Best bang for the buck on a cyclone dust collector?

[Chad Wallace]

Hey fellow woodworkers! Need some help please. I have sold off some tools and have some extra money to update my dust collection system and want to go with a cyclone. I was going to purchase the 2 HP Jet cyclone this weekend during the 15% off sale going on but have found out that the cyclones are being excluded from the sale. Do I go ahead and purchase the Jet or is there something better for the value that I am not aware of?

Thanks in advance!

[Jim Dwight]

Never really priced it out but my impression is that a Harbor Freight 2hp combined with an Oneida super dust deputy is a pretty low cost option. But when you have to buy multiple things to get to where you want to be you have to be careful that a combination like the Jet is not a better deal.

If you do not discharge outside, you also need a cartridge filter, or at least really good (like 1 micron) bags. Otherwise, your DC will just blow fine dust all over.

[James Zhu]

If you have a single stage dust collector now, you can buy a wynn 0.5 micron filter (http://wynnenv.com/products-page/woodworking-filter-pricing/), build a thein separator (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=thein+separator), you will have a 2-stage dust collector like a cyclone.

[Sean Troy]

Look at the Tempest line of cyclone collectors.

[Chad Wallace]

I'm doing some research now on your guy's suggestions! I really appreciate the feedback!

[Marty Tippin]

For the money, the Grizzly 2hp cyclone is pretty hard to beat. http://grizzly.com/products/2-HP-Cyclone-Dust-Collector/G0440 - $1350 to your door. Cheaper than the Jet and I'm pretty sure it'll perform better.

[Ben Rivel]

Whats the most you could cough up (pun intended ;) ) to spend on this? Thatll give us a better idea of how much we have to work with regarding suggestions. Like many other things the more the better, but we all have our limit.

Taking a guess based on other suggestions, this might be something to look into: LINK (http://www.oneida-air.com/inventoryD.asp?item_no=XXPM010100H) I believe its new from Oneida.

[James White]

In my opinion the 3.5HP tempest is the best bang for the buck for an over 3hp cyclone at $1295. I believe 3hp to be the lower threshold for very good dust collection. Penn State does have 10% off promos one in a while. You can check out the Bill Pentz web site and read a bit about dust collection. Enough to make your head hurt.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/TEMP1535S.html

[Ben Rivel]

OP: Are you planning on running this dust collector on a dedicated 220v circuit? Or a 120v?

[Chad Wallace]

OP: Are you planning on running this dust collector on a dedicated 220v circuit? Or a 120v?

I will have it on a dedicated circuit! 220 volt.

Thanks!

[Ben Rivel]

I will have it on a dedicated circuit! 220 volt.

Thanks!
Excellent, that certainly opens a lot of doors. And Im assuming a 20A circuit?

[Leo Graywacz]

I went with an Oneida Dust Gorilla. At the time I bought mine a 2 1/2HP high efficiency motor was available and that's what I went with. I'm pretty happy with it.

[mike mcilroy]

I don't know the cost of the Jet you're looking at but I swear by my 3hp Grizzly cyclone G0441. When I bought a year ago it was cheaper than any other option, bearing in mine that the shipping and border fees to Canada was the difference on the Penn State model. Also had issues with PSI taking over 2 weeks to respond to some questions. Only got the response when I e mailed telling them to disregard because I went with Grizzly. Their response was they were sorry but the guy that deals with those questions was out sick. I was glad I found out they only have one guy before I bought instead of after.
I had one issue with a part with the Grizzly during set up and e mailed a photo of the part and explained and they shipped a new part right away.
AND this machine has exceeded all my expectations. I forget to close blast gates once and a while and the only time its noticeable is on the sliding miter saw's hood, and even then its not bad just noticeable.
Performance, price and customer service.
I only have a 26x26 hobby shop. If yours is similar and if this cyclone is in your price range, I recommend it.

[Jim Becker]

My personal preference for a purchase like this is to go with a firm that specializes in that kind of solution. For me that's been Oneida, but there are other choices, too. So many of the mass-market tool companies have introduces cyclones over time because they are, in most cases, the best way to get good dust and chip separation, but not many of them have really considered optimal design in the "me too" marketplace. Compare fan curves for performance (if you can even get them) and choose based on the size and tool makeup of your shop. Bigger is always better than too small. And like any tool, the best value is what works best over a long period of time, not necessarily the lowest initial purchase cost.

[Tom M King]

To go really "best bang for buck" get a DC off craigslist of a size you need, and a cyclone from the place on ebay that sells them for a couple of hundred bucks. We can't post a link, but do a search there for "cyclone separator for dust collector". For a hobbyist setup where you're not going to be running it all day every day, they work fine. I bought a like new 2hp Grizzly two bagger off CL for $175, that cyclone for 250 to my house, and it works like a charm as a dedicated machine for a resaw bandsaw that's set up in another building away from the regular shop. We might run it for two or three hours at a stretch once in a while.

[glenn bradley]

The research on this can be quite overwhelming however, your requirements will help you decide rather quickly.

If your return air will be vented into your work space as opposed to in the next room or outside, your filtering requirements are going to be more demanding. Several offerings have good looking specs but, the filter media is too open or inadequately sized.

I vent into my workspace.


If noise is of a concern you are moving into an area where a good deal of the price is in silening technologies and your performance curve in air movement goes down for a given price point.

I wear ear muffs when operating almost any machine.


The installation footprint can drive part of your decision.

I went with a 2HP unit because it would fit more easily and wish I would have put out the effort to squeeze in a 3HP.


Ducting can cost almost as much as the DC.

ASTM-2729 plastic pipe has worked great for me; assembles easily, is lightweight and is easily alterable.




I landed on the Grizzly G0440 as my "best bang for the buck" and mounted it directly to the wall. I rotated the blower 180* to shrink the footprint. I went with the 35 gallon barrel as I don't fool with bags and didn't want something that would get so heavy I couldn't dump it. I have a Bindicator but have yet to find the time to get it installed . . . I swear, its on the list ;-) I just pop the lid weekly to check the level of spoil.

It has been very satisfactory and the price has only gone up a couple of hundred bucks since I purchased in 2009. I use the machine almost daily. I purchased 2 extra remotes (very inexpensive compared to some others) and have them velcro'd to primary machines around the shop.

[Tom M King]

I just checked, and there are several cyclones on Craigslist around me right now for decent prices, from 2hp to 10 hp, as well as a bunch of baggers. Once 2hp with new canister filters and Torit cyclone for $550 as an example.

[Chad Wallace]

Thank you guys very much! I really appreciate your feedback! Now to get to the decision making! :confused:

[John Sanford]

You ask for the "best bang for the buck", but you don't give any idea of what sort of dust collection needs to be done. A big 3hp cyclone may be the best bang, or it may be seriously under spec'd or over spec'd. If you're shop is a handtool & Festool based shop, then a Dust Deputy will be the best bang for the buck. If, on the other hand, you've got a 37" Wide Belt sander 100' away on the other end of the shop from where your DC will live, then you're going to need a stout machine.

So, what's the setup? What needs collecting? Does it need to be portable? With that info, the DC gurus here can narrow things down a lot better for ya.