TRAVIST

I am in the market for a dust collector for my small woodworking shop and am wondering what everone out here is using. My "shop" is one half of my garage so it's about 12x20. I am wondering what brand you guys are using as well as how many tools are you running with it. Also what type of plumbing are you using with it, metal piping or flexible hose?

Thanks
Travist

JD730

My shop is 3/4 of the basement which is 26x42. My primary dust collector is a 55 gallon style, 1hp that feeds into a 4hp unit where the filters are, this unit was designed for sanding dust, filters first then the blower. The 1hp one handles everything except heavier planer work, 18" oliver planer about as far away from the collectors as you can get, then I run both of them to pull the chips out.

All the piping is metal, 6" main line necked down to 4" in the ceiling and the drops, flex to the machines and to hook the main line to the dust collector. Blastgates at all openings.

My neighbor has an Onienda system I believe in his 30x30 shop.

TRAVIST

Sounds like a very effective system. I'm kinda leaning toward a Grizzly 11/2 or the Jet 1 1/2 with a little more simple set-up. Thanks for the reply.

ps. pictures would be cool if you have any.

Travist

herb

i use a big shop vac

TRAVIST

Anybody else out there using a dust collection system?????

Travist

JAX

Sure do, a broom and a dustpan

dieselengineer

I run a industral (AAF dust collector). I have a 10 inch main with many drops all in 18 plus gauge steel. Able to operate the total shop, from the 24 inch band saw to the 20 inch planner.

BearKiller

My shop is 32 X 40.

I have two of the Harbor Freight two-horse-power units, the kind with the two big bags.

They have served me well for several years.

I got them on sale for $120 each, I see them occassionally on sale, now, for around $180 each.

The reason I have two is that one is dedicated to the planer and jointer, so it has only shavings in it.

The second unit serves two table-saws, a miter-saw, band-saw, lathe, router-table, sander, and other miscellaneous machines.

I have simple light-switch-type switches, located convenient to the machines, that turn on and off the collectors.

I don't have an air cleaner, yet.

blackdiesel

we had a portable grizzly in our cabint shop back in the day. the flexable hose is useful to clean up the floor. like some huge shop vac

it just had one in-hose so you had to move it from machine to machine as you needed it. also very useful for getting under the table saw and in behind the shaper!

JD730

I have some pics on my home computer, but couldn't get on the internet last night.

I probably would have a 2hp unit if I didn't aquire these units for a very resonable price. I ran the 1hp unit with its stock bag for a while and as soon as I plumbed it into the filters on the larger unit I noticed a difference. It was like getting a new blower it was such a difference

checkster

broom and 3.5hp wet vac here.

Baja

I have a 2 hp system, 4" pvc piping, grounded to prevent static sparks, and it works well for all my tools, although my planer tends to max it out. For my wide belt sander, t-saw, 20" bandsaw, it is fine. I also like it because it is very quiet. Each tool is blastgated, very important.

JD730

Here's the two dust collectors, the 1hp has a wireless switch for convience. BTW, the ringer washer in the corner is for when our clothes are too dirty for the regular washing machine.


These 2 pics show the piping in the cieling and some of the drops.


I use a reducer on the drop over the bench for cleanup duty or if the tool has a chip collector I'll hook it up the the dust collector. The manifold on the wall is PVC and setup for the sanders,

TRAVIST

Nice set-up. Thanks for the pictures. I am trying to see as many pics as I can just to get an idea of how to set mine up so I appreciate the time to post those.

Travist

TRAVIST

Just ordered the Harborfreight 2 horse model and the ambient air cleaner system. Any pictures or thoughts from those of you who use your garage as a shop would be great.

Thanks
Travist