dust collector box

[Mike Stanton]

:confused: I am going to make a dust collector box from plans in shop notes. I have a 1100 cft dust collector with a home made cyclone. I want to run seprate runs for each tool. How many runs can I use and still have it work good?Here is a picture of the plan from shop notes I am going to use Multigate switch system .Mike

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Mike;
The answers to your question depends on a number of things:
1. What size/type pipe are you using?
2. Is the DC truly 1100cfm- what make/model is it?
3. How long are your runs? How many? What tools are you collecting from?

Are you putting at gate at the output of each tool? This may be the most convenient design, but not the most efficient. Put the gates at the box inputs and you won't be sucking air through a lot of extra pipe, but then you have to open and close the gates as required at the box end.
George M. Perzel

[Jim Becker]

Do be aware that a "manifold" like this will degrade the performance of your system as it distrupts the air flow between the tool and the DC. I was very surprised they published this given the amount of information now available about dust collection. That said, it will likely work fine for a small shop setup where the runs are very short.

[Mike Stanton]

I have a penn state 1 1/2 hp 1100 cfm dust collector.I am going to have a table saw run about10 feet from the box, 735 dewalt planer about 10 feet or less from box I hope, chop saw about 20 feet plus from the box,jointer drill press,about 20 from box bansaw Mike :confused:

[Bart Leetch]

Mike

Try to have your Jointer & Planer be the closest tools to the DC & keep your ducting runs a straight as you can with large radius sweeps where ever you need to make a 90 degree turns.

I placed my Jointer next to my Table-saw & use the same flex that comes off my hard duct to go to my portable planer just unplug it from the Jointer & plug it into the planer.

Another thing is you can make 4" PVC fit inside flex by cutting 5/8" out of the side wall & gluing it back together clamping it with hose clamps till the PVC glue sets up. Then slip another piece of 4" PVC over it to make one end fit regular 4" fittings while the other end fits into the flex hose. If the 4" you try to slip on the end is a little loose a wrap of duct tape around the smaller diameter piece will make the 4" piece fit snug. You may need to clamp it into the flex hose but if your careful you should almost have to struggle to get the PVC into the Flex hose. Most of mine fit real tight. :)