Dust collection in a small shop

Fred J

Fred
User
I’ve been in the market for a cyclone dust collector for a long time. I’ve done a few small projects for my home and I’m looking to do more projects now that I have a few more woodworking tools.

I did a small closet remodel last year in my son’s room and a closet remodel in our master bedroom. I got halfway through the master bedroom remodel and caught 2 upper respiratory infections within 3 weeks apart in December.
I finished the closet and wore a respirator when making cuts and sanding. I’ve currently put my hobby on hold since I know I don’t have an adequate dust collection system.

I’ve read Bill Pentz’s article on dust collection several times and I’m currently trying to find the right system for my setup. I’m just not sure which one on the market to go with.

Some facts about my situation are I’m a weekend hobbyist in an expensive hobby that can yield unparalleled satisfaction when the task is complete. Something about the feeling of making something from nothing. I work in an attached 2 car garage, insulated doors, and we occasionally park vehicles in it for inclement weather or if I’m traveling. I currently use a shop vac with a super dust deputy, use/run one tool at a time, and run a WEN 3417 air filtration system but there’s still dust. Also it’s a headache moving hoses from tool to tool. More than once I’ve made cuts with the system running on a tool I’m not using.

I’d like a system I can mount on the wall and still follow Pentz’s suggestions. I was interested in the Grizzly G0440 but that has been discontinued. I searched for a 2 hp Tempest but I don’t think they make them anymore. I think Oneida’s V 1500 and Clearvue CV 1800 are overkill and expensive for my situation.

What do you use in your small shop? What are your suggestions given my shop description? What are your thoughts on Grizzly’s dust collectors? Also, I’m not against the portable systems if I can mount it on the wall (14 ft ceilings).
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
Knowing what the budget is and what machines you have will help a lot.

My advice is don’t get too deep into the Pentz info. The basic principles are good to know, it you have to realize he is in a zone of efficiency most hobby shop owners don’t need an OSHA level dust collection. Explains why every Clear Vue is 5HP.

I do think a cyclone is a necessity. In my shop, I am able to exhaust outside, which I feel this makes a huge difference in performance compared to filters. You can’t do this if you’re climate controlled or have neighborhood objections.

The small shop cyclones in the 2-3 HP range are good options, or you can build your own system. Laguna & Jet for example.

I don’t have experience with Grizzly collectors, but based on the Grizzly machines I do have, I wouldn’t be scared to buy one.

BTW, I love your description “I’m a weekend hobbyist in an expensive hobby that can yield unparalleled satisfaction when the task is complete.”

I would change “can” to “occasionally” LOL.
 
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NOTW

Notw
Senior User
I agree budget is going to really tell you more about which models are available. Also, it sounds like you plan on ducting the system since you don't want to move the hoses so I would at least mentally layout your runs and see how long your longest runs are going to be. Also, there are tons of articles and pictures of people making their own systems, mine for example is a harbor freight motor and impeller on a homemade Thein baffle
 

Herdfan2005

New User
Jason
I fretted over this for a while when I first got started but then realized I just needed something to start. Something is always better than nothing with dust collection. I found a great deal on a older but brand new Grizzly single stage and have used it for a couple years but now I'm ready for the upgrade to the cyclone.
 

jfynyson

Jeremy
User
My last shop was a 14x24 (had 8.5ft ceilings) and i too stopped woodworking until I installed adequate dust collection for health reasons. Budget (remember ducting) & ceiling height (garage shouldn't an issue though) will be factors for sure but like SawStop users like to say the cost of the equipment pays for itself vs the cost of serious medical treatment.

I first purchased the 3M N95 respirator then cleaned my shop several times over the course of a week to "reset". I then purchased the 3hp Grizzly G0441 cyclone that was mounted to the wall, used a 35gal drum (this allowed it to fit under my ceiling w/o issue) and 6" spiral pipe ducting to all tools (used blast gates as well). I also purchased and would run the Jet air filtration system on high for 2hrs after exiting the shop each day. This system worked very well. My wife couldn't even smell cedar on me and I had virtually zero dust on me after cutting and sanding on it for hours when building our bed. My nose bleeds & headaches stopped immediately.

Budget vs CFM for a cyclone 2 stage system, the Grizzly G0441 was by far the best cost vs benefit option on the market at the time. Also remember budget-wise that your ducting system will also cost a lot. I opted to have my buddy who works in HVAC order the spiral piping, elbows and reducers as he could get it at a much better cost. Always helps to know someone. Blastgateco.com were the best for 6" aluminum blast gates and McMaster-Carr for the flex hose. I have part numbers and updated costs I can share if needed. I fell into analysis-paralysis when I look into this stuff.

The only issues I had with this dust collector was the motor went bad after a couple weeks (bearings) but Grizzly immediately shipped me a new motor and told me to keep the other one. Later I learned I could've taken that other motor to a place in town for new bearings for $120 for a nice 3hp motor back up to have on hand. I sold the entire system (extra motor too) and most of my woodworking tools when I sold the house/property. Now saving for new house and 30x40 shop with all upgraded equipment are in the plan.

PM me if you have further questions as I have some pics of my setup.
 

bbrown

Bill
User
If you stay tuned to this site, you will find a decent used system. These come up for sale frequently. I saw a used Tempest somewhere recently. Go to Craigslist and you can sign up for alerts. You can do the same with Ebay but cannot guarantee locality with Ebay. Also FaceBook Marketplace seems to be taking over the classified genre and I am sure you could find a good used system there as well.
BTW, I'm 40 years into this and still have not set up a DC system. Not recommended! I did find a used Tempest and just need to get the dang thing hooked up.....
Good luck and let us know what you end up with. Folks here are more than generous in sharing info.

-Bill
 

Douglas Robinson

Doug Robinson
Corporate Member
About 10 years ago I bought a Penn State Cyclone system for $300 on Craigslist in Durham. Still the best deal I have ever found! Keep looking, deals are out there.
 

Pop Golden

New User
Pop
Keep the Super Dust Deputy & replace the shopvac with a Harbor Fright Dust Collector. This is the system my son has in his shop and I am in the process of installing. This is a good low cost system. I'm ducting with 4 in. sewer drain pipe (the green stuff) this pipe interchanges with standard DC fittings & it's cheap. A 10 ft. section cost $ 11.00 at Lowes.

Pop:)
 

Fred J

Fred
User
Thank you for all your feedback. The tools I plan to use are miter saw, table saw, Dewalt 735 planer, jointer, and bench top bandsaw. I’ve acquired all of these but the last 3 are still in the box. I’ll take your advice NotW and envision my layout.

I’ve given thought to the HF set up but I’m afraid I’ll lose CFM through piping even though don’t plan on long runs. In the past when I’ve been cheap it ends up costing more in the end.

Jeremy, I’m not sure I can send a PM yet since I’m a new user. I’d like to see the setup and updated numbers.

Budget - $1300 (don’t tell my wife, I’m Sawstop approved but better dust collection is a priority). That’s way more than I want to spend but very hopeful to run across a good used unit.
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
The miter saw is the most difficult to collect, the planer is the easiest.

A shop vac can collect a miter saw fairly well at the saw, but if you plan to have a hood (recommended) it won’t work. I went with a dedicated collector for my. Inter saw and router table. It’s a 1HP wall mount wich I modified by placing on the floor and exhausting outside. It really works quite well.

The rest of my shop is collected with a ducted system.

3663A74A-9175-4486-99FC-A64D825D86FC.jpeg
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
It concerns me that you have health impacts from dusty environments. Do you have impacts if your outside in dust? Is it all dust that bothers you in other words? Bill Pentz recommends what he does because he has what I call extreme sensitivity. He has to use special filters in the HVAC in his house to stay healthy. If your sensitivity is like his, then his recommendations seem like a good idea to me.

I do not have that sort of sensitivity. I've never gotten sick related to dust exposure. I still don't think it's a good idea, however. I use a 2hp harbor freight collector but I only use the motor and blower. It sucks through a super dust deputy and exhausts outside. It works for me but I am not super sensitive.

You can get a Dylos air quality monitor and use that to judge the dust effectiveness of your equipment and filtering. It can also tell you when outside air is dusty or inside air. Might be a good idea if you are having problems.

A few simple points in case you are new at this. First, while I use the HF motor/blower I will never use bags like they supply again. When you do, your system captures the larger particles but just blows the fine pieces, that could harm you, back out where you can breath them. If you exhaust inside the worst filter you should consider is really good bags. A cartridge filter is better. They can be fitted to nearly any system. Exhausting outside can also give good air quality - or as good as the outside air you will be drawing in.

The cyclone does not help your air quality, it just helps you avoid having to clean your filter a lot to keep the system working. I do not like cleaning filters so I use cyclones on both my shop vac and DC. Oneida's work well. Reports I see on Laguana and Grizzly are not nearly as positive - but that isn't necessarily terrible, it just means more filter leaning. I'm sure Clearvue has a good cyclone.

Your sensitivity is a really big deal in my opinion. If you are bothered by lower levels of dust a simple system like mine may not be good enough to keep you healthy. Something like a Dylos meter measuring the dust that gives you issues would be good data. On the other hand, if that only happens at really high levels, then you may be able to get a workable system for a few hundred dollars (mine is the less than $200 HF DC plus a super dust deputy that was a little over $200 plus a bunch of 5 inch snap lock pipe and a few gates and some flex hose). Last tip, taping a good 20x20 furnace filter to a box fan is an effective way to have an air filter. Wood magazine tested this arrangement versus commercial systems and it did surprisingly well. Not everything you need has to be expensive.
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
I think Jim brings up an excellent point. The poster has to be very vigilant for health reasons.

i have a similar system exhausting outside eliminates a lot of issues with cleaning filters and improves performance.

For the poster, I think he has to install one or more air filtration units, especially if his shop is climate controlled
 

Gunnage

New User
Greg
You can definitely get a system for under $1300.

Not sure what part of NC but I see dust collectors on CLT Craigslist fairly regularly for $200-$300

I built mine out of a Grizzly 3 hp unit with pvc sewer pipe. Which works well ( but fittings don’t always fit perfectly on pvc, so much electrical tape was used to get a tight fit.)

I also wouldn’t underestimate the effect of an air purifier/filter. Either a dedicated one or a home made one with box fans and filters. Mine made a big difference in my shop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Grimmy2016

Administrator
Scott
I just did my shop a few months back. 15x15 in size. I already had a HF 2hp system, so I took the motor, added a bigger impeller from Rikon, took the bag away and used a filter from ( www.wynnenv.com ), along with a Super Dust deputy and a 35 gallon drum. Ran PVC piping throughout the room and connected it with blast gates and hose from Klingspor. I think all in all my system cost me about $1000 total. It runs on 3 sides of the room, and connected 6 main machines, and then one short run for dustpan sweep on the floor. I also run a Grizzly air filtration system.
 

jfynyson

Jeremy
User
Thank you for all your feedback. The tools I plan to use are miter saw, table saw, Dewalt 735 planer, jointer, and bench top bandsaw. I’ve acquired all of these but the last 3 are still in the box. I’ll take your advice NotW and envision my layout.

I’ve given thought to the HF set up but I’m afraid I’ll lose CFM through piping even though don’t plan on long runs. In the past when I’ve been cheap it ends up costing more in the end.

Jeremy, I’m not sure I can send a PM yet since I’m a new user. I’d like to see the setup and updated numbers.

Budget - $1300 (don’t tell my wife, I’m Sawstop approved but better dust collection is a priority). That’s way more than I want to spend but very hopeful to run across a good used unit.

My plan and thus pricing is to have 6" ducting as far as I can and this likely includes making mods to equipment to accept larger ports.

SizeItemCost each ($)Notes
6 in.Spiral straight pipe 10ft (24ga)$30.00local HVAC supply
6 in.couplers/adapters to join straights$6.67local HVAC supply
6 in.45° elbows$19.77local HVAC supply
6 in.90° long radius elbows$20.71local HVAC supply
6 in.6"x6"x6" 45° wye$35.00local HVAC supply
6 in.6"x6"x6" pants wye$37.28local HVAC supply
6 in.End caps$10.35local HVAC supply
N/ARoll of aluminum foil tape (red letter higher grade)$21.96local HVAC supply
N/Acrimpers$35.40local HVAC supply
6 in.Blast gates$17.63Blast Gate Co p/n BFG06 (price per unit)
6 in.Flexhose$4.04McMaster-Carr p/n 56355K34 Clear Very Flexible PVC Duct Hose for Dust
6" ID, 6-1/4" OD (cost of per foot)
NOTE: will need plumber's tape (strapping to hang the pipes)
 

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Fred J

Fred
User
Thank you Jeremy for posting the information and to all that commented. I’ll take all the advice into consideration for my set up. I’m looking into the solution and hopefully it’ll work out.
 

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