.com

My experience with the cyclone lids goes back 20 years when Klingspor offered a cyclone lid that fit a 35 gallon metal trash can ... it did (and still does) collect most of the material before the delta dual-bag dust collector in the shop. I have a plastic bag in place of the bottom filter bag, and I empty it out about every 10 years ... and that's mostly when the 35 gallon cyclone can is full!

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Rick

 

[Westpacx3]

Hi Jim,

I realize that I am not addressing your specific need, but offer the following option:

Consider adding a cyclone between your dust collection system and your sander.

Klingspor shows a cyclone lid that attaches to a 5 gallon bucket:

Search

www.woodworkingshop.com

ClearVue Cyclones offers a nice (but a bit more expensive) option here:

Mini Cyclone Dust Collector - CV06 Mini System - Clear Vue Cyclones

The ClearVue Cyclone, by Bill Pentz, is the superior dust collection system designed to separate 99% of saw dust made by woodcutting tools.

www.clearvuecyclones.com

My experience with the cyclone lids goes back 20 years when Klingspor offered a cyclone lid that fit a 35 gallon metal trash can ... it did (and still does) collect most of the material before the delta dual-bag dust collector in the shop. I have a plastic bag in place of the bottom filter bag, and I empty it out about every 10 years ... and that's mostly when the 35 gallon cyclone can is full!

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Rick

Thanks, I have a super dust deputy on it. I guess I should have added this photo at the beginning. It worked very well until I added the drum sander. At least it seems that's that way.

 

[JNCarr]

Do you have a cyclone in front of it? That's a lot of dust.
Edit - I see the collector.
How about...

 

[Westpacx3]

Do you have a cyclone in front of it? That's a lot of dust.
Edit - I see the collector.
How about...

Love the bristles brush idea. I appreciate the drawing. I have not thought about bearings how to reseal the hole at the top for the handle. Ill print that off and study it out. Thx

 

[old and in the way]

Jim:

Rather than all of the alterations to your dust collection, you might consider this item, currently on sale for $219.

Dust Collector

120 volt AC @ 15 amps. Not sure what your shop footprint looks like, but you could have this right next to your sander, roll it around to wherever else you may need it without a lot of duct work, and as it sits on the floor, you won't have as far to fall when you empty it.

I can't speak to the quality of the Harbor Freight collector, but I have had a Grizzly 4 bag version of this style collector (220 volt) for 25 years, and use it regularly to collect dust from my 16" wide belt sander, as well as my jointer/planer, shaper, and table saw, with no problem. You can beat the top bag and let the fine dust settle before you need to empty the bottom bag.

I can recommend the 4 bag Grizzly version, but you would need the floor space, the proper wiring, and about $800. I don't know what your dust collection requirements are.

Grizzly 4 bag collector

Maybe its time for an upgrade. FWIW, YMMV.
Tone

 

[Westpacx3]

Jim:

Rather than all of the alterations to your dust collection, you might consider this item, currently on sale for $219.

Dust Collector

120 volt AC @ 15 amps. Not sure what your shop footprint looks like, but you could have this right next to your sander, roll it around to wherever else you may need it without a lot of duct work, and as it sits on the floor, you won't have as far to fall when you empty it.

I can't speak to the quality of the Harbor Freight collector, but I have had a Grizzly 4 bag version of this style collector (220 volt) for 25 years, and use it regularly to collect dust from my 16" wide belt sander, as well as my jointer/planer, shaper, and table saw, with no problem. You can beat the top bag and let the fine dust settle before you need to empty the bottom bag.

I can recommend the 4 bag Grizzly version, but you would need the floor space, the proper wiring, and about $800. I don't know what your dust collection requirements are.

Grizzly 4 bag collector

Maybe its time for an upgrade. FWIW, YMMV.
Tone

Thanks, that is an option. My urgent unit is a hf unit and works well. One thought was to get another unit for just the drum sander. Space is a bit of an issue due to all the small wood i have stored but with a few alterations I could mount a small one to the wall. Thx

 

[Al Olme]

I'm pretty sure you don't want to hear this...
I had a Laguna dust collector with the pleated filter and a "flapper crank". It made a funny noise when it was used but it didn't do much of a job of clearing dust out of the deep parts of the pleats. Maybe I didn't use it often enough but as far as I can tell the only really good thing it did was make a noise that reminded me of the time I tried to put playing cards in the spokes of my bike.
I got better results from taking the filter off and bouncing the bottom edge on the floor. Maybe a shaker motor would do the trick.

 

[Westpacx3]

I'm pretty sure you don't want to hear this...
I had a Laguna dust collector with the pleated filter and a "flapper crank". It made a funny noise when it was used but it didn't do much of a job of clearing dust out of the deep parts of the pleats. Maybe I didn't use it often enough but as far as I can tell the only really good thing it did was make a noise that reminded me of the time I tried to put playing cards in the spokes of my bike.
I got better results from taking the filter off and bouncing the bottom edge on the floor. Maybe a shaker motor would do the trick.

Thanks, my uncles dust right was not great either on the deeper part of the pleats. These are about 2 inches deep so might not even be practical due to that.

I think ill do the responsible thing and watch it closer. I have the drawing from the above post and have emailed it to myself for reference. Im not that old yet and can still take it down to clean. I also took the clips off the inside rim and just tied the filter down so i dont have to put my head up the unit and tork my neck.

Might be i had a really long time frame in-between cleanings and a lot more use of the drum sander.

 

[Tfeni52355]

I’d get that filter closer to the ground to allow servicing first. Then use a high powered leaf/yard blower to loosen the dust from the outside of the filter after drum sanding.

I have an EGO leaf blower from Lowe’s that I use in the shop when I need to. My Wynn filter pleats clog after heavy use of my planer. The leaf blower has enough volume and pressure to loosen the dust for the short term until I can drop it. Once down I take it outside and use the leaf blower to really clean it. Wear a respirator if you do this.

 

[Westpacx3]

I’d get that filter closer to the ground to allow servicing first. Then use a high powered leaf/yard blower to loosen the dust from the outside of the filter after drum sanding.

I have an EGO leaf blower from Lowe’s that I use in the shop when I need to. My Wynn filter pleats clog after heavy use of my planer. The leaf blower has enough volume and pressure to loosen the dust for the short term until I can drop it. Once down I take it outside and use the leaf blower to really clean it. Wear a respirator if you do this.

Thanks, certainly a consideration. Is the blower more effective than an air compressor?

 

[Tfeni52355]

Yes the leaf blower is much more effective than an air compressor. This is the one we own. I did not buy it exclusively for the shop but it allows me to do a quick dust clearing after heavy shop use. My shop is in my garage and I open the door to the outside when using it.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/EGO-POWER-...-5-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-Included/5005381953

 

[Canuck]

I purchase this hand blower for cleaning my Jet DC filter among other things (drying car after wash, blowing off porch and decks, shop cleanup efc.! Holds a good charge. Does a pretty good job as opposed to my gas and battery powered leaf blowers(getting little heavy for this old 79 YO fella for extended periods). Reasonably priced too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPF1GD9H?ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details&th=1

Wayne

 

[Westpacx3]

I purchase this hand blower for cleaning my Jet DC filter among other things (drying car after wash, blowing off porch and decks, shop cleanup efc.! Holds a good charge. Does a pretty good job as opposed to my gas and battery powered leaf blowers(getting little heavy for this old 79 YO fella for extended periods). Reasonably priced too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPF1GD9H?ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details&th=1

Wayne

That's pretty sweet. Just sent it to my son for possible purchase to use at his townhouse. Never seen one that small ..thx

 

[Canuck]

That's pretty sweet. Just sent it to my son for possible purchase to use at his townhouse. Never seen one that small ..thx

What surprised me was battery life and power

 

[Westpacx3]

What surprised me was battery life and power

True, it won't do the yard but dry snow, leaves off the porch, blow out the work van and maybe the filter.

Going to work on lowering the unit first. When I built the shop it was all about getting everything up and out of the way but since then it has been about practical change and sooner or later age will catch up so best to make the changes now.