Laguna C/Flux 2HP DC Review...Kinda...

[Derek Arita]

Well, seems someone has already posted about the P/Flux, however the one I got was the C/Flux, only because is was cheaper. There isn't much out there on these machines, so I thought I'd add my input, for anyone looking for info.
I had an Oneida 2hp Dust Gorilla that I had to sell because of space issues, so I ended up with the older version of the Laguna 2HP DC. That machine was giving me problems, so I ended up getting rid of it and moving up to the new C/Flux model. The C/Flux seemed to have a longer cone, so I thought that might result in better separation. Space was still an issue, but the added height still fit in my space.
There's a great assembly video on Youtube for this machine, so I won't bore you with the specifics. What I will say is that this machine has a lot of parts and will definitely take up the better part of a day, at the very least, to assemble. It is considerably heavier than the previous model and all of the walls of the barrel and cone look to be thicker and more like my Oneida was, for which I was very pleased. I used a HF hoist to do the lifting and was glad to have it. Otherwise, two strong dudes could probably do the job.
Probably the one thing that I was most disappointed with, was the dust bin and insert. Assembly of the two pieces is very tedious, with what seemed like hundreds of screws. The result is fine, but I would have been happier with a fully welded and sealed, dust bin and insert. The bin is held together with sheet metal screws that protrude into the bin and pointed ends are covered with little plastic covers. To me, this was less than ideal, as those buggers would likely tear any plastic liner in the bin, so I replaced those sheet metal screws with screws and nuts and installed them so that the heads were on the inside of the bin. I trimmed off the screw ends to keep them from being a hazard on the outside of the bin. The insert already uses screws and nuts, so I simply trimmed off those screw ends as well. Because the bin is pieced together, it's necessary to use silicon sealer to make the bin as air tight as possible, which would not have been necessary with a welded bin. I'm sure this was a $ saving feature, so I guess I'm OK with it, but...
All that said, this machine is much more robust and Oneida-like, than the older version was. I like the levered dust bin lift, as it's a convenient way to make accessing and sealing the bin a lot easier.
The first time I fired up the C/Flux, it sounded just like the Dust Gorilla and a lot stronger than the older Laguna model. The second time I fired it up, my breaker tripped. I'm attributing that to break-in, as subsequent starts went fine. If I'm wrong, please let me know. I don't have any flow meters, so I can't tell you for sure, but this DC feels like it sucks every bit as well at the Dust Gorilla did. I'm sure only time will tell if it separates as well.
Overall, I have a very good first impression of the C/Flux. It's fit and finish are what I hoped it would be and construction is solid, with good welds and thick walls. Frankly, I'm surprised that you can get a DC of this quality, for around $1350 on a Rockler sale day, but that's a good thing. I'll post on performance once I get some miles on her. Hope this helps.

[Derek Arita]

Added note...be sure to orient the bin lid properly. The bin lid opening to the cone, is not centered on the lid, so if it's not oriented properly, the bin will not meet the lid properly. It's not called out in the instructions and of course, I made the mistake. Easy to correct, but frustrating when you first see the problem and don't know where it's coming from.

[Matthew Hills]

Thanks for your posts Derek.
Are you in the same shop space as when you used the oneida?
What improvement in space are you getting with this configuration?
(seems like it is a pretty small difference (?))

Matt

[Derek Arita]

Thanks for your posts Derek.
Are you in the same shop space as when you used the oneida?
What improvement in space are you getting with this configuration?
(seems like it is a pretty small difference (?))

Matt
Matt, I'm not in the same space, but a similar one. Also, I couldn't locate the DC outside, like the Oneida was. The ceiling height inside the space is too low for an Oneida, also the DC has to be mobile. Last consideration was the price. If I had a few more bucks to throw at this, I'd likely have purchased an Oneida, however that wasn't the case. As far as space, this Laguna is larger and taller than I expected, but still within my requirements. The fact that's it's mobile and can be wedged in to and out of tight spaces, makes all the difference.

[Jason Plemons]

Thanks for the review. I've been trying to decide on which cyclone to go with. C|flux, p|flux or Jet.

[Derek Arita]

I have nothing bad to say about Jet, as they have great products. As for the Laguna, for now I can say it's a top contender. Too it off with a Baldir motor and it would be tuff to beat. Otherwise...time will tell. Last Laguna I had, had capacitor issues...

[Mike Chalmers]

Otherwise...time will tell. Last Laguna I had, had capacitor issues... As they are all likely made from the same design, and probably the same factory, issues such as this have little to do with the name on the machine. Support after purchase is the main identifier. In my humble opinion.

[Nick Stokes]

Derek, any update to this post? I am strongly considering this as my option to replace the HF with upgraded canister.

Can't get 220v in my shop, so looking at the best option for 1.5hp, cyclone. Cflux looks mighty tempting.

[Tony Gomez]

Nick, be aware the the CFlux 1 requires a 30 amp 110 V circuit since you can't use 220 V. I think that code requires 10 awg wire from the 30 amp breaker to the 30 amp outlet. Don't put a 30 amp breaker with 12 awg wire in the wall. That is probably just the startup current because they use the same power cord for 220v operation and pretty sure its a 12 awg cord. If you need an extension, you'll want to step up to 10 awg.



I finished building the cflux 2 this past weekend. I haven't fired it up yet though. I'm going to replace their shorter un-terminated cord with a longer one so I can wheel it around, so cant comment on performance till then (just need some replacement crimp rings).

As for the build... This thing is very solidly designed as a whole. There were a few negative things though, but definitely not deal breakers.

1) The video instructions are a lot better than the manual. Find it on youtube if you get it.
2) the re-enforcement brackets for the uprights didn't lined up completely. There are holes that should accommodate the protruding threaded inserts, but I couldn't get them to fully align to insert. Still bolted solidly, just not perfect.
3) I agree with the OP on the canister. It was a PITA to build and a welded assembly would have been WAY preferred. Most of the assembly time, was that damn can assembly and insert. I decided not to use the sheet metal screws and plastic caps, and opted for some buttonhead steel bolts with locking acorn nuts. No sharp long screws sticking through this way. The steel bolts I have are 18-8, and easily threaded through the tight holes intended for the sheet metal screws. Inferior metal bolts would probably strip out their threads.
4) Installing the filter is a royal PITA if it is cold. The rubber sleeve just won't slip over and is too hard to stretch it out. I had to heat it up to be able to stretch it, and my wife help force it over the receiving tube. An axial oring face seal would have been much, much easier.
5) Locking casters would have been nice. when you flip it over during assembly, you'll want to immobilize the caster wheels that you roll up onto. I just bagged and firmly duct taped over (and removed when it was upright).
6) the top plate above the canister has no seal. Surprising since it is positive pressure so fine dust can escape. I used some additional foam tape I had from another project to seal it like the other conflat seals.

[Derek Arita]

Nick, good to hear from you. Everything he said above. I've a chance to try it out on a small project. All straight table saw cuts and dado cuts, but so far, I'm very happy with it. Like I said, it sounds like and seems to work like my old Oneida did. We'll see when I get to do some planing and router table work. That said, with what I've done, not even a teaspoon full of dust past the filter. Hopefully, someone who has done more extensive work with it will chime in.

[Nick Stokes]

If the 1.5HP Cflux 1 requires 30amp, that is a deal breaker for me... as it will constantly blow my breakers.

But I don't see that listed under the details. I see 18amps. Am I wrong?

[Tony Gomez]

If the 1.5HP Cflux 1 requires 30amp, that is a deal breaker for me... as it will constantly blow my breakers.

But I don't see that listed under the details. I see 18amps. Am I wrong?
https://lagunatools.com/laguna-machinery/dust-collectors/cflux-1-5-hp-cyclone/


Voltage: 110/220v
Amps: 30(110V) 20(220V)


The manual says (page 9)
https://system.netsuite.com/core/media/media.nl?id=1043929&c=860860&h=26d7de9de13fedc75c26&_xt=.pdf
Full Load amperage DrawAmp draw at 110V (prewired).................. 18.8 Amps
Amp draw at 220V ................................ 9.4 AmpsPower Supply Circuit Requirements

Circuit Size (220V).................................. 15 AmpsMinimum
Circuit Size (110V) ................. 30 Amps minimum

Full load of 18.8 is as I read it, continuous operation under full load, not even the start up current which could be higher. For continuous use, you want to be at 80% or lower of a circuit. That is 16 amps for a 20 amp circuit.

[Derek Arita]

Derek, any update to this post? I am strongly considering this as my option to replace the HF with upgraded canister.

Can't get 220v in my shop, so looking at the best option for 1.5hp, cyclone. Cflux looks mighty tempting.

Nick, I had to bring in an electrician to get my 220, but boy, it sure is worth it. If at all possible, now's the time.

[Nick Stokes]

So I couldn't run it then. OK thanks, that's what I needed.

An electrician has come out. It isn't an option for my setup, it's complicated, and would cost nearly more than all of the machines in my shop to do.

Thanks men.

[Derek Arita]

Well, now that I've had the Cflux for a few years, I thought I'd update with real world experience in my hobby shop. Suction has been great from this DC, however separation hasn't been. I do an equal amount of work on the table saw as I do on the J/P. By the time the dust bin is ready to be emptied, so is the filter bag, which has been disappointing.
I'm considering replacing the entire cone and bin with an Oneida Super Dust Deputy XL to see if I that gives me the separation I've been lacking. Before I do that, I'm going to try one more thing. I know that inlet entry speed is essential to good separation. The inlet size is 8", which I have reduced down to 6". After about 10' of 6", I reduce down to shorter 4" runs to the machines. I have only been opening one gate at a time during use. I just realized that I may be restricting the airflow too much, thus slowing down inlet speed and separation ability, so from now on, I'm going to make sure to have 2 gates open all the time. I'm hoping that will increase inlet speed and result in better separation. Thoughts?

[Ron Selzer]

yes right now you have the DC choked down to one 4' inlet, you need the equivalent of the 8" to let that DC operate as designed.
4" = 3.1416x4(r2) 12.5664 sq in
6" = 3.1416x9(r2)28.2744 sq in
8" = 3.1416x16(r2)50.2656 sqin
as you can see you have severely reduced the sq in of pipe feeding the cyclone which reduces the air flow below design

[Dave Sabo]

More airflow is going to be better for the unit but I think you're still,going to be disappointed with the (non) separation.

The problem is the design. Laguna has chosen to use a short cone and that just doesn't allow enough of the medium and fine particulars to drop out of the stream so they end up in the filter. The Flux line is a slick package and has a lot of benefits. But where the rubber meets the road, it's lacking.

[Derek Arita]

Just trying to make the best of what I have. Height, portability and what was available at the time, were all factors.

[Doug Dawson]

Well, now that I've had the Cflux for a few years, I thought I'd update with real world experience in my hobby shop. Suction has been great from this DC, however separation hasn't been. I do an equal amount of work on the table saw as I do on the J/P. By the time the dust bin is ready to be emptied, so is the filter bag, which has been disappointing.
I'm considering replacing the entire cone and bin with an Oneida Super Dust Deputy XL to see if I that gives me the separation I've been lacking. Before I do that, I'm going to try one more thing. I know that inlet entry speed is essential to good separation. The inlet size is 8", which I have reduced down to 6". After about 10' of 6", I reduce down to shorter 4" runs to the machines. I have only been opening one gate at a time during use. I just realized that I may be restricting the airflow too much, thus slowing down inlet speed and separation ability, so from now on, I'm going to make sure to have 2 gates open all the time. I'm hoping that will increase inlet speed and result in better separation. Thoughts?

On the higher hp Laguna "Flux" machines, there is a long flat "bracket" that gets installed between the cone and the bin, that is not mentioned in the assembly manual. This reportedly resolves a potential issue with separation. If you don't have it, you could call up Laguna and ask for one, or at least talk to them about it. I have one even on my PFlux 1, and don't know if it helps because I've never run it without one, but my separation is fine. Is it kludgey? Maybe. But it seems to work, and it means you don't have to make a hole in the ceiling, or suffer with an intolerably short bin, or try to suspend awkward dongles from the outside of your machine.

[Derek Arita]

On the higher hp Laguna "Flux" machines, there is a long flat "bracket" that gets installed between the cone and the bin, that is not mentioned in the assembly manual. This reportedly resolves a potential issue with separation. If you don't have it, you could call up Laguna and ask for one, or at least talk to them about it. I have one even on my PFlux 1, and don't know if it helps because I've never run it without one, but my separation is fine. Is it kludgey? Maybe. But it seems to work, and it means you don't have to make a hole in the ceiling, or suffer with an intolerably short bin, or try to suspend awkward dongles from the outside of your machine.

Thanks Doug. I've seen mention of that, however I hadn't found any before and after reports. It looks kinda like a funky fix for a complex issue, but if it works, who am I to argue. Do you think it has any effect on airflow and cfm? Any clue as to why it works?

[Doug Dawson]

Thanks Doug. I've seen mention of that, however I hadn't found any before and after reports. It looks kinda like a funky fix for a complex issue, but if it works, who am I to argue. Do you think it has any effect on airflow and cfm? Any clue as to why it works?

Not really. Laguna seems to be on an unending train of tweaking with their DC's. At least you don't see this tweak. :^) I don't see how it would affect the CFM.

Re "before and after", there were earlier reports that it fixed the issue some people were having with the PFlux 3. This was Laguna's response at the time, to provide this bracket. It was a "running production change", supposedly. I'm guessing that's why you don't see it in the manual.

[Robert Hayward]

Not really. Laguna seems to be on an unending train of tweaking with their DC's. At least you don't see this tweak. :^) I don't see how it would affect the CFM.

Re "before and after", there were earlier reports that it fixed the issue some people were having with the PFlux 3. This was Laguna's response at the time, to provide this bracket. It was a "running production change", supposedly. I'm guessing that's why you don't see it in the manual.

What does this bracket look like? Picture possible?

[Derek Arita]

I called Laguna and they are sending one. Tech said that inlet speed might be an issue as well, so I’ll try having 2, 4” gates open

[Doug Dawson]

What does this bracket look like? Picture possible?

Mmmm, I wish I could help you with that. The best I can do is to say that it looks like Angelina Jolie's jawline, flattened by her just about to be entering the event horizon of a black hole. Does that help at all?

No, I can do even better than that (although less stimulating.) It looks like a thick rectangle of sheet metal, about 9 inches long by 2.5 inches wide, with the corners cut off by an inch and rounded, and a hole at each end for mounting, painted grey.

[Derek Arita]

Robert, just got it in the mail. It's about 3 1/2" wide and long enough to go across the bottom of the cone. I don't see how this is supposed to help, but who am I to say. It's pretty easy to install. We'll see... I'd love to see a clear version of the this type of short-cone DC, so we could see exactly how dust moves in it and where it comes up short...and what does a longer cone do?

[Matthew Hills]

Derek, let us know if you see any noticeable difference with the restrictor plate.

My impression from Matt Cremona's (youtube) followup on it was it did improve, but still quite a few fines getting to the filter.
I'd think he might do a bit better if he could keep the ducting straight for the first several feet from the cyclone body (he has an elbow there to start getting his ducting up to the ceiling)


Matt