Dust collector location

[Mike Tilley]

I'am in the process of running a dust collector and have a couple of questions.
first is there a reason that everyone runs the pipe around the ceiling and mid wall instead of around the floor where it wouldn't be as noticeable? I thought about running it 6" off the floor so it would be hidden somewhat and help the appearance of the walls.
Secondly is it better to have the dust collector in the middle and run pipes both ways or run one line down the wall all the way?
Also first time i'am going to have a heated shop if the Jet dust filter is hung at ceiling height will that cause any problems for the hanging propane forced air heater or does it move that much air?
Thanks Mike

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Get a copy of Woodshop Dust Control by Sandor Nagyszalanczy - it's a great source of information. I've seen ducts run under the floor in some shops (like the false floors in server rooms where they run cables to get it out of the way...) so I wouldn't think that low on the walls would be a problem, but it does take 1/2 a foot off your square footage for every wall you run. If you run it up high you're not losing usable space. Just a thought

[Reed Gray]

Where you place it can have as much to do with how big of a system you are getting as it does how big your shop is, and what shape the shop is. From the smaller 1 hp models that are on a cart to a bigger central system that has its own room. Mine is a 3 hp system in a 24 by 36 shop, and I can run 2 machines at once and get sufficient air to both. Having the duct work under the floor could be handy as every thing then would go down (I have a sphere some where in my pipes....). Other than that I would have them above counter height or on the ceiling. I know Oneida will design a duct system for you, and I think Clear View will as well. They are probably the best ones out there. The air coming out of the filters is pretty much non directional so it doesn't set up any major flow compared to what it would do if it came out a pipe like the inlet hoses.

robo hippy