Replies

1. 
   coolbreeze | Apr 08, 2007 01:42am | #1

   Wisky,  I know your spelling is better than that so I'm assuming you're holding hands with Jack Daniels, as in Wisky:>) (couldn't resist)

   As for your questions, you would normally run only one machine at a time. You simply have a two machine hookup using blast gates to have only the one you are using open.

   I do not know of a dust collector that is quiet enough for you to run  your DC and one machine, yet hear a radio.

   If you do not have a DC, you really need one. If you buy one, you should follow advise given over and over on this forum. Buy more than you think you need so that you will not soon be wishing for something better than you have.

   There are a lot of good 1.5 HP collectors. Mine is a Delta and has served me well. I also have a remote to start the DC when I get ready to start my machine. Personally, I can't see a fairly busy one man shop without a remote.

   Cool

1. 
   wiskytango | Apr 08, 2007 06:28am | #2

   What do you mean by remote? Do you mean like TV remote or just a switch or something. Oh and I haven't used E's since I was in the 5th grade they just seem like a dumb letters to me ;).

1. 
   coolbreeze | Apr 08, 2007 09:24pm | #7

   Wisky,

   Forestgirl answered as I would. I would simply add to her post that I have the Lone Ranger. It is excellent for those who want their DC in another room because of the sound (loud). I have a rather large house. With the attached shop it is 5500sf. My office and computer is upstairs on the absolute opposite end away from my DC.

   When I am working I normally use the clip on the remote to attach it to my shirt for convenience of use. I have been in my office with the remote in my pocket and not realize that I have inadvertently hit the "on" button. I find out from my wife that I have a machine running in my shop. One of the next things on my "to do" list is to move the DC into the storage room that separates my shop from my garage. I have absolutely no concern about "shooting" that sucker through the walls.

   Good luck

   BTY Forestgirl also recommends Worktunes. I also have one and it doubles as a hearing protector and radio. Also $60 +/-.

   Edited 4/8/2007 2:28 pm ET by coolbreeze

1. 
   forestgirl | Apr 09, 2007 12:38am | #8

   "BTY Forestgirl also recommends Worktunes"  Yeah, they work well.  Awhile back I was working on an incredibly monotonous bandsaw production thing and had a vacuum running at the same time.  The WorkTunes probably saved what little is left of my sanity!

   BTW, isn't it Long Ranger??  A Google on Lone Ranger will maybe not come up with the remote until page 382 of the hits, LOL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   coolbreeze | Apr 09, 2007 02:13am | #9

   You're right. My computer communication skill leaves a lot to be desired. (my words, not yours:>)

2. 
   chabber | Apr 09, 2007 06:07am | #10

   Wisky -

   I have used the remote control from Woodcraft and it works well.  I lasted about a day before I went out and purchased this remote.

   Josh

1. 
   casnshs | Apr 10, 2007 03:31am | #11

   If you want a remote that you are not worried about pulling too many amps buy the $16.00 light control remote from Lowes and a 110 volt coil contactor $15.00 from an HVAC Shop and you have a 240v 40 amp remote for your dust collector. That is what I did on a Jet DC-1200 because I had heard of the long ranger not being able to hold up to the amperage.

1. 
   tinkerer2 | Apr 10, 2007 05:26am | #12

   "coil contacter"  Is this what I would call a relay switch?

2. 
   forestgirl | Apr 08, 2007 09:14am | #3

   Whiskey, I hope you use hearing protection when you're working with power tools.  Something about your post made me think perhaps you don't....

   Yep, the remote is like a TV remote, only not very many channels. ;-)  On, Off.  The Long Ranger is probably the most familiar one, you can get it at Penn State Industries for around $60. 

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

1. 
   wiskytango | Apr 08, 2007 08:03pm | #6

   forestgirl
   Yeah i use ear protection with my loud tools.

3. 
   madinventor | Apr 08, 2007 09:22am | #4

   I use an auto-switching shop vacuum cleaner for small tools. Like this one:
   http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Bosch-GAS-25-Wet-and-Dry-Extractor-22143.htm
   only mine was cheaper. The cleaner sits in a storeroom next to the shop, with an extended 3 inch hose through the wall, and an extension lead from the outlet on the cleaner. I plug saws, router, even a bandsaw into this extension lead and hook up the cleaner's hose to whichever tool I'm using. That makes it quiet and simple to use, and it seems very effective at collecting the dust, good filters. However, this sort of thing doesn't work well for any planer, even a hand-held planer. It fills up too quickly and the hose clogs. For planers, I've been forced to buy a big floor-standing unit that I wheel around. It's noisy and takes up valuable space. And I can't use it on small tools because the filters aren't good enough. But I think this is a pretty effective system for not much money.

4. 
   Al from Unionville | Apr 08, 2007 06:55pm | #5

   wiskytango, I spent some time looking for a DC and settled on Oneida. Because I have low headroom in the basement I went with the unit that they call Portable. Although it is marketed to be hooked up to only one machne at a time (by moving the flex hose from machine to machine as needed) their engineers said that it would work for permanent instalation with rigid pipe and blast gates. I sent them a shop layout and my ideas on how I would hook it up and they sent back a recommended layout and parts list (eg where to use 6" pipe, where to use 5" etc.). There was no charge for the ductwork assistance.
   The result is quite pricey (just marginally less than a lung transplant), but I am hoping it to be a better long term solution. The noise level if I remember correctly is about 76db

1. 
   jobo | Apr 13, 2007 05:14am | #14

   Hi Al from Unionville,

   I've also been doing a lot of research on dust collection and am looking at the Onieda, portable (2hp).  It is very expensive but appears to have excellent CFM to handle large machines.   

   Do you have any other comments (pros - cons) about this product?  Thanks,

   JOBO

    

1. 
   Al from Unionville | Apr 13, 2007 06:40pm | #15

   jobo, I have the Oneida Portable on order so do not have any real experience with it yet. Being in Canada I am expecting it to take a few weeks to arrive. My decision was to a large part made by the low ceiling height in my shop. And, because part of the shop is under a sunken family room the ceilng is not a consistant height. For me that means that I have to run the ducting at close to floor level and the Portable is short with a low inlet.
   Oneida assures me that the 2.5 hp Portable has comparable specs to the 2hp super gorilla. I am guessing (hoping) that the extra 1/2 hp makes up for the 6" inlet (vs 7" on the portable) and the back inclined impeller (vs airfoil on the super gorilla).
   I am installing rigid ducting and so am a little disappointed that Oneida has not published a detailed fan curve for the Portable. They do list cfm for a few lengths of flex hose and for a single length of 6" pipe.
   But I am leaving behind a 1 hp chip collector with a polyester bag and couldn't find anything that I thought was more suitable.

2. 
   DustyGeorge | Apr 15, 2007 12:14am | #16

   JOBO,

   I have had the Oneida portable for about two weeks.  It works great!  I have some reservations about the fit and finish - things like paint on the interior surfaces.  Nothing that would interfer with actual operation.  I did run into a problem with the casters under the base.  They are about the same caliber you would find on a large office chair.  I managed to bend the shafts on three of them in the first couple days.  I drilled some holes in the base, stuck two 2X4s under it and bolted some heavy duty casters to it.  Works fine now.  Overall I would say the Oneida is a good choice.  Go for it.

   GeorgeYou don't stop laughing because you grow old.  You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard<!----><!----><!---->

   <!----><!---->

1. 
   jobo | Apr 15, 2007 04:36am | #17

   Thanks, George. 

   I've read a lot of literature about dust collection, and feedback from an owner of the product, such yours, is the best.  Thanks,  J

5. 
   wilburpan | Apr 10, 2007 06:06pm | #13

   In a small shop, I would make sure that you also have some sort of air cleaner to catch the fine dust that your dust collector will miss. Even better would be to have some sort of exhaust system, or an open window.

   As far as noise, my jointer/planer makes so much noise that the dust collector noise is not really an issue.

6. 
   user-172666 | Apr 15, 2007 01:31pm | #18

   I went VERY low-tech on this. I bought a small (650 CFM?) used collector, put the best filter bag on it I could find, put a garbage can cyclone on the front end, plumbed it together with 50' of inexpensive flexible 4" "hose" (amazon) and bought a $20 foot switch.

   I put a hard adapter fitting on the end of the hose, and move it from tool to tool as I work. I haven't found that irritating (but I am over 50! <grin>). This lets me run a 'garage" shop, where I move the tools to different locations as the size of the project, the shape I need for build-up, and my lumber stack grows and shrinks. Plus I've got the fastest floor vacuum in the world!

   I couldn't live without the garbage can cyclone, though. I NEVER have to empty the bag on the DC system. And my wife loves the sawdust in her gardens (when I'm working with the right wood).

   One more safety thought. Being deaf isn't good. But having your lungs fill up with crud is fatal. Be sure you are getting the fine stuff filtered or circulated out. These power tools make way too much powder. (I now almost refuse to use MDF.)