FW Annual TOOLS & Shop Edition

[Gary Groves]

I just picked up the annual issue. I was reading their article regarding various DC machines, and they claim that 1.5 hp collectors only are good using 4' or less flex tube (based on the chart in the article). This seem absurd.



Did I read the article wrong? Am I missing something?


It seems, acording to them, the only way to do effective DC is to use a cyclone type unit.

So, my kwestion is: How many of you use say a 1.5 hp DC with > 4' of hose? Do you run more than 1 input? Meaning do you put a Y in the tube and collect from the top of say a TS AND collect from the bottom?

[Lou Ferrarini]

I have the Jet DCK1100, supposedly a 1.5 hp. I have it plumbed with 4" S&D pipe, the longest run is about 25 ft. It does a great job even if I have two blast gates open at a time, except on the planer. When I use the planer, it will collect all the chips only if that one gate is left open. When I expand my shop next year, I intend on making all my mains 6" S&D.

[Mike Wilkins]

I also read the article and had to chuckle. I have the Delta 1.5 hp DC in a small addition on the side of my shop. I ran 6" HVAC duct through the wall (less than 2ft), then used the 2-hole contraption from the DC attached to the wall. From here I installed 4" PVC piping along the wall approx. 16" from the floor, equal to the height of the impeller housing. The total run is about 28feet, with Y-connections and blast gates at each. I have had no problems collecting from this set-up so far; the tablesaw is connected to the end of the longest run.
I placed the biggest chip producer (the jointer/planer) closest to the DC for maximum effeciency, and all unused blast gates are closed when not in use.
Since this is not a pro shop, there is only 1 machine running at a time, other than the DC.
I don't beleive a collector of this size would work with ceiling mounted ducts due to the distance, size, and power of the DC. For a ceiling mounted system you would definitely need a cyclone.

[glenn bradley]

My Delta 1HP works fine with 4" on one machine at a time. It shows it's lack of power when I use it for above and below the TS at the same time. However, I have a trash can separator just before the impeller and that puts quite a hit on the flow. If I didn't mind emptying the collector bag every other day or so I could by bypass the seperator.

If I step up to a mchine that can move some more air, I'll probably hang onto the 1HP and dedicate it to the jointer and planer (one at a time).

[JayStPeter]

When I had a 1.5HP portable, I limited it to 10' of 4" flex. I had a Y on the machine with two 10' hoses with blast gates. One permanently connected to the TS and the other for other machines to "roll up" to. It worked well, about the same as my current cyclone setup with 6" S&D in fact. Of course, the new setup is much more convenient. It also filters significantly better than the bags on the old unit.

[Jerry Olexa]

As in the other thread, FWW is slipping IMHO. That issue was overall pretty disappointing...

[glenn bradley]

Agreed Jerry. I left it at the newsstand. I've got to assume there have been some personell changes at key posts. ;-(

[Paul Kinneberg]

Jerry I bought it and thought the same thing. I also thought there was a lot of reuse from last years issue.