dust collection on the cheap

[cody michael]

i have a small 10x16 work area. i would like to have a good dust collection setup. i have some big (4-5) inch pvc pipe i would like to run along ceiling with maybe 2 flex hoses coming down to hook up to various tools. tablesaw, planer, lathe.

i don't have much money i saw a coupon for this "http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=97869" for i think 139$ i am planning on putting this outside of my workshop in an enclosure and probably pipe exhaust straight out side.


is this the best route or could i find a blower/sucking motor either bigger for same price or same size and cheaper and put a thein cyclone seperator in front of it to catch chips and just pump dust straight outside? where would i find something like this? how much for similair - more cfm air flow?

[Mac McQuinn]

Cody,
There's some 20% HF coupons out there in publications....might lessen the $ pain.

Mac

[Scott Hildenbrand]

i don't have much money i saw a coupon for this "http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=97869" for i think 139$ i am planning on putting this outside of my workshop in an enclosure and probably pipe exhaust straight out side.

If you decide to go this route and need a copy of the coupon I have one that was passed on to me from the online version of a mag.. Plan on picking it up next month some time. Just PM me your email address and I'll pass it on.


is this the best route or could i find a blower/sucking motor either bigger for same price or same size and cheaper and put a thein cyclone seperator in front of it to catch chips and just pump dust straight outside?

You can build a chip seperator fairly easily that can get the large stuff out.. I did so with a trash can and lid.. Redoing it with a metal can and plywood lid though.. Plastic has a habit of imploding.

Piping your chips outside will work so long as there's no one within a fair distance from your shop.. If there's a couple of acres till the next home, sure. But the dust will fly everywhere.

There are several "hacks" for the HF dust collector that make it work better..

http://workingwoods.com/hot_rodding_a_DC.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~dbhost/hfgems.html

[Mac McQuinn]

Cody,

With your small power tools, consider a Basic Dust Deputy. The basic unit without buckets, etc can be had at Woodcraft. Just wait for a 10% coupon and you'll be under $50. A estate sale Shop Vac, a few scraps of wood and some imagination will get you a portable unit. This is what I came up with;

http://www.esivart.com/pics/img_VAC4.jpg

You can really work wonders with your woodworking by being creative, not rich. The finest woodworker i know is still using a 30 year old Sears contractor saw, (modified a bit).

Mac

[cody michael]

money very important but i would really like something i can put out side and pipe in. i hardly have room to walk as it is. is there somewhere i could buy a cheap blower unit? to put with a thien seperator and pump dust outside

[David Hostetler]

I have that very same dust collector. I typically tell people to make sure they upgrade the filter bag, because they are using the DC inside. Since you plan on ducting it outside, I'd say go for it! Just make sure you put a Thien baffle in it to separate as much as possible out before it hits the bag, of just gets blown to mother nature...

Make sure the DC isn't close to any open windows or anything like that and you should be fine...

FWIW, that $139.00 IS a coupon special, and most Harbor Freight stores won't allow you to use two coupons on the same item, but then again, at that price it is a great deal anyway...

Good luck, and let us know how it goes....