It's easy to understand why dust collection is less of a problem these
days. Researching the topic on the Internet takes so much time you're
not in the shop inhaling all those fine particles!
After going through Bill Pentz' excellent site and several hundred
postings, I still have a few questions (surprise!). I apologize if they
have already been answered a dozen times over.
1. Cyclone without a filter
The wood whisperer's shop uses a Cyclone that's vented to the outside.
Of course, he lives in the desert in Arizona....nobody can tell you're
venting dust. Let's say I joint and plane two 8'x6" boards...does it
look like someone ate a dough nut with powdered sugar, or is it more
like Pompeii after the volcano interrupted? In other words, how visible
is the smaller dust that isn't caught by a good cyclone?
2. Cyclone inside, filter/ bag outside
The weather here (NC) is fairly mild. Venting to the outside would
mostly be a problem in the summer because of the heat (and A/C loss) I
was thinking about putting the cyclone inside, with a Y-connector to the
bag. The bag would be outside, the other end of the Y capped with a
rubber plug. Only on very hot or very cold days I'd bring the filter/
bag inside. Has anyone done this before? With a good filter, is this
extra customization worth it?
3. DC as air cleaner
No matter how good, no DC system can get everything. Adding an air
cleaner would probably be a good idea, but isn't the DC also an air
cleaner? What if you open a few blast gates after you're done making
sawdust, turn on the DC, and let it run for a few hours? Wouldn't that
clean the air? You'd want to use gates at opposite ends of the shop, of
course. Or, is this going to be such a wear on the DC motor a window fan
is better?
Thanks!
On Aug 6, 8:55 pm, "woodstuff" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Bas" wrote in message:
>
> <snip>
> | 1. Cyclone without a filter
> <snip again>
What are those things taht fit over 55g drums that one puts in between
collection and dust bag to catch material enroute to db? where can one
find them?
> I have a 5HP Oneida Cyclone and plan to remove the filter and just vent it
> outside.
> But I can do this because I have no close neighbors. I don't see much fine
> dust comming out.
"Bas" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It's easy to understand why dust collection is less of a problem these
> days. Researching the topic on the Internet takes so much time you're not
> in the shop inhaling all those fine particles!
>
Put the cyclone and filter inside, it is not worth the hassle to move it
inside and then outside when the weather is right.
Build a filter box. Like others have said it is allot cheaper to run, plus
quiet too. I forget my dust filter on sometimes because on low speed it is
almost silent. A cyclone dust collector is pretty noisy in comparison.
Greg
Toller wrote:
>> In other words, how visible is the
>> smaller dust that isn't caught by a good cyclone?
>>
> Jointing and planing is mostly big stuff. Drum sanding those boards might be
> a different story.
Good point. I don't have a drum sander yet, looks like I'll need to buy
one of those as well in order to make a truly informed decision <grin>
>> 2. Cyclone inside, filter/ bag outside
>> The weather here (NC) is fairly mild. Venting to the outside would mostly
>> be a problem in the summer because of the heat (and A/C loss) I was
>> thinking about putting the cyclone inside, with a Y-connector to the bag.
>> The bag would be outside, the other end of the Y capped with a rubber
>> plug. Only on very hot or very cold days I'd bring the filter/ bag inside.
>> Has anyone done this before? With a good filter, is this extra
>> customization worth it?
>>
> I think you are exaggerating what gets by a cyclone.
> Just how much do you plan on using it?
OK, I'm probably overthinking this. I really like the idea of venting
outside, because I'm likely to skimp on filter cleaning/ replacement.
That totally defeats the purpose of course. But, I can't seem to find
any cyclone systems without a filter. The exception is the ClearVue
system, but 5HP for a 20x20 shop? I'm worried my cats will get sucked in.
So...given that I'll probably end up with a surplus filter, I thought
maybe doing a 'seasonal' setup with the inside/ outside thing. Didn't I
say I was overthinking this?
> I had the very same idea. Someone here pointed out that a 3kw air cleaner
> is expensive to run when a properly made 300w will do the job as well.
Duh. Never thought of that.
Thanks to everyone who replied - much appreciated.
Hoosierpopi wrote:
| What are those things taht fit over 55g drums that one puts in
| between collection and dust bag to catch material enroute to db?
| where can one find them?
Cyclone separator lids. I bought two from Lee Valley and use them on a
pair of drums connected in series - and they work so well I put up a
web page showing the setup at
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/dust_collection.html.
They're also fairly easy (and inexpensive!) to build. I built a lid of
my own to use on a small drum with my ShopVac. I used 2x4 scraps for
the 2-1/4" hose, but I don't think it'd be difficult to use 2x6 scraps
to build one for use with a 4" hose. You can see the one I built at
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/Cyclone.html.
HTH
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/
> 1. Cyclone without a filter
> The wood whisperer's shop uses a Cyclone that's vented to the outside. Of
> course, he lives in the desert in Arizona....nobody can tell you're
> venting dust. Let's say I joint and plane two 8'x6" boards...does it look
> like someone ate a dough nut with powdered sugar, or is it more like
> Pompeii after the volcano interrupted? In other words, how visible is the
> smaller dust that isn't caught by a good cyclone?
>
Jointing and planing is mostly big stuff. Drum sanding those boards might be
a different story.
> 2. Cyclone inside, filter/ bag outside
> The weather here (NC) is fairly mild. Venting to the outside would mostly
> be a problem in the summer because of the heat (and A/C loss) I was
> thinking about putting the cyclone inside, with a Y-connector to the bag.
> The bag would be outside, the other end of the Y capped with a rubber
> plug. Only on very hot or very cold days I'd bring the filter/ bag inside.
> Has anyone done this before? With a good filter, is this extra
> customization worth it?
I think you are exaggerating what gets by a cyclone.
Just how much do you plan on using it?
>
> 3. DC as air cleaner
> No matter how good, no DC system can get everything. Adding an air cleaner
> would probably be a good idea, but isn't the DC also an air cleaner? What
> if you open a few blast gates after you're done making sawdust, turn on
> the DC, and let it run for a few hours? Wouldn't that clean the air? You'd
> want to use gates at opposite ends of the shop, of course. Or, is this
> going to be such a wear on the DC motor a window fan is better?
>
I had the very same idea. Someone here pointed out that a 3kw air cleaner
is expensive to run when a properly made 300w will do the job as well.
Bas <[email protected]> wrote in news:46b68378$0$8919
[email protected]:
> It's easy to understand why dust collection is less of a problem these
> days. Researching the topic on the Internet takes so much time you're
> not in the shop inhaling all those fine particles!
> 1. Cyclone without a filter
> The wood whisperer's shop uses a Cyclone that's vented to the outside.
> Of course, he lives in the desert in Arizona....nobody can tell you're
> venting dust. <snip>
My neighbor runs his Oneida this way. In California, near San Francisco.
After several months, you can see a very modest deposit of fine powder on
the exit port. Certainly no big deal. 3 hp machine, 6 or 7 inch tubing,
pretty good sized tools. Although he is switching out a bunch of stuff to
make room for the ShopBot...
One point of reference.
Patriarch
Bas wrote:
> It's easy to understand why dust collection is less of a problem these
> days. Researching the topic on the Internet takes so much time you're
> not in the shop inhaling all those fine particles!
>
> After going through Bill Pentz' excellent site and several hundred
> postings, I still have a few questions (surprise!). I apologize if
> they have already been answered a dozen times over.
>
> 1. Cyclone without a filter
> The wood whisperer's shop uses a Cyclone that's vented to the outside.
> Of course, he lives in the desert in Arizona....nobody can tell you're
> venting dust. Let's say I joint and plane two 8'x6" boards...does it
> look like someone ate a dough nut with powdered sugar, or is it more
> like Pompeii after the volcano interrupted? In other words, how
> visible is the smaller dust that isn't caught by a good cyclone?
If it's a good, efficient cyclone you won't notice much if any in the
exhaust. It's there but most of it's so fine that it's invisible. That
said, there's still not much. If you're in an average suburb with a
fair sized lot then it's not likely to cause the neighbors to complain
(but don't put the exit where it blows on the clothesline or into the
kids' play area), if houses are close together it's another story.
> 2. Cyclone inside, filter/ bag outside
> The weather here (NC) is fairly mild. Venting to the outside would
> mostly be a problem in the summer because of the heat (and A/C loss) I
> was thinking about putting the cyclone inside, with a Y-connector to
> the bag. The bag would be outside, the other end of the Y capped with
> a rubber plug. Only on very hot or very cold days I'd bring the
> filter/ bag inside. Has anyone done this before? With a good filter,
> is this extra customization worth it?
Overkill unless you also want to bring outside air into the shop for
some reason.
> 3. DC as air cleaner
> No matter how good, no DC system can get everything. Adding an air
> cleaner would probably be a good idea, but isn't the DC also an air
> cleaner? What if you open a few blast gates after you're done making
> sawdust, turn on the DC, and let it run for a few hours? Wouldn't that
> clean the air? You'd want to use gates at opposite ends of the shop,
> of course. Or, is this going to be such a wear on the DC motor a
> window fan is better?
It's not a matter of wear, it's a matter of power consumption. A good
dust collector draws as much power as a good sized electric heater, and
produces about as much heat (on cold days I've turned the dust collector
on to warm up the shop). While it _will_ clear the air, you're using a
lot more power than you need to to do that job. If you're using it
every day it won't take long for the energy costs to exceed the price of
a dedicated air cleaner.
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 22:12:20 -0400, Bas
<[email protected]> wrote:
>It's easy to understand why dust collection is less of a problem these
>days. Researching the topic on the Internet takes so much time you're
>not in the shop inhaling all those fine particles!
>
>After going through Bill Pentz' excellent site and several hundred
>postings, I still have a few questions (surprise!). I apologize if they
>have already been answered a dozen times over.
>
>1. Cyclone without a filter
>The wood whisperer's shop uses a Cyclone that's vented to the outside.
>Of course, he lives in the desert in Arizona....nobody can tell you're
>venting dust. Let's say I joint and plane two 8'x6" boards...does it
>look like someone ate a dough nut with powdered sugar, or is it more
>like Pompeii after the volcano interrupted? In other words, how visible
>is the smaller dust that isn't caught by a good cyclone?
>
A cyclone can't get it all, and the efficiency depends on several
factors.
>2. Cyclone inside, filter/ bag outside
>The weather here (NC) is fairly mild. Venting to the outside would
>mostly be a problem in the summer because of the heat (and A/C loss) I
>was thinking about putting the cyclone inside, with a Y-connector to the
>bag. The bag would be outside, the other end of the Y capped with a
>rubber plug. Only on very hot or very cold days I'd bring the filter/
>bag inside. Has anyone done this before? With a good filter, is this
>extra customization worth it?
Havn't done this. But I have taken equipment outside and made sawdust
there.
>
>3. DC as air cleaner
>No matter how good, no DC system can get everything. Adding an air
>cleaner would probably be a good idea, but isn't the DC also an air
>cleaner? What if you open a few blast gates after you're done making
>sawdust, turn on the DC, and let it run for a few hours? Wouldn't that
>clean the air? You'd want to use gates at opposite ends of the shop, of
>course. Or, is this going to be such a wear on the DC motor a window fan
>is better?
>
A separate air cleaner is well worth it. I made one and it uses three
furnace filters and a 1/4 HP squirrel-cage motor. Clears the shop
air-borne dust quickly. Plus, it doubles as a dryer for small
finished pieces.