Dust Collector Selection

[Jacob Lundmark]

Hello All,

I am getting into this whole world of woodworking and am looking for some advice. My shop is well my garage and will remain so in this house. I have a dream of a dedicated shop some day....years away. This is a hobby for me. I turn out one to two pieces a year. With a new little one might be closer to one for a bit.

I am in the market for a dust collection system. Full support of wife on this one. I have done a lot of reading on this and am hoping to keep total install less that $800. This rules out some of the big cyclone units. I basically move all my tools in and out of "against wall" storage to use so this puts them within 10 feet of where I would have this collector located. Use for planer, jointer, table saw is required.

Right now I am trying to decide between these options. (Open to others by the way).

Used Grizzly 2hp single stage https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/tls/6071273656.html $275 maybe lower
Add wynn filter $150
Add upstream cyclone. Dust Deputy $180-$290 not sure which size or if there is a better option.
Hoses and Fittings $100
=$705-$815

New HF 2 HP single stage http://www.harborfreight.com/70-gal-2-hp-industrial-dust-collector-61790.html $160 with coupon
Add wynn filter $150
Add upstream cyclone. Dust Deputy $180-$290 not sure which size or if there is a better option.
Hoses and Fittings $100
=$590-$700

Used Laguna 1.5 HP Cyclone https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/tls/6070385119.html 1.5 years old. $675 maybe lower
Hoses and Fittings $100
=$775

What do you all think? Are there better options I am not thinking of?
Also how will these work with sanding that have small ports. Will I cavitate the blower by backing it up on its curve? Best to use shop vac connection for that?

Thank you all for your help.
Jacob

[michael langman]

Jacob, I went with the harbor freight 2hp collector and a wynn filter. I made a mobile base for the collector that has a 30 gallon metal trash can with a thien baffle on top of the trash can. No dust deputy.
It works great as I move it from machine to machine in use.

[Steve Cowart]

I would definitely either go for the Laguna, especially if they take less. This one would be EASY to resell later. Very little risk.

Or use the Grizzly blower and a Super Dust Deputy. It works GREAT.

As for the Sander, use the shop vac and a small Dust deputy, its incredible how much of the dust it captures. I also use this for the over-table Dust collector/Guard on my table saw.

See this thread; http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?253652-portable-dust-collector-setup-for-mainly-direct-exhaust

[Jacob Lundmark]

I was just looking at the Thien baffle. Much cheaper option.

Trying to negotiate the Laguna.

Do people run a dedicated circuit for their DC?

[Jacob Lundmark]

No budge on price of Laguna.

[Adam Merritt]

Do people run a dedicated circuit for their DC?
I would recommend separating it if at all possible. I was running a shop vac + planer/jointer/table saw for a while on a single 110v and would trip the breaker randomly (sometimes during startup, sometimes under load, sometimes no load after it had been on 20+ seconds, I never knewwhen/if it would happen). When I started upgrading my tools, I ran several new circuits. The DC is on its own (2HP Laguna PFLUX) circuit so I never need to worry about that issue again. :)

[Mike Chalmers]

I moved from a 2hp with a SDD to a King 3hp cyclone with the short cyclone like that Laguna. Long story short, am now using 2hp with SDD system. Those cyclones with short cones are, in my experience, simply poor. New Laguna systems, P and C series with the longer cones, appear to be much better.

[Josh Kocher]

I'd pass on the short cyclones... aside from generally poor separation, the filter rating on that Laguna may be less than desirable and is probably an unknown...

Is there a difference between the Grizzly and HF 2hp units? impeller size? I bet they're more or less the same so might as well get the new HF one for less.

I'd get the Oneida SDD XL with 6" inlet and the Wynn nano filter...

[Doug Hepler]

Jacob

I would recommend a Jet DC-1100VX-CK They retail in your price range. IMO they offer as much CFM as you can get with a 110 V motor. This has a canister type 2 micron filter. Dust deputies etc may slow down the clogging of a filter but the "Vortex" design seems to accomplish the same thing. The "vortex" feature is essentially a cyclone that slows down the air velocity, so that the larger particles fall into the collection bag. Mine has a dual hose connection, and I fitted them with blast gates. It stays connected to my bandsaw and to a hose that runs to my lathe. After 3 years with lots of fine sanding dust from the lathe it still operates like new. You clean the pleated canister filter by rotating a handle. I'm completely satisfied.

Doug

[Jacob Lundmark]

I believe the impeller sizes are 10.5" for HF and 12.75 for grizzly. Less certain on grizzly though.

[Jacob Lundmark]

10" on grizzly

[Larry Frank]

I think the best buy on a dust collector is the Laguna 1.5 hp C Flux for just under $1100. A very good unit and more capacity than any mentioned. Would also have great resale value.

[Tony Gomez]

how much better is the cyclone on the cflux? the old lagunas at least were poorly reviewed. Id the cone change much between models?

[Carl Kona]

Jacob,

The best performance would be from the Grizzly/SDD combo. Why do you state 10" for the Grizzly they advertise 12.75" (but that is the current version). They are on sale for $325 (so 275 is a bit high for an older unit). The 10" HF versus 12.75 Grizzly is significant both in the the extra CFM and static pressure it can produce. The SDD is a better match (per Oneida recommendations - XL requires much more CFM than a 2HP motor, 3HP up or greater than 850CFM). I was looking into the Thien baffle at one point but was discouraged at the almost 50% loss in airflow. A SDD is only about a 30% hit to airflow. I have talked with several SDD and SDD XL owners and they have seen very good results (objective separation performance data). Your Grizzly/SDD and good filter would make a nice system. For a filter, I have purchased 2 Donaldson torit p190817 or p190818 DFT ULTRA-WEB CARTRIDGE filters for ~$80 ea. You can find replacement companies that sell similar versions in the $80-$100 range. I believe it is ~250 SQ-FT of filter area each.

Regarding the Laguna, Toolmetrix did a comparison video of the old to the new and it did not make the previous version look too good. Also, as previously mentioned, they have a short cone making their performance less than desirable.

Hope this helps.
Let us know what you do,

Carl

[Josh Kocher]

I think the best buy on a dust collector is the Laguna 1.5 hp C Flux for just under $1100. A very good unit and more capacity than any mentioned. Would also have great resale value.

That looks like a pretty good unit but over the OP's stated budget. Not sure about more capacity as Grizzly/Harbour Freight don't publish fan tables...

2hp/12.75" vs. 1.5hp/13.5"...

Either way you'd get better separation with a SDD XL, and have a better filter with a Wynn Merv 15 Nano vs. the Laguna Merv 12 spunbond type.

That said, in the end, I think if you are going to go to $1100, it's in for a penny, in for a pound might as well go to a 3 hp Oneida V series and just not worry about it ever again. HEPA filter, excellent separation and capability, a remote starter/magnetic switch, made in the US... for a few bucks more... do it right, enjoy your hobby.

[Martin Wasner]

If you're in Minneapolis area, in about two months I'll have a 3hp Powermatic model 75 two bagger for sale.

[Jacob Lundmark]

I noticed the new grizzly is 220 v that is currently a deal breaker.

How loud are these things? Imagine no louder than my Dewalt planer.

[Jim Becker]

Please keep in mind that your dust collection system is going to be the most important tool in your shop because it's directly pointed at your personal safety. Put in the best system you can!

[Josh Kocher]

I noticed the new grizzly is 220 v that is currently a deal breaker.

How loud are these things? Imagine no louder than my Dewalt planer.

Just about any 2 HP dust collector is probably going to draw more than a 15 or even 20 amp 110 volt circuit can handle safely. The motor plate on my current 2hp cyclone shows 20amps @ 110volt if I were to switch it... that would need a 30 amp circuit.

I strongly recommend to search out a way to make 220 happen rather than get an inadequate system. Before I had 220 in my shop I ran a 1.5 hp single stage with a garbage can separator, but it's performance was inadequate and disappointing.

Is anything louder than a dewalt planer? that thing kills me... your DC will likely be much quieter.

[Jim Andrew]

Saw a post a few days ago about someone buying a blower and motor from Penn state industries. If you are going to be adding a ssd and filters, that would be the less expensive way to go. 220 is good when talking blowers, as you need as big a unit as possible to get the best dc.

[Tony Gomez]

Saw a post a few days ago about someone buying a blower and motor from Penn state industries. If you are going to be adding a ssd and filters, that would be the less expensive way to go. 220 is good when talking blowers, as you need as big a unit as possible to get the best dc.

I almost pulled the trigger on a 2HP Penn State blower with SDD, but then I noticed a tiny detail. I was wanting to directly mount the blower on top of the SDD. But the rotation directions are a missmatch. From the top down, the SDD runs counter-clockwise flow (inlet on right). A top mounted Penn State DC250SEMB has flow running clockwise. This would not mesh well for separation. It would substatually mess up the vortex. If you are running the blower remote to the SDD, it won't matter much. Most blowers from bagged and canistered filters are counter clockwise when viewed top down in the top mounted config and would work with the SDD as a top mount.

[Jim Andrew]

Is the 2hp motor blower the only size offered by Penn State? Did a search, and found just the 2hp. If they offered a larger blower looks like they could sell a ton of them for upgrades.

[Carl Kona]

Jim,

Agreed a 3hp blower would be a big seller, but they only sell the 2HP and probably not for long as they have exited the dust collection business.

Carl

[Tony Gomez]

They have a 1.5 and 1 HP as well, but no 3 HP. When I spoke with someone that works in the dust division, he indicated that the 2 HP blower is still a good seller, so that will likely be sold for a while but the rest is going away. Keep an eye on their site over the next month as they liquidate odds and ends of their other dust collection systems.

[glenn bradley]

No budge on price of Laguna.

No loss there IMHO. The Laguna/JDS short cone format machines get reviews all over the map. I was going to say that if you are getting close to $800, just go a couple hundred more and get a Grizzly G0440 . . . then I checked the current price; oops.

Dust collection threads are always lively discussions. It is not inexpensive and it is sometimes hard to see the cost/benefit to your health. There are folks that go overboard with the math and scare you to death, there are folks like me who have developed health issues by doing too little too late and there are folks who are convinced that their Franken-collector is better than systems costing twice as much.

I'm afraid you'll have to do your research, sift through all the discussion and make your own "best" decision. I can say that by stepping up my DC and then stepping it up again later, I spent way more than a decent, well designed system would have cost. On the other hand, I would never tell someone to do nothing just because money was short. Get the best you can afford; if you have to upgrade later, at least you won't be wheezing as you assemble your new unit.

[Don Bullock]

If you have that much to spend add a few hundrd bucks and get an Oneida system that includes all the pieces you need. Everything is designed to work together and is made in America.

[Bill Jobe]

What does this model lack, a cyclone ?

http://m.ebay.com/itm/272619864312?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275&_mwBanner=1

[Bill Jobe]

If a person was to buy one of these, would it do a great job if a cyclone was add and blow the fine dust outside? Then would there be a market to sell the bags to?

[Andy Giddings]

I don't think there is much of a market for 1 micron filters and bags without a blower. Certainly adding a cyclone and blowing outside would work but I don't believe you'd make significant cash from selling the rest