Thinking outside the box on dust collection

[Dominik Dudkiewicz]

So regardless of whether you have small local collectors or a large cyclone system it still boils down to modifying machines, ambient air filters, respirators, etc. to get "clean" air.

Sounds to me like the only two factors to consider are cost (initial and power consumption) vs. time spent cleaning out filters and bags. You still have to clean out the cyclone eventually also.
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No. The other factor is that the 1 HP and associated filter will not adequately filter the dust and will not have sufficient airflow to capture it in the first place.

It comes down to cost and effort vs health IMO. I value my health.

Cheers, Dom

[Ted Derryberry]

In your previous post you stated that "The 5hp cyclone and working on machine ports / collection at source solved all of my symptoms........" Since you upgraded everything at once you don't really know if the smaller collector on a single machine is adequate or not, much less another small collector on someone else's machine.

[Dominik Dudkiewicz]

In your previous post you stated that "The 5hp cyclone and working on machine ports / collection at source solved all of my symptoms........" Since you upgraded everything at once you don't really know if the smaller collector on a single machine is adequate or not, much less another small collector on someone else's machine.

You're right I don't know what every 1hp collector from every manufacturer is capable of. However, the most airflow you could realistically get with 1HP and using only a minimum amount of 6" flex hose is maybe 400cfm. Add the resistance from filter bags and machine and it'll be less. Even at max 1hp draw it's not adequate, based on recommendations in credible literature for anything more than chip-collection. The grizzly 1hp dust collector is rated at 2.76" max static pressure at 0 cfm (vs a CV1800 that has a max static pressure of around 15"). That is extremely poor and limits airflow through even 6' of 4" flex to somewhere around 200-300cfm depending on the fan curve (I'm being generous).

I didn't want to start am argument and can only suggest the OP does his reading. Then it's up to him.

I just know that I don't like damaging my health to save a few dollars, but I can afford to buy large cyclone and understand that not everyone can. My DC is the last tool I would part with in my shop. It gives me far more benefit and peace of mind than the cost. On the other hand, I would never pay the premium for something like a saw-stop where the cost to benefit is not there for me, so each to their own.

Cheers, Dom

[Jamie Buxton]

..No 1hp "dust extractor" is going to keep up with a wide belt sander.....

The OP says his sander is a 15" wide belt sander. Perhaps that's smaller than you're thinking.

[Marc Rochkind]

Regarding the comments by Dr. Kauffman in the "Measuring dust with a Dylos air quality monitor" article: Lung cancer isn't the only medical problem, or even the only cancer, that afflicts woodworkers disproportionately. Google "nasal cancer woodworking" to read about nasal cancer, and I'm sure there are other potential problems as well.

I don't remember where I read it, but I read somewhere that half of nasal cancer victims were woodworkers. this was around the time I was setting up my shop. I installed a dust collector and a big Jet air filter. And I only spend a few hours a week in the shop, at most.

[J.R. Rutter]

I've tried a couple different 1 HP collectors and just couldn't get enough velocity for capture of fine particles. In my mind, the big advantage to a more powerful blower/motor is the higher static pressure capability, which translates into moving more air through small dust ports and pipe. That fast moving air right at the source goes a long way towards capturing dust before it gets airborne.

OP, if you are going to group machines and want to avoid a single large blower, I would look at bumping up to a couple of 2 HP units with oversized felt filters and use blast gates. I haven't really seem Grizzly's fan curves, but the Cincinnati Fan blowers that I had made a big jump in performance from 1.5 Hp to 2 HP models.