"Unboxing" - Harvey G700 DC

I mentioned in my shop build thread that a new DC system was needed once I move in. Despite that being a few months away, I took advantage of a sale on the G700 and it arrived on Thursday. (I will say that for anyone interested in this machine...bide your time and watch for the $2499 sale price. I missed that; caught it at $2650, saw it was at $2599 two days later, called and got the additional $50. As of yesterday, the $2499 price is back to being advertised. It's not a "yuge" difference in money, but it's always nice to get the best price.

At any rate, the unit shipped quickly from the left coast and was here in the area within a week. The only delay for delivery was simply that ABF Freight's attention to my area is on Thursdays and the unit was not there in time for delivery last Thursday which was consistent with the advise on the tracking system. Harvey's default shipping includes lift gate service which is very nice, considering this is a 500 lb crate. I was all ready to use the Big Orange Power Tool to get it from the street, but the driver had no issue navigating our Swiss Alps like curb and wheeled it right up to the temporary gara-shop's door.

Attachment 483177

Harvy's protective crate is basically a custom made plywood pallet with a nicely designed thick honeycomb cardboard interlocking structure that magically releases into multiple pieces once the five straps are cut. There was no fighting with an awkward one piece box-like thing as is the case with some tools. Cut the straps; lift off the top and the four sides fall to the ground.

Attachment 483178 Attachment 483179 Attachment 483180 Attachment 483181 Attachment 483182

The remote is tied to one of the lifting eyes so it's not easily lost in transit. There are four lifting eyes for folks who have a crane, forklift or other way of raising the unit vertically off the pallet.

Attachment 483183

This was probably one of the easiest tools I've ever unboxed and "assembled", even with the short task of replacing the plug with one that mates to my electrical setup. Open the unit, remove the bin pull-out, remove four lag bolts that securely hold the G700 to the pallet and then maneuver it off said pallet by whatever method you choose to do so.

Attachment 483184 Attachment 483185 Attachment 483186 Attachment 483187

For the latter, I used the "one corner at a time lift and slide" method. :) It only weighs 477 lbs supposedly. Honestly, it was actually pretty easy. I put a 2x4 between the pallet and the step-up into the gara-shop to provide an intermediate height and just went from there. This was similar to the method that Bent's Woodworking did the same process on the 'Tube.

I initially chose to position the unit parallel to the wall in the same place that the SDD setup was on the wall. Unfortunately, that wasn't the best thing because of how the J/P has to be shoehorned into the space because of the position of the inlet to the G700. So I swung it around parallel to the overhead door and into the front corner. That worked much better and I only have to live with this setup for a few months anyway. This is the "not really going to work" position. Note that the wye for the J/P is backwards in the second photo...a momentary "D'oh" moment that was corrected.

Attachment 483189

The inlet on the unit is 150mm/6". Since the duct work in the temporary shop is 5", I ran off to the home center for a 6" to 5" reducer that would be compatible with a piece of flex hose that would be used to connect to the existing quick connect ductwork. Yes, I'm very aware that flex isn't the best thing, but again, this is temporary and spending money for more hard pipe wasn't in the plans for now. It will work just fine in this small shop.

Attachment 483190

The only other task I had to do is what I indicated above...change the plug. The unit comes from the factory with a molded 240v plug as shown in this photo. I use twist locks, so I changed it to that format and plugged it in.

Attachment 483191

It's pretty much ready to use for anything I do in this temporary shop between now and when I don't need a temporary shop any more.

Attachment 483192

Initial observations...very nice fit and finish including the paint/powder coating on inside surfaces. Decent manual for setup and the process could not be easier. Casters work very well meaning folks can use this as a portable unit in a shop (albeit it does have a footprint) and it's easy to place. There are feet that screw down to keep it stationary when rolling isn't needed. Noise level when running is surprisingly reasonable and the variable speed can help with that when one wants to take advantage of it. Form factor is very different, but provides opportunity to rethink positioning...in my new shop building, it will be on the floor and the compressor will be on a platform above it saving decent floor space for other needs. I will provide an update about initial performance once I get to put it to use...way too hot/humid to spend much time in an unconditioned shop right now.

That’s really a nice looking unit

I agree, Steve. It's nice looking but also "interesting" looking!

Easily one of the coolest looking dust collector models you can buy. I looked at the specs briefly when I was searching for new dust collectors and I was a bit under whelmed with the CFM rating. Is the main advantage how much the cyclones actually filter out before the pleated filters? Am I missing another advantage?

Congrats on the new DC . I'm betting we will see your ducting down the road . I'm also eager to see the compressor on the platform . How to drain the water and not make a mess , I'm sure you've got that handled already .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ben Grefe

Easily one of the coolest looking dust collector models you can buy. I looked at the specs briefly when I was searching for new dust collectors and I was a bit under whelmed with the CFM rating. Is the main advantage how much the cyclones actually filter out before the pleated filters? Am I missing another advantage?

---

While the CFM specification isn't a big number topping out at 1100, based on comments from folks "out there", it performs pretty darn well at delivering good air flow. It did give me pause at first because the original plan was to get a bigger cyclone system similar to what I had before, but as a one person shop that doesn't generally need to run multiple machines concurrently...and when I do it's the CNC machine and something else...this system should perform not dissimilar to the 2hp Oneida system I had in the old shop. I'm also keeping the duct network small by careful shop arrangement in the new space. If the shop was bigger and/or I had another human also doing work at the same time, no question I would have gone with a big 5 hp cyclone.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by james manutes

Congrats on the new DC . I'm betting we will see your ducting down the road . I'm also eager to see the compressor on the platform . How to drain the water and not make a mess , I'm sure you've got that handled already .

---

I'll be sticking with Blastgate Company quick connect in the new shop. I'm loving it in the temp shop and everything I have now will easily fold into the new space for drops. The main line will be 6" out there.

The compressor drain isn't an issue. Even in manual mode right now, it pushes "stuff" through a short hose outside through a wall. The same will be true in the new shop, but hopefully I can get back to an auto drain. The old one, um..."expired" a few years ago...so I need to replace it. There are other priorities before that. That said, with the compressor up on the platform, I'll need to devise a convenient way to be able to close the ball valve right at the compressor as I prefer to do when the air system is not in use. I may fabricate a new handle that can be operated by a chain or cord. :)

We actually had a "less hot and humid" day yesterday so I was able to spend a little more time in the temporary gara-shop without becoming a baked whatever to finish up with the G700 and put a bunch of stuff away that got moved around during the process. I'm glad the J/P has mobility as in this particular space and arrangement, it will have to be moved a little to be able to thickness material over about 40" or so long. Not a big deal because I don't usually use large boards and have actually been avoiding projects that would require them until I have the bigger building up. So far, I'm pleased with the machine, although my use so far has been just some simple testing. I have a few little projects that I'll get to, weather permitting, which will give a better indicator of how this thing performs.

Attachment 483429

Jim

I thought you had a clearview?

Looks nice, Jim. It will be interesting to see how it performs over the long-term, including in your new shop once that's built.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by George Yetka

Jim

I thought you had a clearview?

---

I've owned three Oneida systems...the original 1.5 hp with the internal filter bought in 2000 (and later converted to external filters) which is still running in a friend's shop. (a 'Creeker but doesn't stop in here often) A 2hp Pro which was the predecessor to the Gorilla line bought in about 2004 and used until I had to move out of the old shop last summer...in use in a commercial shop run by another 'Creeker that does van interiors. And an SDD with a Delta 1.5 hp blower I bought from the gentleman in post $10 :) last summer that is now...as of Saturday morning...in the care of another 'Creeker in New Joisey. I've never owned a Clearview...decent specs, especially these days, but not my cup of tea for reasons that I'll not go into.

Steve, I think it's promising for sure. And the setup will be interesting as I plan on stacking the compressor on a platform above the G700 while will save quite a bit of space in the new shop. :D

Has the time line changed on the new shop , for better or worse ?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by james manutes

Has the time line changed on the new shop , for better or worse ?

---

Not so far....drilling 8 September and build 12-13 September. Electric service in next. Concrete after that in two stages; prep by them followed by foam insulation by me and then the pour later.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jim Becker

... And the setup will be interesting as I plan on stacking the compressor on a platform above the G700 while will save quite a bit of space in the new shop. :D

---

Sounds like an awesome idea, Jim, but won't that create a noise issue with the compressor not hidden away in a closet? Or do you have an idea how to address that?

I'm working on alternative ideas for noise mitigation. The compressor doesn't run very often, honestly. It's the DC and the G700 is noticeably less noisy than my previous large Oneida system. With the big space of the new shop, I'm focusing more on overall noise abatement by incorporating multiple methods to "trap" the sound so it doesn't bounce and the higher frequencies are captured as much as possible.