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Thread: Is it important to use flex tubing between DC and the other plumbing?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
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    Peoria, AZ
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    Is it important to use flex tubing between DC and the other plumbing?

    I'm in the process of building The One True Solution (tm) for dust collection, and found myself wanting to use only hard pipe, but don't know if vibration is an issue. I will have 5" from inside the shop going outside, into a mini shed to house the DC components. That line goes into a steel Oneida Dust Deputy, and then the 6" outlet from that to a 3HP blower/motor. I'm using 5" spiral pipe in the shop (already have it) and plain 6" pipe with hand-made smooth sweeps inside the shed. The blower/motor will be bolted to the 23/32" ply "floor" and the cyclone will be mounted to a plywood platform. The barrel will be on a slide drawer below it with a short flex hose and QD clamp.

    Do I *need* to have some short pieces of flex between the cyclone and motor, and/or cyclone to house? I see lots of people have 6-12" pieces in locations like that, but not sure if it's really important.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlos Alvarez View Post
    I'm in the process of building The One True Solution (tm) for dust collection, and found myself wanting to use only hard pipe, but don't know if vibration is an issue. I will have 5" from inside the shop going outside, into a mini shed to house the DC components. That line goes into a steel Oneida Dust Deputy, and then the 6" outlet from that to a 3HP blower/motor. I'm using 5" spiral pipe in the shop (already have it) and plain 6" pipe with hand-made smooth sweeps inside the shed. The blower/motor will be bolted to the 23/32" ply "floor" and the cyclone will be mounted to a plywood platform. The barrel will be on a slide drawer below it with a short flex hose and QD clamp.

    Do I *need* to have some short pieces of flex between the cyclone and motor, and/or cyclone to house? I see lots of people have 6-12" pieces in locations like that, but not sure if it's really important.
    I don't know anything about the Oneida and the True thing (I use a Clearvue cyclone) but I only use flex where I have to. It is supposed to slow down the airflow, more for longer flex. I do use a short piece to connect the cyclone to my 6" PVC ducts but only to make it easier to disconnect if needed some day for service. There is not enough vibration to make it a problem to use rigid ducts for everything.

    JKJ

  3. #3
    No.

    (extra words to meet minimum)

  4. #4
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    and the True thing
    That was me just being a smart-arse. Thanks for the responses, sticking with hard tubing all the way. Of course, that means measurements are critical.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carlos Alvarez View Post
    That was me just being a smart-arse. Thanks for the responses, sticking with hard tubing all the way. Of course, that means measurements are critical.
    Remember there is seldom a need to glue the fittings. Tape is enough to seal.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
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    9,879
    My Murphy Rogers fan housing sits right on top of the Cyclone with just a thin gasket between.
    Bill D

  7. #7
    I have a 6" piece of flex hose between the main line and the cyclone, for ease of disconnecting and to serve as a vibration damper, mostly so the pipe doesn't transmit sound from the cyclone. Not sure how important that really is, but adding the flex was easy, and it took a slight misalignment out as well.

  8. #8
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    Feb 2018
    Location
    Peoria, AZ
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    Those are all good points too, I'll keep the idea of maybe a 6" length of flex on each connection to the cyclone. No glue in this setup, it's all steel pipe. Spiral inside the shop, and regular cheap HVAC stuff inside the DC cabinet but with handmade sweeps that are wide and smooth on the inside. I'm sealing everything either with aluminum tape or the rubber wrap tape, depending on location.

    I've been considering Flexseal spray for the adjustable elbows inside the shop. Good? Bad? Seems convenient, and we all know those leak even though people claim they shouldn't (I've tested them with smoke).

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