Dust Collector Question

[Chad Johnson]

Does anyone have experience upgrading to a two stage Oneida dust collector from a Delta one stage collector with a felt bag? I am thinking about making the upgrade but am curious if the change will noticeably improve the dust collection in my garage shop.

[Ole Anderson]

I went from a Penn State 1 hp double bagger to a 2 hp Oneida SDG cyclone. Huge improvement.

[James Gunning]

Chad,

The moderator may move this to the "Workshops" forum since most threads about dust collection reside there. In short, you would see a dramatic improvement in dust collection, cleanliness in your shop, and a reduced risk to your lungs by going to a proper cyclone with good filtration.

[Wade Lippman]

The main thing is that felt bags clog quickly and suction goes down. If that hasn't been a problem for you, then you won't see much improvement.

[David Kumm]

The problem with felt bags isn't that they clog easily, it is that they are typically undersized and don't have enough surface area. An oversized bag will clean easier than a cartridge. I run both and cartridges give you much more surface area in a given space but bags are far easier to deal with if you overfill the bin or produce a lot of fine dust. Dave

[John Lankers]

I can only suggest to go as big as your wallet and electrical system can handle. Your lungs will thank you.
Everybody I know says 'why did I wait for so long'

[Wade Lippman]

The problem with felt bags isn't that they clog easily, it is that they are typically undersized and don't have enough surface area. An oversized bag will clean easier than a cartridge. I run both and cartridges give you much more surface area in a given space but bags are far easier to deal with if you overfill the bin or produce a lot of fine dust. Dave

:rolleyes: Yeah, if they were 10 times as big, they wouldn't clog easily. But since they aren't, they clog easily.

[David Kumm]

The typical bags that come with collectors are crap but a good singed felt will release the cake when deflated or banged with a stick when inflated. Some of the cake stays and helps the filtration. Mine are 8' high so they do need room. As an alternative you can increase the width and have them necked down to fit the collector. Surface loading so the dust releases is what you look for in bags or cartridges. You also need to find out the CFM per sq ft rating of any material to calculate how much surface area you need. That determines how much room you will use up on either type. Dave

[Leo Graywacz]

The same HP collector in a bagged vs cyclone, the bagged will have better suction as long as the filtration is clean. Not as many internal friction losses. But the cyclone will stay at the same suction level for longer periods because the filtration won't clog as quickly.

I vented my cyclone outside, so no filtration media. Much better collection since I've done this. Heat loss and cooling loss occur because of this so if you have a small shop it's something to think about.

[Martin Wasner]

Anybody know about the underarmor type material being used for filter bags? I had machinery salesman in the shop a few months ago mention them. He said higher filtration, more cfm, same bag size.

[mreza Salav]

Yes, that will be a big improvement. Now whether the 2HP version is good enough or not... I have never seen anybody say I have too much DC.
The differences usually are small to go to the bigger unit but the improvement could be significant. Calculate how much SP you'll have and multiply that by an extra 30% (because in reality typically it will be more) and look at the curves to see how much CFM you'd get and buy a system that gives you at least 800-1000cfm at each machine port.

[Jim Becker]

The improvement will be like going from crab apples to grapefruits...significant improvement in capability.

[Terry Hatfield]

First there was night...and then there was day. It'll be that big of a difference.

[Ben Rivel]

You will notice an improvement in pretty much every way possible. Do it!

[Chad Johnson]

My power supply will only support the 1.5 hp two stage dust collector. Will it still make a difference?

[Jim Becker]

My power supply will only support the 1.5 hp two stage dust collector. Will it still make a difference?
You'll get better separation than the traditional DC, but having owned the 1.5 hp unit originally, it has some significant limitations in how much air flow it can provide. Cyclones require a little more power than the "bag" systems just due to their nature. And if you're constrained to 120v, that kinda limits your options.

[Wade Lippman]

My power supply will only support the 1.5 hp two stage dust collector. Will it still make a difference?

You would be spending $1,000 to avoid having to clean the bag all the time. That is hard to justify unless you don't need the money.
No way to put in 240v? A 2hp is pretty much the same price as a 1.5hp. Do you plan to stay where you are for a long time? It would be a shame to buy it and then move and upgrade in a year.
After doing it wrong many times, I have become a firm believer in doing it right the first time.
But of course, it is not my decision.

[mreza Salav]

I would seriously consider the option of of upgrading the power if you can. a 1.5HP cyclone is very limited and for that reason I wouldn't consider it a significant upgrade over a single stage DC. Yes, you have better separation but you have more sp and due to that less CFM.

[Leo Graywacz]

Add a Thien Separator (http://www.jpthien.com/cy.htm) before the dust collector

[Ben Rivel]

My power supply will only support the 1.5 hp two stage dust collector. Will it still make a difference?
Is there no way for you get a 220v circuit for a dust collector?

[Ole Anderson]

Another consideration is that most bags cannot filter out the fine dust as well as a system with a nano or HEPA filter. Older bags may be as poor as 25 micron and are basically chip catchers, newer bags might be as good as 5 micron or better. Most pleated filters are 1 micron or better. Remember it is the fine dust that does a number on your lungs.