Dust collection/tubing question

[njohnston924]

Hi all. I was doing some research and looking into getting a used HF 2hp dust collector. I'm wondering if it will be worth it as none of my equipment has 4" ports - most are the smaller 2.5" ports. So I would need to get an adapter to reduce the 4" tube to fit my equipment. Would this reduce the suction/air flow significantly enough to make it not worth the purchase and hassle? I would plan on creating a separator with a 30 gallon drum and also using the 4" tube all the way to the tool (only reducing to 2.5" right at the connection to the tool.)

Currently using a smaller shop vac and 5 gal. bucket as a separator and it can't really keep up with the table saw. I don't even bother with it on the planer or jointer.

Let me know if you have any advice/experience with this. Asking specifically about the tube reduction, not which dust collector is better, DC or shop vac, etc. Thanks!

 

[Rushton]

Nate, the advice I've gotten it to remake the dust ports on your tools to use the full 4" diameter pipe/hose from your dust collector if it's designed for 4" pipe. Every place you reduce the diameter, you dramatically reduce the air flow necessary to keep the chips/dust in suspension going along the pipes. For more information, see this discussion on the Bill Pentz dust collection website.

Dust collectors work by moving large volumes of air, this the large diameter ducting. Unlike a shop vacuum, you are not getting suction as much as you are relying on airflow and you want to preserve max airflow at all costs.

 

[Travis Porter]

IMO, any dust collector is an upgrade from a shop vac. You can use 4 inch flex and get a 4 to 2 1/2 adapter to put right at the tool port and still have improvement not to mention it will hold 2 to 3 times what a shop vac will.

It was a happy day for me when ion longer had to shovel shavings from a planer or jointer.

FWIW, even with a dust collector the tablesaw will likely still be the pits. It will get a lot of it, but it will miss a lot too.

Good luck

 

[njohnston924]

Thanks guys. I'm debating whether to spend the money or save up for something else and stick with the shop vacation and sweeping.

I usually just roll the planer outside. But it only has a 2.5 port also.

I think I might try it out and if there's not a significant difference probably just sell it again