I’m looking to upgrade my dust collection system. Right now I have a 1hp unit parked next to the table saw. Even with a short 4′ flex hose, it isn’t really powerfull enough. With the 10′ extension flex hose that I use to reach the jointer and bandsaw, It is really inadequate.
I’d like to get a really good system, but I doubt that I could fit it in my tiny shop (12’x24′). So I’m thinking of building a little shed off the side of the shop to house the DC and then piping it through the wall. One thing that really appeals to me about this system is that during the warm time of year, I could just blow the chips and sawdust outside with no return air back into the shop. This solves the problem of really fine dust particles getting past the filter and I’m assuming that without a filter there would be a lot less resistance for the blower to overcome. In the winter, however, I think I’d want to have “closed loop” with filtered return air coming back into the shop. This would be particularly important because I heat the shop with a woodstove that’s in the garage next to the shop. An “open loop” would for sure cause the stove to back draft.
Anyway, I’m looking for suggestions on how best to do this and what DC would best serve my dual purposes. Or, if even the open loop-closed loop idea is worth the bother.
Thanks
Replies
You will have to be careful to not pull all your conditioned air out of the shop. My dust collection system is in an attached closet and the air is returned thru a trench in the concrete floor. It returns most of the air but you can tell it has an effect on the temperature of the shop.
My system requires that a collection can be attached. You can't just blow the dust into they yard. It will burn up the motor. Your system may be different but be sure to check.
I relied on the manufacture of the equipment for most of the set up. They were good to work with but I did make several "field modifications" to their plan.
Hope this helps.
I'm not sure how 'northbound' you are but up here in the Great White North my 2 hsp dust collector's bearings scream in protest if the motor has not had enough time to warm up. Putting it in a separate area away from the stove just wouldn't work.
When I was at a woodworking school in Maine (CFC in Rockport) I noticed that they had a cyclone blower and blower motor outside, but a system of filter bags and a manifold inside an attached closet. The closet was separated from the shop room by a louvered panel covering a hole cut in the wall. A door in the closet (opening to the outside) allowed for maintenence of the filter bags. The cyclone, blower housing, and all outside duct work were covered with a thick foam insulation. This system seem to work pretty well at keeping the heat inside the shop, and I was there in the dead of winter.
In my former shop (16X24) I had the blower inside and the bags outside in a small attached shed like you describe. The worked fine and made emptying the bags less messy. My current shop (13X28) has the entire system in the barn basement, below the shop. This is nicer from a noise point of view and I haven't had a problem with cold starts (it was real cold here yesterday). I am concerned about sucking the heat out but I am careful not to leave it running.
I currently have a Delta 1 1/2HP dust collector mounted inside a lean-to shed on the side of my 16 X 24 shop, with 6" piping going through the wall. On the shop side of the wall the Y fitting with the 2 4" dust ports is attached to the wall. I do not have any kind of vent in the wall to prevent losing any heat. I just don't run it continuously while I am in the shop. I have read lots of comments about venting back into the shop from an externally mounted dust collector, but have not found this to be a concern.
For piping, I used 4" PVC mounted about 16inches from the floor on the wall, attached with flex hose(short lengths). It only runs about halfway around the shop so I have not had any problems pulling chips and dust from the machines. But I don't think your 1 horse machine will work in this configuration. You will definetly need to upgrade, which is a good idea anyway. Good luck and watch those fingers.
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