Replies

1. 
   john_c2 | Apr 18, 2020 07:11am | #1

   I think you have an elaborate system planned, but I think it's a little too extensive to work with a single stand alone dust collector, particularly a Harbor Freight unit. Every time you connect more pipe, more hose, more gates, etc etc you are putting more strain on the collector, and the results will show.

2. 
   jimbo98 | Apr 18, 2020 10:41am | #2

   I’ve used the HF collector with a system using 6-inch sewer pipe for years with very good results. I have 4 tools connected, all with 4-inch dust ports. I took care to keep the runs as short as possible and of course I (almost always) have only one blast gate open at a time. I reduced to 5 inches at the dust collector. I recently upgraded the system to two stages with the 5 inch Super Dust Deputy, a Wynn Environmental filter, and the bigger Rikon impeller. I expanded the input and the output on the blower to 6-inch. All in the upgrade was in the neighborhood of $650, but I couldn’t be happier with the results. It draws more current, but I’m on a dedicated 20 amp circuit, so no problem tripping the breakers. My old Long Ranger remote (15 amps/1.5 horsepower) doesn’t work anymore; I had to build a little contactor device to get a remote working. So it was the 5-inch Super Dust Deputy for me. Pic attached.

   
1. 
   MPinc | Oct 12, 2021 09:11am | #8

   Your exhaust to the flex/filter, what did you do for the rectangle to circle transition. I see plywood, curios what you did, because ive been racking my brain on what to do.

   Thanks!

1. 
   _mj_ | Oct 12, 2021 10:38am | #9

   I bought one of these from Oneida. Pricey, but easily done and with low backpressure.

   https://www.oneida-air.com/ductwork/miscellaneous/square-to-round-adapters

   
3. 
   _mj_ | Apr 18, 2020 11:32am | #3

   I upgraded from a 2-bag mobile collector. I mounted the old blower with an Oneida adapter directly to the 6" top of a Super dust deputy. Inlet to the SDD is a 5" pipe that goes to 4" for the drops. The impeller outlet opens to 7" with another Oneida adapter and pipes to a a 12x40 filter with a dust bucket on the bottom. The SDD empties into a 17gal drum on a pullout shelf.

   I use magnetic fittings made for clothes dryers for easy machine / hose swaps and wired a switch into the ceiling in 5he middlr of the (small) shop so i can get to it with a step and a reach from anywhere.

   Oneida advised me on the setup, all designed to maximize airflow and reduce backpressure, it works extremely well.

   
4. 
   rob_ss | Apr 19, 2020 06:11am | #4

   I have an even simpler system.
   I use a 1500W dust collector - just a one bag mobile type but with a decent motor. This connects by 5 inch hose to a bin to collect any big stuff (I could use a Thien baffle but don't bother - I'm only interested in keeping chunks out of the impeller) the bin then sucks through 4 inch sewer pipe which I have laid out to keep runs short. I can run any two big machines at once off this system and also have a permanent connection to my drop saw. I use blast gates, but most of the time they are left open as it still seems to work well enough.
   My system is probably not as good at keeping airborne dust down as one with a cyclone, but then I am fortunate enough to live where the weather is very rarely cold enough not to permit a nice through draft in the workshop and I never heat my shop so ventilation is easy.

   Remember that the energy to spin the dust out of the air comes from the pump, so cyclone systems do benefit from a beefier system. There are also performance issues if the cyclone is too big or too small for the airflow - too big and it will not work effectively, too small and you get additional resistance. If I lived in the USA and wanted a cyclone, I would talk to Oneida. Never seen a bad review.

5. 
   mdorsam | Apr 21, 2020 06:39pm | #5

   The dust collector housing determines the main-run size - you shouldn't have a larger main run than the inlet size of the DC. I had a SDD for several years, and it worked great. I seem to remember it had a 5" inlet, and I could find only 4" sewer & drain plastic pipe - so, I know that I constrained the system... but it worked: I kept my runs short, and made sure I was pulling from only 1 machine at a time. My systems has since grown to a 6" Clearvue that is very effective.

6. 
   EvanKIng | Jan 17, 2021 11:00pm | #6

   Thank for the information.

7. 
   DRBWWing | Jan 18, 2021 09:35am | #7

   It should handle the larger SDD I'm running mine on a Jet 1100.

   Definitely go with 6" ducts. Use a 5x6 HVAC reducer to get from SDD to duct.

   My first DC system I ran all 4" PVC and it never worked that well. When I changed it out to 6" the difference was amazing.

8. 
   jharveyb | Oct 15, 2021 08:35pm | #10

   If you use plastic drain pipe, be sure(!) to install a ground wire the length of your pipe, unless you want to burn your shop down. The shavings/dust will generate static electricity when rubbing the plastic, and will cause sparks which at the worst will cause an explosion in the dust. We ran a bare copper wire, screwed to the outside of the pipe with sheet metal screws about every 4 inches, connected to both the machine and the dust collector housing. No problem after at least 25 years. By the way, the plastic blast gates are cheap, but we have had lots of problems with the back of the groove the gate slides into filling up with dust and preventing full closure. We have drilled small holes in the corners to blow out the dust, but mostly we re-oriented the gates so the gate opened downward, so the dust fell out of the groove instead of staying in it. If doing it again, I would probably buy the metal ones.