Replies

1. 
   John_D | Jan 11, 2006 04:02am | #1

   Rockler and WoodCraft come to mind.  Probably all the woodworking stores sell 'em.  I sure like mine!  Have fun!

   My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
2. 
   bones | Jan 11, 2006 06:09pm | #2

   I got the one from wood craft. I liked the fact the remote is very small. It is about the size of the key fob for opening your car doors.   Not that expensive. Be sure to get one that matches the HP rating of the device you want to run.  I have the 220V unit that will handle up to 3hp.  You can get extra remote sending units (the fob) pretty cheap. I've had mine for a while and love it. 

   http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5117

   
   

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   Edited 1/11/2006 10:10 am ET by bones

1. 
   Bugsy | Jan 13, 2006 03:48am | #3

   thanks fro the tip. I have a 2hp 110v Grizzly dust collector. The remotes that Woodcraft  sell are up to 1 1/2 hp 110v and 220v up to 3 hp. I emailed them and now waiting for their response.

   thank you

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 13, 2006 04:20am | #4

   Grizzly carries them also.  Might want to compare prices.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

3. 
   DougF | Jan 18, 2006 06:14pm | #5

   http://www.dnet.net/frnbrook/fernpage17.htm#APPLIANCE%20MODULES

   I use the Fernwood Smart Switch.  A singel remote runs one 220v switch and one 110v switch.  The 220v triggers my cyclone and the110v runs the shop vac.  I have remotes on opposite walls for convenient access.  Their phone number is 800.382.1924

   
   

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   Edited 1/18/2006 10:22 am by DougF

1. 
   Bugsy | Jan 19, 2006 03:46am | #6

   I ordered the Long Ranger from Grizzly Tools for $49.99 They where 10.00 to 20.00 cheaper than any one else. I'll give a report on it when it arrives. 

   thanks

4. 
   cbsn | Jan 19, 2006 08:36am | #7

   try Shopfox- I had a Long ranger remote that gave out after a few years and couldn't be fixed. The Shop Fox has 2 remotes and was considerably less expensive than the Long Ranger-under $40 if I recall. I found mine from a company on E Bay-

5. 
   TonLoc | Jan 19, 2006 11:46pm | #8

   I have a 2 hp collector and cyclone that I turn on with a $12 remote switch for outdoor lighting that I got at one of the big box places. An electrical engineer friend of mine evaluated both the switch and my intended use and claimed all would be fine. So far, two years of daily use and not one issue. Not bad for 12 bucks. A lot better than the lone ranger at the best price available. I had one of those and it broke shortly after I installed it.

6. 
   spiff | Jan 21, 2006 05:23pm | #9

   I got mine from Lee Valley,works really well.

7. 
   BilljustBill | Jan 24, 2006 03:10am | #10

        Bugsy,

       For the passed 3 years, I have used the "Long Ranger" from Penn State.

        I live 1 mile from a fire station, 2 miles from a police station, and 20 miles from a Joint Reserve Air Force Base.  The workshop is 20ft. away from 3 different electric utility company's  overhead lines.  I have never had a single problem with a false signal to turn ON or OFF the systems.

       I have the 220v models.  One Good thing is that all the wall control modules will "Learn" what remotes you have and will operate with any new frequency if you buy an additional remote.  The only Bad thing is that the remote is a bit chunky equal to the size of 3 cigars and the ON/OFF buttons are exposed.  When in my workshop apron's front pocket, due to that design, I have accidently pinned it between my waist and table saw or workbench, and turned it on or turned it off.  A round rubber 0-ring glued with CA offers a barrier higher than the buttons...

       Bill

1. 
   tinkerer2 | Jan 25, 2006 06:19am | #11

        Don't they make a control that when you turn your machine on it would automatically turn on the dust collector and the respective blast gate?  They should!

1. 
   BilljustBill | Jan 25, 2006 06:39am | #12

        Hello Tink,

        They do make those types of blastgate switches, and systems with sensors that attach inside your electrical panel and on the circuits for those dust collection tools.   BUT, those systems need to have extra wiring for those relays, AND they cost more than $60 for the Long Ranger wireless system.

      Plus, equipment like your table saw, and a short board over your jointer or through your planer, there are times in which you don't need to turn the dust collection system on every time you use them.

1. 
   tinkerer2 | Jan 28, 2006 04:43pm | #14

        Well, it nice to know that they make them.  I would suppose in a busy system that they could be practical.  It wouldn't be to hard to put a disabling switch on the unit to flick to plane your short board.  If one has his mind to it, he can cobble up most anything.

2. 
   Michael | Feb 08, 2006 09:47pm | #15

   Actually, these systems do exist controlled by a sensor on the blastgate (you open the gate and it triggers the dust collector.  Eco-system is one example.

   They aren't cheap though.  In addition, you don't want to be turning your DC on and off more than 10 times an hour in general anyway for reasons of additional wear.

   michael

   Looks like Billjustbill beat me to it :)

   Edited 2/8/2006 1:48 pm by Michael

1. 
   John_D | Feb 08, 2006 11:09pm | #16

   you don't want to be turning your DC on and off more than 10 times an hour in general anyway for reasons of additional wear

   How do others feel about this statement?  What gets the excessive wear, bearings?  I turn mine on and off many times in an hour, because I tend to have a lot to do between cuts, and because I'm happier without the noise.My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

2. 
   BilljustBill | Feb 09, 2006 02:54am | #17

        John,

      The startup and stop cycle's 'wear and tear' is somewhat on the bearings and seals, but mainly on the motor's electrical parts.  There's an internal switch that kicks out the start winding and into the run winding.  A massive electrical flow from repeated dead-stop-to-running adds up also in a heat buildup; the real killer.  Having a motor with "Two Lumps", a start capacitor and run capacitor, help it adjust to the loads on startup and while running.

        For instance, I have a submergible 5hp deep well water pump.  On startup, it may draw 50+amps.  These motors are cooled by being on the bottom of the pump's design.  As the pump, itself, pulls the water into the pipe, the 55* water flows passed the motor, keeping it wonderfully cooled.  Every "Well Man" I've talked with tells me, that whenever possible, to "Let it RUN" by keeping the water faucets adjusted so the flow never reaches the cutoff pressure.

      You might check with your dust collection Mfg. to see what they recommend as far as number of cycles per hour.  I believe most 2hp.-5hp. motors have a On-Off cycle rating about 4-6 times per hour.

      Bill

3. 
   DougF | Feb 09, 2006 06:29pm | #18

   Bill is correct regarding the hourly cycle frequency.  I have a Leesom on my 2 hp cyclone and I believe the recommended upper limit is 5 or 6 on/off per hour.  The cycle rate is one the main consideration when buying equipment utilizing lower-cost motors of questionable reliability.  I don't dwell on the cycle rate but I also find myself sub-consciously monitoring the usage and in a busy hour of cutting, usually involving lots of individual cuts on the RAS, I will let the DC run between cuts.     

8. 
   triplenet | Jan 25, 2006 06:34pm | #13

   I have used a Long Ranger on my collector for about 3 years-excellent!I think they make 2 sizes, depending on motor size, voltage etc. It is a great product.

   Bob

9. 
   BobI | Feb 14, 2006 11:56pm | #19

   I've been using the 110V version of the Long Ranger for several years. (Maybe 5-ish years?) It's very handy and has always worked well - until last week when it died entirely.

   The remote acts as though it's working (there's an LED on it that lights when a button is pressed) but the relay doesn't switch. If I were to guess, I guess my guess would be a dead relay. I guess.

   I think I've gotten my money's worth from it but I like it a lot so I'm dissappointed that it broke.

1. 
   BilljustBill | Feb 16, 2006 05:44am | #20

        Bob,

        I have the 220v version of the Long Ranger.  With your current problem, check your instruction booklet where it tells about setting the different codes.  Your wall reciever can recieve many different frequencies should you buy another pocket remote and the new one can be  programed into your wall reciever.

       Maybe, with a silent and unknown power surge, it could have lost what remote its supposed to operate with.   Post your results if this helps, will you?

       Thanks,  Bill

1. 
   BobI | Feb 16, 2006 06:58am | #21

   Great idea. Thanks. Now if I can find those instructions... maybe I can find them online if not in my shop. I'll post when I do. Again, thanks.