Chip Separation Question

[Dave Richards]

Assuming you had the space for it, would it make more sense to place a chip collection barrel near (under) the equipment rather than pulling all the chips to a barrel near the dust collector? I'm thinking that for tools such as the tablesaw, jointer and the WoodRat which all have their DC connection coming out the bottom, I could place smaller containers beneath them to collect the heavier stuff and leave the DC to pull the lighter stuff into the bag.

I wouldn't mind having to empty smaller containers periodically. It would be easier than emptying for a big barrel. If I just dump a small bag or two, it can go in with the trash pickup without additional charge.

[tod evans]

dave, seems like a whole lotta work just to have more potential air leaks and more containers to have to fuss with.....02 tod

[Bob Dodge]

Assuming you had the space for it, would it make more sense to place a chip collection barrel near (under) the equipment rather than pulling all the chips to a barrel near the dust collector? I'm thinking that for tools such as the tablesaw, jointer and the WoodRat which all have their DC connection coming out the bottom, I could place smaller containers beneath them to collect the heavier stuff and leave the DC to pull the lighter stuff into the bag.

I wouldn't mind having to empty smaller containers periodically. It would be easier than emptying for a big barrel. If I just dump a small bag or two, it can go in with the trash pickup without additional charge.

Hi Dave,

A pre-separator can be really handy, especially when you're dealing with large volumes of waste, such as what you can get from a planer or jointer. I keep two 55 gallon drums outside the shop, and when the need arises, I simply bring one in and hook it up next to the machine that requires it. For one thing, you don't have to constantly be checking the dc to see if it's full. It's right there beside you. Also, no need to empty or transfer waste from one container to another for disposal.

Bob

[Bill Pentz]

You need not only to worry about air leaks, but also about resistance. Even a simple trashcan separator can easily take away half the horsepower from a small dust collector. It uses up that energy forcing the air to turn through a tight radius where the heavier dust and chips are flung off.