Just picked up a Shop Fox W1741 Jointer

[Rick Gifford]

Finally got around to getting a jointer added to my shop. Gonna be nice to have the new addition.

I decided on the SF 1741. I picked one up from the only dealer in my state that I am aware of at two hour away. Took the floor model... already put together and the grease cleaned off for the most part. Fine with me ;)

It has a 4" dust collection port.

I am currently putting up a Clear Vue cyclone from Bill Pentz'z design. I will be running as much 6" duct as possible. Not a big deal, I have a small shop building at only 11' X 20". But I certainly want to be as dust free as possible.

I am wondering if this 4" port has been sufficient for anyone else who has this, or its Grizzly counter part. It looks like the inside slopes down into the port to assist with collection. I read so many reviews on so many jointers, my mind has turned to mush trying to remember if this is one of them that had iffy collection.

I still need to go over it and check the setup. It was just put together for display. I have some time before it gets powered up so if any modification are necessary I'd like to address it now.

Thanks for any input,

Rick

[David Tiell]

Rick,
I also have the W1741, but I couldn't tell you too much about how efficient the DC port is, because I don't have any DC capability right now. I took the plastic port off and keep a box at the bottom of the ramp, which I ahve to empty every so often. But I can tell you this. You're gonna love that jointer!

[Don Bullock]

Rick, congratulations on your new jointer. I have its cousin, the Grizzly G0490, and have found it to be an excellent machine. There are many others here who have the same jointer and like it. Like David, I haven't hooked up DC to it yet. On the Griz they enclosed the chute for the chips down to the DC port at the bottom on the newer models like mine. I don't know if they have done that on the ShopFox. If not, that's something you'll want to do. Enjoy.

[Rick Gifford]

Thank you.

I guess as soon as my DC is running I'll have to test this one out. I'll be glad to share the results. Mr. Pentz has suggested 6" lines to all machinery to maximize dust collection. Not feasible for everything I have, but if it helps with the big chip/dust makers it's worth a try.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Rick, 400 CFM will be fine for a 6 inch jointer.

Trying to increase the airflow through the jointer will neither be easy, nor required. A jointer has a relatively small area for the air to enter the cutterhead (small gaps around the cutter head).

If you have 400 CFM of airflow, a 4 inch pipe will have 4582 ft/min.

A 5 inch pipe will have 2,933 ft/min

A 6 inch pipe will have 2,037 ft/min.

To keep the dust entrained in the airflow you need to keep your velocity at aproximately 3,500 ft/min.

A 5 inch pipe is at the upper end of sizing for this application.........Regards, Rod.

[Rick Gifford]

Thanks Rod, thats good information. This system should be pulling 800 CFM through the 4", and 1100 CFM through 6" lines.

It sounds as if the installed 4" port on the jointer is big enough considering the limited airflow around the blades etc.

Maybe those engineers do know what they are doing... :p

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Rick, 800 CFM is too high for a 4 inch pipe, which is normally used for aproximately 400CFM. If you try to use it at 800 CFM, frictional losses will be too high.

Using too large of a pipe, with low air flow will be detrimental to the operation of your system.

When you have 400 cfm flowing through your jointer, if the air stream from the jointer flows into a pipe which is too large, the air will slow down enough that the dust will drop out of the airstream and collect in the pipe.

I wouldn't run anything larger than a 5 inch pipe for a small jointer, use a reducer right at the jointer to go to 4 inches.


Regards, Rod.

[Rick Gifford]

I have been thinking about avoiding the pressure drop in the system like this, but got off track. Sometimes I think keeping my thought process in line is a bigger chore all the time.

This is why some jointers have open areas in their case/bases. I don't see any on this one though.

Its going to be important to maintain good pressure in the larger diameter line, if reducing down. A couple ideas come to thought.

Increase the air flow through the jointer and not reduce the duct going to it. Maintaining air speed/pressure all along the ducting. But that would mean opening up the jointer casing somewhere...

Or T down to two 4" ports. One going to the jointer and the other to another tool or just open. Preventing the pressure drop in the larger line.

I already purchased my 6" blast gates with the idea of the 6" line going to as many places as possible, only reducing at the last possible point. I guess I was thinking of troubleshooting any pressure drops up into the larger line as I went. Then got off track thinking only of the port size.

But this jointer does make good air flow with this layout something for thought. I am glad I brought the question up here.

I will shoot for complete chip and dust removal, and hopefully end up with something very close. I have some bookmarks on calculating air speed, line size and CFM at home. I better get my thinking cap on. I hope that cap still works. My wife claims I don't use it enough :rolleyes: but what does she know, she's not the one that convinced the other they needed a new jointer to play with! :D

[Scott Coffelt]

I have a G0490, I attached a 6" dust port on mine Created an adpater out of MDF and attached a 6" starter collar onto it. I have no issues with it. I am using a Dust Eliminator Cyclone. I have 6" evrywhere possible and drop to 4" on the others within 3-4 feet. Chips all go where they are suppose to.... in the bin.:D

[Red Dwyer]

Rick;
I have the Grizzley G0490 hooked up to a cyclone designed with Bill Pentz's plans which the Clearvue is based on. It is hooked up with 4" flex hose for about 6' before it transitions to the 6" PVC. It works well with no dust or chips left.

One thing that you might want to check is the chip chute below the cutterhead that slopes down to the collection port. If it is the same as the Grizzley chute it is open on the top and will leak chips and dust into the bottom cabinet area. I closed mine with some 1/4" hardboard and duct tape and cured the problem. No more leaks.

You will like the Clearvue, It was amazing how my shop cleaned up after I built and started using my cyclone. Good luck

[Tom Maple]

One thing that you might want to check is the chip chute below the cutterhead that slopes down to the collection port. If it is the same as the Grizzley chute it is open on the top and will leak chips and dust into the bottom cabinet area. I closed mine with some 1/4" hardboard and duct tape and cured the problem. No more leaks.

I also have the Shop Fox version of this jointer and have debated whether or not to close off the open sides of the chip chute. As another reply mentioned, the space around the cutter head is not large enough to maintain adequate air flow. Perhaps those open areas are there to provide enough air to keep the volume of air where it needs to be.
I have closed it off for now, but will run some tests with them open to compare. I am just running the wiring at this point, so I haven't tried the dust/chip collection yet.

[Tom Maple]

Rick,
I was trying to comment on Red's quote but it didn't look like it in my post. Sorry for any confusion.
Tom

[Jim Fox]

As a guy who just put his together tonite, save yourself a push broom from getting damaged with repeated blows to a wall..............by leaving the Belt Cover off until the end.

Also as was recommended to me, take the motor off its shipping position and before attaching the table.

[Rick Gifford]

I appreciate the great discussion on this. I have been so busy getting my DC installed I haven't got to go all over the jointer yet. I will look into everything mentioned here when I start wrenching on it. I am going to pay close attention to the chip chute and see what I can do there.

Now as far as taking the motor off its shipping mount before putting on the table.... the jointer is already together, but I will probably have to reverse all that to make sure its put together right. It was only put together for the show room floor, so I am sure everything needs done!

I needed to joint a small peice of wood tonight... so I really need to get that machine up and running.

For what its worth though, I am almost finished with the DC install and will be getting to the ducting soon. I use to work out of a small 6 ft by 7 ft room in my basement. Everything bench tools, and had to move things out and move others in when I was working on something. It stayed covered in dust. So my new 11 X 20 building isnt a monster, but it sure seems like it to me :p . I want it to stay clean. Be nice not to have to clean up everything just because I wanted to make a few cuts here and there.

[Steve Auriegma]

Now that you have had some time with your machine, I was wondering what your impressions both positive and neg on it, overall. I am currently looking at a display unit as an upgrade to my grizz 6" unit. Has anyone upgraded to the spiral cutter head? I had on my 6" and I loved it (until I soon wished that I went for a bigger unit). Will prob do the same thing for the SF shortly after getting it

[Matt Day]

I've had my 1741 for a few years now and it's a great machine. The 4" DC port is fine by the way - I've never had a problem with my 1 1/2" HP Delta DC and 4" flex hose. I wouldn't spend the cash on a spiral head for a jointer, but rather save it for a spiral head in the planer.