Jeff Bradley
12-20-2005, 5:20 PM
Just "finished" my Dust Gorilla install and figured I would share some pictures of it since I haven't seen a similar install in the past.
27895
27893
A close up (as best as I could do) of the rod attachment points.
27892
The unit is mounted in the corner of my garage.
27894
I decided to install the DG this way instead of using the brackets that came with it for a couple different reasons. First, I was terribly unimpressed with the brackets that Oneida provides with the Gorilla. They just seemed a little flimsy (given the DG's weight) and the manner in which they attach doesn't seem very secure (I had read messages here and elsewhere about the weight of the filter assembly causing the whole unit to "lean"). The second reason is that the master bedroom of my house is actually located above the garage and I was concerned about noise/vibrations being transmitted into the room if I hard mounted the unit to the wall.
To address the stability issues. I decided to suspend the unit by four threaded rods attached to a framework mounted to the ceiling. To address the noise/vibration issues, I attached the rods to the framework using rubber grommets. The holes in the upper framework (through which the threaded rods run) are oversized so any vibrations have to go through the grommets. Since the layout of joists in the ceiling didn't work out very well given where I wanted the DG installed, the lag screws that hold the framework to the ceiling are in wierd locations. The board attached to the side wall is designed to provide some support to counteract this as well as provide a place for me to attach the air pump for the bag gripper unit I purchased from Oneida.
Overall, the installation has worked out really well. It is very sturdy -- I can even hang on the fan assembly without causing any deflection. Not completely sure my noise abatement goals have been realized. I can still hear/feel the unit running within the master bedroom so I wasn't 100% successful -- just not sure how much better (assuming it is better of course) it is since I never installed it the standard way and have no comparison point.
Couple odds and ends...
The "shock-absorbing" grommets were actually very difficult to come by. I looked a number of places (including online) and couldn't find anything that meet all my requirements. I ended up "manufacturing" them myself using a rubber pipe coupling I found in the plumbing department of my local Borg -- ever just wander around one of those places looking everywhere for something that could possibly work because they don't actually have what you need? I cut the coupling open (lengthwise) and then unrolled it and used it as a sheet of rubber from which I could cut out the grommets. I ended up cutting out roughly circular shapes and then trimmed them to the proper shape using the fender washers and a flush trim router bit in the router table. In hindsight I would have definitely done it different. Didn't run into any major problems but it is always scary to have a carbide bit spinning at high RPMs within an inch or so of your fingers. If I were to do it again, I would probably just use a hole saw in the drill press.
The eye bolts that can be seen in the framework were my attempt to simplify the installation of the moter/fan assembly. I was hoping not to have to bug someone to help me do the install and I knew there was no way I could lift the unit and bolt it in place at the same time (the motor/fan assembly is darn heavy). So, I put the eye bolts in and was planning on running ropes through them and down to the fan assembly on the floor below. Then I could pull on the ropes and hoist the assembly into place. Unfortunately, the friction between the rope and the eye bolt ended up being too high and I wasn't able to actually pull it into place. I ended up getting someone to hold the ropes whiled I pushed the unit up as I walked up the ladder. Was still useful I guess, and will probably be even more so if I ever need to pull the unit down.
I obviously still have to work on the ductwork. Right now I just have a big section of flex hose that I move from machine to machine.
27895
27893
A close up (as best as I could do) of the rod attachment points.
27892
The unit is mounted in the corner of my garage.
27894
I decided to install the DG this way instead of using the brackets that came with it for a couple different reasons. First, I was terribly unimpressed with the brackets that Oneida provides with the Gorilla. They just seemed a little flimsy (given the DG's weight) and the manner in which they attach doesn't seem very secure (I had read messages here and elsewhere about the weight of the filter assembly causing the whole unit to "lean"). The second reason is that the master bedroom of my house is actually located above the garage and I was concerned about noise/vibrations being transmitted into the room if I hard mounted the unit to the wall.
To address the stability issues. I decided to suspend the unit by four threaded rods attached to a framework mounted to the ceiling. To address the noise/vibration issues, I attached the rods to the framework using rubber grommets. The holes in the upper framework (through which the threaded rods run) are oversized so any vibrations have to go through the grommets. Since the layout of joists in the ceiling didn't work out very well given where I wanted the DG installed, the lag screws that hold the framework to the ceiling are in wierd locations. The board attached to the side wall is designed to provide some support to counteract this as well as provide a place for me to attach the air pump for the bag gripper unit I purchased from Oneida.
Overall, the installation has worked out really well. It is very sturdy -- I can even hang on the fan assembly without causing any deflection. Not completely sure my noise abatement goals have been realized. I can still hear/feel the unit running within the master bedroom so I wasn't 100% successful -- just not sure how much better (assuming it is better of course) it is since I never installed it the standard way and have no comparison point.
Couple odds and ends...
The "shock-absorbing" grommets were actually very difficult to come by. I looked a number of places (including online) and couldn't find anything that meet all my requirements. I ended up "manufacturing" them myself using a rubber pipe coupling I found in the plumbing department of my local Borg -- ever just wander around one of those places looking everywhere for something that could possibly work because they don't actually have what you need? I cut the coupling open (lengthwise) and then unrolled it and used it as a sheet of rubber from which I could cut out the grommets. I ended up cutting out roughly circular shapes and then trimmed them to the proper shape using the fender washers and a flush trim router bit in the router table. In hindsight I would have definitely done it different. Didn't run into any major problems but it is always scary to have a carbide bit spinning at high RPMs within an inch or so of your fingers. If I were to do it again, I would probably just use a hole saw in the drill press.
The eye bolts that can be seen in the framework were my attempt to simplify the installation of the moter/fan assembly. I was hoping not to have to bug someone to help me do the install and I knew there was no way I could lift the unit and bolt it in place at the same time (the motor/fan assembly is darn heavy). So, I put the eye bolts in and was planning on running ropes through them and down to the fan assembly on the floor below. Then I could pull on the ropes and hoist the assembly into place. Unfortunately, the friction between the rope and the eye bolt ended up being too high and I wasn't able to actually pull it into place. I ended up getting someone to hold the ropes whiled I pushed the unit up as I walked up the ladder. Was still useful I guess, and will probably be even more so if I ever need to pull the unit down.
I obviously still have to work on the ductwork. Right now I just have a big section of flex hose that I move from machine to machine.