Specific CV1800/Oneida SDG questions...

[Ole Anderson]

Normally I wouldn't recommend a 5 hp unit for a homeowner shop, but with the altitude correction, you really ought to listen to the experts here. I understand the CV is well engineered as far as cfm and separation, but you have to ask yourself : what do you want in your shop? a semi-commercial steel cyclone or a plastic and MDF DIY cyclone? That is a personal decision. And even if you go with the CV, don't think that you need to go with a 6" PVC duct, as David said, you really ought to go with a 7" main duct which means steel.

[John Coloccia]

re: CV durability, startup torque, etc etc

Has anyone actually had a CV break on them because it wasn't durable enough? Has anyone had one twist itself apart or otherwise get damaged from startup torque?

Is screwing a couple of pieces of 2X4 to a piece of plywood, and cutting a hole in a trash lid really considered DIY nowadays? If that's the case, you may as well give up now because actually running ducts will be positively impossible.

Is this thing going to be in a garage? Do you have 8' ceilings? If you're considering the Oneida unit, better call them first because the unit is spec'd for 97.5" with the small drum. If it's in a garage, you MAYBE have a true 8' in the front, but it is sloped and is significantly lower towards the back. Just an FYI. One of the things that drove me to CV was that the mounting was flexible and I could make it fit in my garage with no problem.

I think what you'll find if you search around is very happy owners of both dust collectors. The notion that the CV is somehow not durable enough is just nonsense and shouldn't factor into your decision. Cost, performance, size, customer service, etc should drive your decision.

[mreza Salav]

John, I have a CV myself and am quite happy with it.
But as I said above I do think the cyclone body is not as durable as the metal ones specially at the bottom of the cone and the edge of the inlet.
I always fear if I am over tightening the hose clamp at the bottom of the cyclone (connecting the 6" flex hose to it) as it might crack. The inlet edge had a very small crack when I bought it from the previous owner.
Overall I think it has a better cyclone design vs Oneida and almost 3 times the filter area.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

John's point about the height of the SDG is valid. I just measured mine, it sits at 95" on the floor stand. You need some space for the motor to have air circulation for cooling too. That being said, I could lower it several inches by shortening the flex hose that drops into the bin and fiddling with the mounting bolts. The wall mount bracket would make that easier. It is a tall machine though.

John, nothing personal, but I don't think that plastic or plywood is more durable, to anything non acidic, than steel. As a general rule, woodworkers are keen on preaching the virtues of the stability of heavy machines, why should a cyclone be different? Yes, the SDG may be massively overbuilt, I don't know. I personally don't mind that though.

[Bob Wingard]

I've had a CV1800 for about 7-8 years now ... had one problem that WAS NOT the fault of the unit, and was very easy to get the replacement part.

I failed to empty the bin in time ... drop chute and cyclone backed up with chips ... sucked a small piece of stock into the system, and it flew across the now-bridged cyclone ... got wedged between the impeller/housing ... blew a hole in the side of the "skirt". Could have fixed it with a simple patch but, I decided to replace the part, which was readily available from the new owners of ClearVue.

I'm a satisfied user ... ... ...

[David Kumm]

Steve the fine dust separation has to do with cyclone design. I'm not pushing CV and don't use one but their design does come closer to the industrial fine dust separators than Oneida. Only relevant if you run sanders. If you go to industrial cyclone manufacturers you often find several cyclone designs. The standard efficiency ones are closer to the Oneida design and are made to filter 30 micron and larger with 99+% efficiency but fall off the 40% or so a less than 5 microns. Even those have better inlet design. Their high efficiency units that filter 90% or so of the 5 or a little less micron size have a rectangular inlet entering from outside the diameter of the cyclone body- volute shape I think- and a longer cone and often a vortex breaker. The difference is standard vs higher efficiency and cost to manufacture rather than specific to Oneida vs Clearvue. The Baldor motor used by Oneida is the pick of the litter. The Leeson is a good motor although I think the single phase has a 7/8" shaft rather than the 1 1/8 on the three phase or on the Baldor. The CV uses a taper lock bushing on the impeller that I like better than the double set screw on the Oneida. The Oneida is a nice cast AL fan though. Either will hold up to hobby use. There are other options too. I found a used Torit 20-5 for $400, another $400 for a used VFD, another $450 for three nano cartridges and have a pretty decent system- and heavier than either the CV or Oneida. Dave

[Jim O'Dell]

I've had my CV1800 for about 7 1/2 years. Operating for about 6. I'm a light user, but it has done everything I have asked it to. And mine resides in a detached shop that has no heating or cooling. So it is at the mercy of the Extremes of Texas heat and cold, again, no issues. My big problem is coming up with hoods for tools. SCMS is a big one. Any hand power tools, ie: jig saw, sanders, circular saw, etc are where I have an issue. But I would have those issues with any brand of cyclone. Durable? Ask any policeman who has had to trust their riot shield from thrown bottles, rocks and bricks. This isn't plastic in the way that word makes us think. It is PTEG, which, while it is a form of plastic, is very strong. I've bumped mine several times. No issue. Could you damage it if you tried? Sure. But then the same force would dent a steel cyclone as well, causing issues with separation. How would you fix that? Replace a body. So same issue for both.
For me, I got the better performance I wanted at a price I could better afford. And I am very pleased. Jim.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

David, those used Torit machines are a good point. There seem to be a lot of them out there too. I think that Felder may also have a decent machine, if other new options are desired.

[David Kumm]

David, those used Torit machines are a good point. There seem to be a lot of them out there too. I think that Felder may also have a decent machine, if other new options are desired.

I'm a Felder fan but haven't figured out the benefit of their big collectors. Really expensive, filters are not the easiest to clean and no cyclone. I'm sure they are great- most Felder stuff is- but there are cheaper ways to get there. Dave