need help finding a magazine article (DC)

[Monte Milanuk]

Hello,

In the last year (I think) there was an article comparing dust collectors where they pre-loaded the filters w/ diatomaceous earth, then measured the cfm or something like that. I thought it was in Fine Wood Working but I'm having a devil of at time finding it.

Any help or pointers in the right direction would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Monte

[Alex Berkovsky]

Monte,
The article is in the FWW March/April 2006 issue.

[Monte Milanuk]

Thanks!

Now I just have to figure out what I did w/ issue #183... probably have it setting somewhere where I was re-reading it... finding it ought to be a trick!

Monte

[Jim Becker]

Check in the bathroom... :D :D :D

[Bill Pentz]

Monte,

Michael Standish who wrote that Portable Dust Collectors tool test article for FWW is a friend of mine and we trade emails fairly often. In fact, I helped to consult a little on that article.

What is it you want to do? If you let me know maybe I can help.

bill

[Sam Chambers]

Check in the bathroom... :D :D :DThat's where most of my woodworking magazines and catalogs end up! I refer to it as the "Reading Room".

[Monte Milanuk]

Haven't found it yet... I'd recently done a sweep of all the usual places that magazines & books pile up... so if it ain't in the storage file by now, it may never be. Hate it when that happens.

Bill,

Mainly what I was looking for was the top two or three recommendations... ya know, Best Overall, Best Value, etc. (and why) and ball-park street prices. These units looked to be a good match for a small occasional-use basement shop such as mine. The dust inhalation is definitely one factor, but I have other equipment in the area that is oil/grease lubed and wood dust is not welcome on those pieces, so capturing as much of it as possible at the source, in concert w/ an air cleaner and possibly even a zip-wall barrier was the direction I was looking at going.

Thanks,

Monte

[Bill Pentz]

Haven't found it yet... I'd recently done a sweep of all the usual places that magazines & books pile up... so if it ain't in the storage file by now, it may never be. Hate it when that happens.

Bill,

Mainly what I was looking for was the top two or three recommendations... ya know, Best Overall, Best Value, etc. (and why) and ball-park street prices. These units looked to be a good match for a small occasional-use basement shop such as mine. The dust inhalation is definitely one factor, but I have other equipment in the area that is oil/grease lubed and wood dust is not welcome on those pieces, so capturing as much of it as possible at the source, in concert w/ an air cleaner and possibly even a zip-wall barrier was the direction I was looking at going.

Thanks,

Monte

Monte,

Best overall were the Delta 1.5 hp with the Jet DC-1100 second. No others moved ample air to meet the roughly 800 CFM requirements to provide ample collection at our larger tools and dustier operations ample to comply with OSHA air quality guidelines. I looked both over very carefully and elected to buy the Jet myself because of fit, finish, reputation, etc. Still, the Delta does move more air and comes with a better filter right up front. Moreover, there have been some pretty incredible deals on the Delta units with come coming in around $200.

In terms of total airflow, Michael pretty much concluded that none of the 1.5 hp and smaller DCs are suitable to use with much ducting and move that 800 CFM. To get that CFM they need to be used with 6" smooth walled flex or ducting and placed close to the tool they collect from. I am in the process of buying a particle meter which should be here early next week and on October 1st plan on testing one of the Delta's units to see how effective that filter really is. My testing I did three years ago found none of the hobbyist bag filters coming anywhere close to advertised filtering level. That provides plenty of filtering to make our shops, tools and work surfaces look clean, but can lead to a huge build up of the finest dust which is very unhealthy and invisible without magnification.

Most woodworkers go through a progression going from broom, to shop vacuum, to small dust collector, to larger dust collector(s), then finally to a cyclone. Although some will differ with me, I recommend that in a basement shop that you either put your dust collector outside or exhaust your cyclone outside. I would suggest you spend some time on my web pages (http://BillPentz.com/Woodworking/Cyclone/Index.cfm) and decide what level of dust collection you want and need. If you decide that you really do want better fine dust collection, especially in a basement shop that shares air with your home, you would be far better off financially to skip the intermediate dust collectors and go right to a cyclone.

bill

[Randy Meijer]

Check in the bathroom... :D :D :D

I'm sorry?? Did you mean to say the library??:confused:

[Brian Hale]

I'm sorry?? Did you mean to say the library??:confused:

No, it's the Office. Most library's don't come with note paper.

Brian :)

[Monte Milanuk]

Bill,

Thanks for the reply. I got to digging and found an online PDF copy of the article (community subscription @ Taunton). For some reason I'd thought the test included slightly bigger 2hp 240v machines as well. Power is one thing I have plenty of in this shop. Ceiling height... 8' plus a little bit. Building cyclone out doors... probably not going to happen due to the layout. Exhausting outdoors... possible; previous owner setup an old squirrel cage blower to exhaust out to the space under the front deck. I've looked at your pages off and on in the past; I'll have to look some more.

Thanks,

Monte