Dust Collection Question

[Mike A. Smith]

I'm finally getting ready to get some serious dust collection, at least more serious than a shop vac!

Question: How loud are they? More or less noisy than a shop vac? Please don't mention exterior installation, it just won't work with my set up. I'm trying to re-work my space so I can fit bigger lathe and I need to make some decisions about locating this stuff. I really don't want to have to use hearing protection in addition to glasses, face shield, breather, etc...

[Jim Becker]

Dust/chip collectors are generally not as loud as most shop vacs, but have noise levels that will likely require you to use hearing protection if the unit is located near your working area. You'll typically use the DC while sanding (there is little point on trying to use it while cutting on the lathe since chips and shavings do not leave the workpiece in any one direction) so that will be the time period that some ear plugs will be useful. (I use the type on a simple band from AO safety and they are very unobtrusive and don't affect wearing of safety glasses)

[Bill Stevener]

Mike,
Hear is how I see the dust collector thing. The way it comes, you uncrate it and set it up. It's a political machine, looks nice all dressed up, makes a lot of noise and never really accomplishes much.
Now if and when you purchase one, also purchase a cyclone (trash can type) install it before the collector.
Don't connect the hose to the filter bag, leave the filter in the box. Cut a hole in the side of your shop the size of the exhaust hose and pump the dust outside. Now you have something that will remove the dust, as well as, cuts down on the noise by (I would say) 60%. I am not saying to put the unit out side, just the dust. :D

[David Walser]

Mike,
... Don't connect the hose to the filter bag, leave the filter in the box. Cut a hole in the side of your shop the size of the exhaust hose and pump the dust outside. Now you have something that will remove the dust, as well as, cuts down on the noise by (I would say) 60%. I am not saying to put the unit out side, just the dust. :D

Bill's advice isn't bad -- unless your shop is right next to your neighbor's back yard (like mine is)! And assuming pumping the dust into the air doesn't violate any local air quality ordinances.

With regard to the original question, dust collectors that run on 110v are loud enough to warrant ear protection, but not as loud as a typical shop vac. Such dust collectors don't move enough air to to be able to manage long duct runs (particularly if there are many bends). Still, within their limits, they can remove a lot of dust and debris from your shop.

As Jim said, dust collectors are useful primarily when you are sanding. When I remember to turn mine on while I'm turning, a lot of shavings still end up on the floor. With dry stock, about half the shavings are sucked into the collector. The rest are quickly sucked up by using the collector's hose as a vacuum at the end of the session. Makes clean up a breeze. Don't try using your dust collector when turning wet wood. The shavings are too heavy to be sucked into the collector efficiently and, at least with mine, you end up with a clogged hose.

[Mike A. Smith]

With regard to the original question, dust collectors that run on 110v are loud enough to warrant ear protection, but not as loud as a typical shop vac. Such dust collectors don't move enough air to to be able to manage long duct runs (particularly if there are many bends). Still, within their limits, they can remove a lot of dust and debris from your shop.

David, could you define 'long'? I would like to get it away from my ears a bit!

Also, I forgot to ask for recommendations. I'm not looking to do the whole shop, just the lathe, band saw and maybe the table saw (all with gates). I won't be rewiring for it so 110v and physical size will be my main limitations.

Thanks for the input guys!

[Reed Gray]

I have one of the Oneida dust collectors. It's decible rating is in the mid 80s range which doesn't require hearing protection, but you do have to speak a bit louder around it. A lot of the noise comes from the air running through the pipes. There are some muffeler systems out there, but I don't know how well they work. I did build a room around it to block off some of the sound. You do want a 2 stage system (cyclone and cannister or bag). Primary reason is that you will suck up some chunks of wood, rags, or papers, or shavings which will bend, break, or clog up your impellor. The cyclone prevents this. I hope to eventually move mine out of my shop, mostly for the added floor space. You do need it to vent back into the shop, one way or another. If the weather is fine, no problem, but on the cold or very hot days, it will remove all of the air in the shop and replace it with what is outside in very short order. The pleated paper filters are better than the bags. More surface area, and generally will remove finer particles. A remote on/off switch is nice also. The Lone Ranger is FM frequency, and all you have to do is hit the switch. The infared ones, you have to point at the machine. Do keep an extra on/off switch around. I lost my first one in the shavings. I now keep the one in my turning room on the wall in a clip, and the one out in the shop is floating on a table. I used to keep that one in my shop apron, but kept hitting the button accidently.
robo hippy

[David Walser]

David, could you define 'long'? I would like to get it away from my ears a bit!

Also, I forgot to ask for recommendations. I'm not looking to do the whole shop, just the lathe, band saw and maybe the table saw (all with gates). I won't be rewiring for it so 110v and physical size will be my main limitations.

Thanks for the input guys!

A recent article in one of the woodworking magazines reviewed the different types of dust collectors available. IIRC, for the 1.5 hp dust collectors, the maximum duct run was in the neighborhood of 20 feet. That's a very rough number because the efficiency of dust collection is affected by a number of factors. A straight duct is much better than one with turns in it. A 90 degree turn is worse than two 45 degree turns. A smooth walled duct (metal or pvc) is much better than the flexible hoses that come with most collectors. Drop lines -- even if there are blast gates at the end of each line -- sap the strength of the air flow dramatically. (In stall blast gates at the trunk end of a drop line and things work much better.) A duct that runs along the ceiling requires more air flow than one that runs along the floor (it takes more energy to lift the dust and debris UP than just horizontally). Given all that, they felt a 20 foot trunk with 2 or 3 drop lines was about the maximum for this size machine. That assumes a relatively straight run and smooth walled ducts.

My machine, the one from Harbor Freight, does a good job. It's only about ten feet from my lathes and the flexible hose works just fine. When I use the table saw for more than a cut or two, I just wheel the dust collector over to the table saw. From there it can reach the table saw, chop saw, and jointer. I'd install ducts, but I keep telling myself I'll expand the shop...

Hope this helps.

[Chris Yarish]

I wear these anytime I am around a loud machine.
They are very unobtrusive. Sorry if the pic is HUGE. They really are smaller in real life.
http://www.occupationalhazards.com/nl_images/HL-airsoft.jpg

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have the HF unit and have two runs of PVC. On each side of the DC is a 10 ft. run. The one side has two bandsaws hooked up with flex tube and on the other is two lathes hooked up with flex tubes with big gulp attachments on each. I use blast gates to shut off each machine and one side or the other. It seems to do a decent job. On the lathes it doesn't do much with the big stuff but does a excellent job on the sanding dust along with the air cleaner hanging from the ceiling above the lathes.