Dust Collector Question

[John Altberg]

Currently my 2HP, 2 bag collector is in my work space. It is noisy and the bags seem to let all of the fine dust that I am trying to capture right back into the shop. I could buy filters @ $175 ea., but the noise would not be mitigated. I would like to build an insulated enclosure outside of the garage to house the collector. I want to insulate the enclosure as well as possible to baffle the noise so I don't disturb my neighbors. My question is, how much air exchange does this enclosure require so that the collector will still function properly. Also, is there anything I can do to offset the warm air that I will be sucking to the great outdoors in the winter? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

John

[Roger Chandler]

John,

I replaced the top bag on my dust collector with a 1 micron bag [felt type] and it has done a marvellous job of containing fine dust. the bottom bag just allows for fill of the chips, sawdust. That does not help the noise, but it sure made the air cleaner, and I also use an overhead air cleaner as well.

[Thomas Canfield]

JOhn,

Your 2 Hp dust collector should be moving about 1000 cfm or so of air and that much discharged to outside requires makeup air. The cost of air to air heat exchange would be expensive and you still need louvers or something to control the incoming air. Best solution is to clean up the dust off your dust collector and try for some noise shroud (walls) around the collector. A certain amount of the noise will still be there due to the ductwork and inlet openings.

[David E Keller]

I'd spring for the filters or a higher quality bag, and if you've got the room, I'd keep it all inside with a sound reducing enclosure. You'll still come out ahead on the price over building outside. You can make or buy a muffler to fit between the exhaust and the filter stack that will help reduce some of the noise. There are lots of little tricks for sound reduction including staggered studs, double layers of sheet rock or quiet rock, and viscoelastic compounds between layers. I just finished building a 'closet' for my collector, and it helps tremendously with the noise.

[Neil Strong]

I just finished building a 'closet' for my collector, and it helps tremendously with the noise.

David, if you haven't already posted some details of your 'closet', it would be good to hear/see some details of what you did.
.

[Bruce Seidner]

Building a closet out of a corner or somewhere that exchanges air with the shop is the only solution that makes sense to me. While you could get into dust cyclones and other separating bins like the Thiel, for the money, I have found no better value than buying material and making large bags. As big as you can manage after the cyclone or Thiel or if this is too much bother then above a bin or receptacle as it is likely currently configured and letting the chips fall where they may. I have had NO dust coming out of the bags I have made. Though, they are huge.
I am a large fan of http://www.americanfabricfilter.com/ for their honesty and value.

Make as big a bag as space will allow, consider a Thiel or cyclone separator, keep them in a closet that exchanges air with the shop, and have done with it.

[John Altberg]

Bruce,

I just ordered bags, today, from AFF. I was REALLY impressed with the service that I received over the phone. Jeff "spec'd" the bags over the phone, gave me a quote and took my order. He spent just about an hour talking me through what will work in my shop. My question to you and David Keller is, how much air exchange do I need and how do you accomplish it whilst mitigating the roar of the collector?

John

[John Altberg]

David, if you haven't already posted some details of your 'closet', it would be good to hear/see some details of what you did.
.

I second this request!

John

[Harry Robinette]

John
I built a quit room in my shop for my 1200 cfm Delta and I can stand next to it and talk on the phone The most noise that is generated is from the rush of the air going into the 4" hose.The big thing to do is use 2 x 6's for the top,bottom and both sides of the walls and stager 2 x 4's back and forth every 12" or so.Then weave your insulation in between the studs, this means you wont have anything transferring vibration IE noise through the walls. Coat the sides (both sides) with two sheets of dry wall or insulation board ,some guys use insulation board and then dry wall. Mine is in a corner so I only needed 2 walls and one is on casters sunk up into the bottom and old barn hinges so the whole wall moves and I can change the bags. When I ask the Delta reps they said you need twice as much exhaust as you do intake. I made a duct into the wall between the studs (inside low outside high )and put a 12 x 12 filter on it. The unit is running two 4" outlets so I needed 8" of exhaust but 12 x 12 filters are much easyer to find. If your shop is connected to the house and you put the DC on a connecting wall do that wall also.
I think thats it if you have any questions PM me I'll get back to you asap.
Harry

[Paul Wunder]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvavBBb8Ezw&feature=player_embedded

John, the above link describes a closet installation from ClearVue cyclones and should certainly be applicable in your situation. Notice the significance of the noise reduction.

Paul

[Alan Lightstone]

I used the same type of construction David used to build the walls of my home theater. It provides very impressive noise reduction, but does take up space.

[Ole Anderson]

I threw together my first YouTube video (be gentle, please) showing my dust collector closet. Unique here is simply exhausting the air back to the shop along the joists, thereby also exhausting any heat buildup in the ceiling area. A layer of insulation along the joists absorbs any reflective sound.The door is 2 layers of OSB sandwiching a layer of drywall. Rock wool insulation is better for sound supression than fiberglass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X8qwMqm3Ek

[Neil Strong]

Thanks for recording and posting the video Ole

[Todd Kinsfather]

Ole I am sure many of us are envious. Nice Job.

Did you use a baffle system to exhaust air out the top or just left top open and put rockwool up against the rafters/etc.???

[Ole Anderson]

Todd,

I just put rockwool against the side of the joist the sound would bounce off toward the shop.