Workshop layout + Pflux Size

[Steve Kang]

Hello, I'd like your input on sizing a dust collector for my small basement shop. My machines are kept in the left room and the longest run will be approximately 15'. I plan on running 6" ducting and will be operating one tool at a time. Tools are a 8" jointer, 16" planer and a bandsaw.

I'm deciding between either a laguana pflux 1.5 or 2hp unit or perhaps even the cflux models. There's a small chance I may add a small table saw to the adjacent room. Any advice is appreciated, especially first hand accounts on how well the pflux and cflux machines function.



Workshop Layout 2.jpg

[Jim Becker]

You can never have "too much" DC... That. Is. All. No way would I recommend a 1.5hp unit, especially with a big planer.

[Bill Adamsen]

Noise is a huge factor in a small contained space. Both the sound generated by the impeller and the sound of air over moving straight knives. The combination of my DC and jointer is quite extreme. Just a caution. Like Jim I think 1.5hp is too small ... even for a small shop with short runs. And planers fill dustbins quickly. Bandsaws are notoriously difficult to capture dust. Five inches should work at the machines but you might want to run calculations for static drop on the horizontal main duct. Six might work, seven or eight for sure. You need velocity to lift dust in the vertical drops.

[Steve Kang]

Noise is a huge factor in a small contained space. Both the sound generated by the impeller and the sound of air over moving straight knives. The combination of my DC and jointer is quite extreme. Just a caution. Like Jim I think 1.5hp is too small ... even for a small shop with short runs. And planers fill dustbins quickly. Bandsaws are notoriously difficult to capture dust. Five inches should work at the machines but you might want to run calculations for static drop on the horizontal main duct. Six might work, seven or eight for sure. You need velocity to lift dust in the vertical drops.

Thanks Bill. I'll go with the 2hp unit just to be on the safe side.

[Rhys Hurcombe]

For their price I don't think those Laguna units are very good personally. You can get a clearvue for the same price just about. They have a free shipping special running at the moment with the larger 16" Impeller for $2050 and would be at least twice as good as the Laguna if you compare the quality of separation from each cyclone. Better filters, too. Albeit the larger electrical requirements it'd be a great product for you. There are some good laguna reviews on YouTube just watch out for paid sponsorship's etc that may effect the legitimacy of a review. Matt Cremona does a good one. I'd go Oneida or Clearvue over the laguna any day.

[Rhys Hurcombe]

At least 6" Ducting in the main lines and open the machine ports to 6" where possible or install multiple ports to maximize flow.

[Steve Kang]

For their price I don't think those Laguna units are very good personally. You can get a clearvue for the same price just about. They have a free shipping special running at the moment with the larger 16" Impeller for $2050 and would be at least twice as good as the Laguna if you compare the quality of separation from each cyclone. Better filters, too. Albeit the larger electrical requirements it'd be a great product for you. There are some good laguna reviews on YouTube just watch out for paid sponsorship's etc that may effect the legitimacy of a review. Matt Cremona does a good one. I'd go Oneida or Clearvue over the laguna any day.

Hi Rhys, all good points. I'm restricted by my basement ceiling height, so many of the clearvue/oneida products are out. Also, availability of these dust collectors in Canada is not great, whereas my local dealer stocks a full range of Laguna.

[Peter Christensen]

Steve you can lay a cyclone on an angle to reduce height without affecting the separation. It takes some more wall space but you can tuck other stuff under and over it. Stockroom Supply sell the ClearVue's. They get an order one a month and you save on the brokerage and shipping compared to buying direct. http://stockroomsupply.ca/shop/clear-vue-cyclones.html

With the machines you have you'll need at least a 3hp cyclone.

[Charlie Hinton]

I have looked at cyclones so much I am suffering paralysis by analysis and probably won't buy one until the old 1hp Delta AP400 dies....which most likely will be never since it has a newish capacitor on it.
Noise is a huge consideration for me so I would most likely be in the 2hp class myself.
If the 2hp Oneida V2000 will fit in your space I would probably choose it because the Laguna machines get such mixed user reviews on the separation it makes me scared of them, however if there's an air leak at the collection bin that would kill the separation and explain the disparity in the reviews.
If the Laguna machine is the one that fits grab the 2hp PFlux and don't look back.
Assemble it as good as you can and consider not using the bag in the bin which (pure speculation) could easily cause seal problems.

[Rhys Hurcombe]

Hi Rhys, all good points. I'm restricted by my basement ceiling height, so many of the clearvue/oneida products are out. Also, availability of these dust collectors in Canada is not great, whereas my local dealer stocks a full range of Laguna.

Apologies Steve, didn't realize you were in Canada. Ceiling height can be an issue there are custom clearvue cyclone builds on their forum for lower ceiling heights but can't do much about availability unfortunately. Laguna cyclone would not be on my list even if comparing to a standard non cyclone dust extractor unit unfortunately.

[Todd Hyman]

Steve I have the 2hp cflux in my basement shop. I ran 6” s&d pvc pipe and have and it works well. The actual cyclone is in a separate storage room for noise reasons. For the jointer and planer I have a separate thien separator on a 35 gallon trash can in line on that branch with no issues.