Another dust collection question, geez:)! [Archive] - Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community

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David Cramer

09-03-2010, 3:01 PM

I have a cyclone dust collector and I live in Michigan.

I wondered as far as dust and one's health goes, why can't you exhaust (the filter pipe) out the side of your shop and go 90 degrees down and build a semi-sound proof box around it with a metal screen over the bottom to keep out the "unwanted". Seriously, wouldn't that be quiet enough?

I've heard a lot of discussions about heat lose, which is not much unless you are running it for hours at a time, which I am not. No filter to clog and the little amount of dust that comes out goes down into the rocks on the side of my shop/garage.

God definitely wants me to keep this thing as I tried to sell it a ways back for a fair price but was almost asked to give it away by some extremely unrealistic offers. I only wanted to upgrade from my 2HP and found out I was fine and the distance for the longest run is more than acceptable.

Anyways, if building a small bump out and putting in 2 inch ridgid foam won't cut the mustard, are there any other methods? I can't imagine it would be that loud if it was entirely surrounded by insulation, OSB, and siding.

Thanks,

David

Dan Friedrichs

09-03-2010, 3:09 PM

You absolutely can. Especially with a cyclone, you'll have hardly any visible dust in the exhaust, so it can get discharged directly outside. Many people (incl. Keith Outten) just use a blower (no cyclone) to exhaust everything into a large box outside.

As you noted, the heat issue isn't that big of a deal - especially because air has a much lower heat capacity than, say, cement or cast iron. If your tools/shop/floor are warm to start with, it will take a good while before you've moved enough cold air to make it "feel" noticeably chilly.

Be careful that you open a door or provide some other means to allow return air into the shop. Especially if you have gas-burning water heaters/furnaces/etc in close proximity - you want to make sure you don't accidentally create a negative pressure space that sucks flue gasses back into your workspace.

Otherwise, yes! It is a great idea.

David Cramer

09-03-2010, 3:36 PM

Thanks Dan! I guess it would be too loud if the whole unit were outside, but I thought I recall a woodworker or 2:) saying the exhaust pipe would create a lot of noise, which I believed, but thought there was an easy remedy for it. Your post has really, really helped. Hopefully I will be punching a hole through the wall by October at the latest. Much appreciated. Cleaning the filter out with particleboard dust is getting old.

David

Dan Friedrichs

09-03-2010, 4:11 PM

I hope it works for you, David. Frankly, I don't understand why more people don't exhaust outside. I suppose if you lived in a very urban area, or a very cold area, it might be a problem, but otherwise it's less noisy, less expensive (no filters), and does a better job keeping the fine dust out.

Alan Schaffter

09-03-2010, 4:20 PM

Give it a try. It is only too noisy if you have little kids next door who take midday naps or go to bed at 7:00 PM. A small wall around it will greatly reduce the noise, and the sound won't reach and wake the angels. It won't be louder than a trimmer, lawn mower, or leaf blower. Think about how loud other sources of noise like these are around your neighborhood.

My first cyclone- mounted outside only 30' from my neighbor's house and their master bedroom windows.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P2240015.JPG

Bill LaPointe

09-03-2010, 5:09 PM

I have just finished installing a 3hp Jet collector with a Thien baffle. The dust collector is mounted in a room adjacent to my basement shop and ducted directly out the top of the wall. The noise level is about the same as a commercial dryer and very little dust is exhausted. I did install a louver for make up air since both my furnace and water heater are in the shop.

Alan Schaffter

09-03-2010, 7:25 PM