Grizzly Dust Collector

[Bernie Weishapl]

Was wondering if anyone has used one or has any info on the Grizzly G8027? I went to the Grizzly site and checked out what I could. It is on sale right now for $139 from Amazon and the lovely wife said that she could probably fit that into the budget. It really looks like it would fit well in my small shop and you can get 2.5 micron bags for it. I thought with it and use a trash can cyclone it might work. I saw my friends setup which is a Jet 650 with the trash can cyclone and it seems to work pretty well. I don't have 220V in the shop. I figured the above would be better than a single bag system or even the single bag with a trash can cyclone. Again the price looks pretty attractive. Right now I use a shop vac which is a pain and just use it for cleanup when using the planer or jointer. Thanks.

Bernie

[John Miliunas]

Bernie, as the old saying goes, it's better than nothing. That said, I would have a few concerns. First, it's not capable of very high volume, so I'd be concerned as to how well the trash can cyclone will actually work with it. You need to remember that, as soon as you go through something like that, your actual sucking power is diminished. Also, that would pretty much tie the DC to one location. How do you plan on getting the suction to each machine? Remember that, flex tube also diminishes efficiency and you want to keep it to a minimum. Secondly, 2.5 micron is not that efficient. Basically, at 2.5 micron, the minute particles most harmful to you are NOT getting filtered. I sure hope someone else chimes in here, as I forget the source, but one of the on line vendors have felt bags, which help increase volume, as well as filter down to 1 micron or less.

Seeing as to how I don't have more particulars on your specific tool arrangement, I may be tempted to keep the unit mobile, put on the higher efficiency felt bag, keep my flex hose to the shortest length you can and put quick disconnects on your DC ports and move the DC to each unit. IMHO, that would make the best use of the DC selected. Certainly much better than the shop vac you've used in the past, that's for certain!:) :cool:

[Bernie Weishapl]

What I was thinking John is to move it from machine to machine. I really don't have room to set everything up permenent which would be ideal. I have a Delta 12 1/2" planer, router table and scroll saw are mounted on 3/4" particle board so I can put them on a bench that I made from a old workmate and clamp them in place for use. The wood portion of the workmate was ruined by my brother. He bought me a new one. So I found 1/2 of a kitchen table in excellent shape at the dump and made it into a folding bench. It works great for the portable items. The bench top jointer , my bandsaw, table saw, and belt/disc sander are mobile. So I move them in and out as I need them.

I don't know about the portable units such as the Delta AP300. I looked at one in Denver last week. The salesman said, "heck get this unit with the trash can and it will do everything you need to do for your small shop." I am just not sure about a one bag unit. If you don't think the Grizzly will have enough suction then I am really not sure about this one. I hope more will will respond.


I wasn't sure about the 2.5 microns. I know they make some bags that I could put on that are I think 1 micron. I plan on doing more research on DC. I will be the first to admit I need help and need to do some serious research.

I know it would be great to get a large unit but we have had some serious medical bills. Insurance covers a lot but as you know not all. So my other half says I have about $175. I just want to get the best system I can with what I have.

Anyway thanks John for the response.

Bernie

[John Miliunas]

Bernie, probably the single best resource on the Internet today to learn and research dust collection is here: http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/Equipment.cfm#Bag%20FiltersAlso, those bags I speak of can be purchased here: http://www.tools-for-woodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=felt+bag&Page=1

IMHO, I'd go with the Grizz, as that is at a good price point, get the bag, skip the trash can and have fun!:D I completely understand other financial needs taking the front seat. With the improved shaker bag, I think you'd have a viable way of controling the worst of the dust in your shop. As you well know, it's not the ideal solution, but within your constraints, this should prove to be a great improvement.:) :cool:

[Effie Lever]

Berrni,
I got the Jet 650 few month ago (could not resist the 50% off, store closing) and I'm using it with a trash can and PVC piping, it works. Like John said it's better then nothing, actually much better. If you can't afford anything bigger go with it, I don't think you will regret it. I did get a 1 micron bag (I think at Rockler)
good luck with you're project.

[Bernie Weishapl]

John,

I also found Penn State Industries site. They have a small model that comes with 1 micron bags and is 850 cfm. I wrote them a e-mail and they told me to use the dust seperator lids with it. They told me that anything under 600 cfm the dust seperator lids don't work to well. They said that the DC1 would run fine with that setup. They told me on my planer which doesn't have a dust port to use their big gulp dust hood. They said there would be no dust or chips. The DC1 runs $199. They also said to use their quick connectors for jumping from machine to machine. Attached is a picture of it.

Anyway more research. I have also been on Bill Pentz site and doing a lot of reading. Thanks again.

[Allan Johanson]

I wrote them a e-mail and they told me to use the dust seperator lids with it. They told me that anything under 600 cfm the dust seperator lids don't work to well. They said that the DC1 would run fine with that setup.

Wow...that's a funny thing for them to say. With a 4" hose hooked up to a tool and a dust separator lid in the middle, there is no way that DC will pull 600cfm. No way at all.

I guess he was referring to 600cfm in the marketing sense? "Advertised" cfm airflow numbers? Certainly not reality though.

Cheers,

Allan

[Sam Chambers]

Bernie:

I had the Penn State DC-1BXL for several years, and it worked well for me. I used it with a Veritas lid on a metal trash can, and it still worked pretty well. That setup is a must when hooking up to a planer or jointer, because the DC-1BXL has a metal grate that prevents hunks of wood from reaching the impeller, and the large, stringy chips from my planer clogged it up in a heartbeat. Adding the trash can solved that problem.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Stan, I think this is what I want to do. I drove today to a couple of wood workers that had small dust collectors. I saw a Grizzly G8027 like I wanted to get that has 500 CFM with the trash can cyclone as I call it and this other gentleman had a Rand (I see them on ebay). They both seem to work pretty well. I figured that the DC-1 has 850 CFM it should be a little better. He said like you that he had to keep unpluging his DC until he got the dust lid because of the metal grate. I also like the fact that they come with 1 micron bags so that is a expense I won't have. Anyway I am still learning and doing a lot of research. I can't go big and cost is a definate factor so I want to get the best I can right now and see what happens down the road. Thanks again.

Bernie