Jet DC, # 1100CK, Comments sought

[Alan Turner]

Need some help here. I can't do a cyclone due to space and ceiling height limitations inherent in my shop, but need to have DC improved. I am looking at the Jet 1100CK, with the filter cannister. I would appreciate any comments on this machine from owners, or those who are considering same.
One of the things which I like is that it empties to a plastic bag, which can then just be removed, without dumping same. Also, I got a price from a local store on the collection plastic bags, and I think they were 5 for $15, or $3@, which seems a bit stiff for a plastic bag. I assume other bags would work. Does anyone have a source for them that is a bit more reasonable? What is the mil thickness on these bags. I couldn't see it on the box of bags. I will fill quite a few of these, I think, both from a planer and a jointer.
Thanks.
Alan

[Jim Becker]

Alan, it's reported to be a good machine, but you should probably consider the larger (2hp, "1200" - I forget the model number) version, given you have that big, nasty, wide planer to service. Any additional airflow you can have will help you. You have big tools and they have big DC needs.

[Waymon Campbell]

Alan, I converted a 2hp Grizzly bag type collector into a canister type. I put a 52" tall filter on top and use the plastic bags from Woodworkers Supply on bottom. I'd have to second Jim's comment about going to 2hp, you won't be disappointed. The bags I use are 4mil thick and work great. When mine are full I just invert a regular trash bag over the bag from the collector and then re-use the 4mil bag. Whole operation takes 2 minutes. I suppose you could use heavy duty trash bags but one of the benifits to using the 4mil bags is that you won't get any penetration of the bag by planed fragments and also the bag is clear so you know when to change it.

[Alan Turner]

Thanks guys, but the 2hp is too tall also, since there are pipes lower than that which must be navigated to get to the tools.
Alan

[Tim Sproul]

Alan,

I've got the 1100CK. It is a very good DC unit. Keeps up with my 15 inch planer doing 1/8 inch cut with 14 inch wide board (......sounds crazy, but I just wanted to see if it could - both planer and DC :D ). That is using 10 feet of 4 inch flex hose, probably the worst piping you could do. I'm trying to find time to make the DC stationary......

plastic bags.....are reusable. I empty mine into yard waste dumpster cans.

[Chris Padilla]

Hey! Another B.A. guy! Welcome, Tim. I think we have enough SMC BA people to have a nice outing somewhere....hmmm..... :D

[Michael Perata]

Hey! Another B.A. guy! Welcome, Tim. I think we have enough SMC BA people to have a nice outing somewhere....hmmm..... :D
Chris

Tim's a good guy. He bought all of my Jet equipment so I could by the MiniMax stuff. :)

I also have the Jet DC 1100C and it keeps up with my 12" jointer/planer no problem, and that's with 20' of 4" ducting.

[Alan Turner]

Thanks for the help, guys. I called Woodcraft and bought the local store's last one today; pick up tomorrow.
I have a stress fracture in my foot, so emptying my present one, which involves lifting a 55 gal. steel drum and dumping same, eating the dust as I do so, is not possible right now. Excellent excuse for a new DC.
Alan

[Tony Falotico]

Alan, I have the 1100ck and it works fine for me.

Give serious consideration to the separator lid that sits atop a standard metal garbage can. You can get one at Woodcraft for $30 or make your own. I have the 'store bought' one, it collects a good 75% of the stuff before it hits the impeller. Saves on bags and is easy to dump.

[Stan Smith]

Hey, Alan. I have that unit. Mine is a retrofit. Don't have ducting and use a 10' hose. Am adding a garabe can cyclone to keep the chips from the impeller. Plan to have the can on a wheeled base attached to the base unit of the dc. With my shop, only have to move the dc about 5' to reach all equipment. Don't know about price of plastic bags. I plan to reuse mine.

Got that sprayer from Jeff. My little compressor didn't do too well powering it so I have a bigger compressor on the way-- a PC 6hp 26gal, 6.8cfm@90psi, 8.6cfm@40psi. Should be plenty.

Stan

[Donnie Raines]

Hope I am not to redunted here...I only browsed some of the other post.

I own the 1100 you speak of. I run a 15 inch planer, 8 inch jointer, Unisaw, 16 inch band saw, 22/44 drum sander and spindle sander....all runs with 4 inch PVC. It works wonderful for me....no clogs, no excess dust anywhere.....no gripes here.

Dont get me wrong...a larger unit is always "better"...but as stated above..this unit works very well for me.


DonnieR

[Tim Sproul]

Donnie,

Did you use 4 inch PVC or metal duct or do you use flex hose and connect one machine at a time?

I want to set up a duct system and so far, the only people I've heard about doing so with the 1100ck have used 6 inch.

[Don Abele]

I have the 1100 and retrofitted the cartridge filter to it. The cartridge made a huge improvement in performance over the bags.

Now, I'm going to make a lot of people cringe here, but my entire DC system consists of 4 inch flex hose. My longest run is 35 feet and feeds my miter saw station. I also have drops for my tablesaw/router table (25 feet), bandsaw (15 feet), and jointer/planer/floor sweep/drill press (8 feet).

So how does it work? I dropped a piece of 3/4 inch plywood, about 1 inch by 1 inch into my mitersaw pick-up and it made it the 35 feet into the DC in about 2 seconds. I have been using this system (4 inch flex and the 1100) for several years now without problems and excellent results. About the only place I see any significant sawdust is that which spins off the top of my tablesaw blade. I am working on an overarm guard which I'm sure will take care of that.

Please understand though, I DO NOT recommend using 4 inch flex pipe for an entire system. I am in the Navy and move every couple of years. A hard-piped system just would not work for me. I'd love to upgrade to a 6 inch system, but can not justify the cost of replacing everything seeing as how my current system does work. Maybe when I stop moving.

[Alan Turner]

My thanks to all that responded. The new 1100CK is now in the shop, and sort of working. I say sort of becasue I am having trouble with connecting it to the machines. Mine has to roll around. Permanent ducting is not possible at all, becuase of the lwo seiling, and abundance of pipes, wires, etc. My home is a steam system, and that means lots of pipes, some pretty large, and none movable at all!
So, got a bunch of fittings at Woodcraft, which is an expensive place for them, but I bit the bullett. But, they don't work very well, and most will go back, I think.
Here is the problem. Two of my machines have 5" ports, and the rest 4". The "quick connect" parts seem to take a lot of pressure, and still are not tight. They just fall off. So, I ordered some "Fazlok" fittings from Woodworker's Supply, with the hope that they will work.
What do you guys who have to roll a DC around do for fittings that are quick, and sturdy?
With my old 5" system, I just put the hose over the fitting, and it held fine. No clamps. But the new 4" hose, also from WC, is pretty stiff. Not real workable.
Thanks for the help.
Alan

[Donnie Raines]

I used 4 inch plastic(PVC) with PVC elbows(I did use, on 2 tools, some of the clear plastic hose to make some very short runs).

As stated before...it has worked very well for me.
'

DonnieR

[Boyd Gathwright]

Hello Alan,
<O:p</O:p

Just read your post and I might be a little late with this info. I own the Jet 1100 but I think If I had it to do all over again I would go with the (NEW) Grizzly G0548 2 HP canister DC http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2004/121.cfm (http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2004/121.cfm)? It goes down to 1 micron where as the Jet only goes down to 2 microns and there appears to be other advantages too.
<O:p</O:p

Good luck on your decision.

<O:p</O:p

Boyd :)








Need some help here. I can't do a cyclone due to space and ceiling height limitations inherent in my shop, but need to have DC improved. I am looking at the Jet 1100CK, with the filter cannister. I would appreciate any comments on this machine from owners, or those who are considering same.
One of the things which I like is that it empties to a plastic bag, which can then just be removed, without dumping same. Also, I got a price from a local store on the collection plastic bags, and I think they were 5 for $15, or $3@, which seems a bit stiff for a plastic bag. I assume other bags would work. Does anyone have a source for them that is a bit more reasonable? What is the mil thickness on these bags. I couldn't see it on the box of bags. I will fill quite a few of these, I think, both from a planer and a jointer.
Thanks.
Alan

[Scott Coffelt]

Alan,

Just a thought but I checked the measurements of the DC1100 and they are 37x27x96. I checked the measures for the Penn State Cyclone with a 20"h drum and filters. The height is 94" and the drum is in the neighborhood of 20-24" diamter and the filters are 13" in diameter. Overall this is not a Onieda, but it is a pretty good cyclone. Should check it out before you buy.

[Chris Padilla]

I noticed that some of you like to post how a large chunk of wood/plywood can get sucked up by your DCs. This is NOT a good determination of how well your DC can pick up dust/powder/sub-micron sized particles of wood. Simply put, you need the CFMs in the 800 range to get the fine stuff...this is the nasty stuff for your lungs. That is why 6" ducting is the minimum amount recommended for most DC systems.

[Michael Perata]

Alan,

Just a thought but I checked the measurements of the DC1100 and they are 37x27x96. I checked the measures for the Penn State Cyclone with a 20"h drum and filters. The height is 94" and the drum is in the neighborhood of 20-24" diamter and the filters are 13" in diameter. Overall this is not a Onieda, but it is a pretty good cyclone. Should check it out before you buy.
Scott

I just measured my DC1100C and it is 21x36x71.

[Stan Smith]

Hey, Alan.

I'm using the fazlock system on all my machines with great success. I did use the quick disconnect for a number of years but really forced it on. I just have a 10' flex hose. All my machines are 4" dust ports. I just added the metal garbage can cyclone, but I have noticed a slight drop in power. Must have a leak somewhere. Does work great at keeping stuff out of the impeller. Actually, I'm afraid to look at it for the abuse I have given it.

Stan

[Chris Padilla]

Stan,

Adding a cyclone (including the garbage can one) will reduce your CFMs.

[Stan Smith]

Thanks for letting me know that, Chris. I have to re-do the hoses to change the direction they come out of the can since I got in too much of a hurry yesterday. Now that you said that, I'm thinking that's why I didn't use the can in the first place when I got the new dc.

Stan