Teach me: Oneida Dust Cobra vs giant dust collectors (Grizzly G0860)

[Tom Hoppe]

Here is my scenario: I have a small garage based shop with mostly portable tools:

1) Sawstop Jobsite saw
2) Cutech 8" jointer
3) Delta 14" bandsaw
4) Dewalt 735 planer
5) Ridgid Spindle Sander
6) Bosch table top router table
7) Hand tools (sanders, track saw, etc)

I am currently using a cheapo Ridgid shop vac with a DustStopper on top of a Home Depot bucket for everything except the planer, for which I use on of those fancy 5 micron dustright bags. This setup works "ok", but not "really well" and I want to upgrade. The only new "big" tool that I see myself getting at some point, is the Sawstop Contractor saw with a 36" table. Everything else is plenty for anything I will ever do.

I have about a $1000 budget, give or take a few bucks and here are my requirements:

1) Portable. My shop doubles as a bike shop, and storage for recreational gear/etc. Sometimes I work on a car in there. So everything is on casters and there are no dedicated drops. I want to be able to move the dust collection from tool to tool, or maybe sit it in a corner and have a 20 foot hose on it that I can move. I REALLY like being able to roll everything out of the way or move stuff around.

2) Multi use. I don't want a separate setup for my hand tools and for the big tools. Ideally I'd like to use the same dust collection for everything. The exception is the Dewalt 735. I'm 100% keeping on using the dustright bag on there as it's really dust free, even with that.

3) Runs on 20 amp 110 circuit. I have 3 circuits in the garage. One for the lights, one that I will dedicate for dust collection, and the other for everything else. I don't have 220, which removes the high powered stuff off the list.

Having said all of this, the Oneida Dust Cobra seems to potentially fit the bill for what I need. It's a nice 2 stage collector and it seems to have quite a bit of power (250 cfm with a 25ft hose). I would get the 17 gallon container which would continue to make it portable. I also have the choice of moving it close to my tool, or keeping it and having a hose, as it can take a 25ft hose. It's way more than what I have now. With 250 CFM I can still hook it up to the track saw or sanders via a 1.5" hose. Shouldn't overpower anything there.

BUT, it is basically a glorified shop vac, and not "a true big dust collection system".

Will I be better served with a "full dust collection system" like the 1.5HP systems from Grizzly? G0860 or G0703 (https://www.grizzly.com/products/Gri...ollector/G0860 or https://www.grizzly.com/products/Gri...ollector/G0703)

While it seems less portable, since it's quite a bit more footprint, I could still move it around if I needed to. But it seems I would more have a 25ft hose that I just move from tool to tool. That's ok with me.

With 800CFM though, what do I do for my hand tools? I don't want a separate system. Could I just hook a 1.5" hose with a reducer up to it and run that to my sander? Will that be enough of a reduction on power to not mess anything up?

Thanks for any help.

[David Buchhauser]

Hi Tom,
This may be less than you want to spend, plus it is only a single stage. But it works well for me, price is under $200, is rated at 1550 cfm, it does have wheels and is portable. I have a separate "cyclone" style separator that fits onto a large metal trash can that can be used with it if desired. I also upgraded to a 1 Micron filter bag. I currently have it connected to my cnc router table (router table is in the next room and the white tubes duct the vacuum), but I can easily disconnect the flex hose and connect it to one of my other tools (bandsaw, planer, etc.). You could use a reducer (possibly with a Y connector with blast gates to adjust the vacuum) to connect using a smaller hose to your other smaller tools.
David



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https://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-industrial-5-micron-dust-collector-97869.html

HF Dust Collector.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Dust Collector Cyclone Separator Lid.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Big Horn 1-Micron Filter Bag.jpg

[Tom Hoppe]

So did a lot more research and got my answers.

I realized that the "full size" dust collection systems will not run enough suction with a 1.5" hose in order to suck up anything from sanders or similar. I still have to keep my shop vac setup for that. So my dust collection system will be 2 fold:

- Harbor Freight 2hp DC with a 5" SDD and a HEPA filter to run the:
- Dewalt 735 (4" port)
- 8" jointer (4" port)
- Table saw (2.5" port with 1.5" port for blade collection)
- Spindle Sander (2.5" port with a 2.5" splitter for above collection)
- Bosch router table (2, 2.5" ports)

- Current Ridgid Shop vac with Dustopper to run:
- Hand sanders
- Track saw

I learned I can cobble together a really nice system based on the HF DC for about $700 and if I need more power, I can spend another $100 to upgrade the impeller to 12" to get even moar power out of it.

[David Buchhauser]

Hi Tom,
I sounds like you have a good plan. I use a Craftsman shop vac with the Dust Deputy for some of my smaller tools, and the HF system for the larger stuff.
Glad to hear you've got it figured out.
David

[Jim Dwight]

I do something similar and it works well. I have a Rigid shop vac pulling through an Oneida dust deputy and filtered by the quasi HEPA filter for small tools. I also have an auto-on switch for it. Works well for track saw, domino, and sanders. I have a 2hp HF in the corner of my shop with the motor and blower up near the ceiling and mounted to the wall, a super dust deputy below the blower, exhaust going outside, and a home made wooden collection box below it. 5 inch snap lock running to my table saw in the center of the shop and the other tools connected by 4 inch flexible hose by disconnecting the table saw. More drops planed to reduce having to make up conections. I have been surprised with the suction of the HF at the end of 20 feet or so of 5 inch metal tubing plus 10-20 feet of flex hose. Handles my little 10 inch planner well.

[Derek Arita]

I've had several different dust collectors, including a large Oneida cyclone and a few very portable systems. My advice is, save yourself a lot of time, trouble and $ and get the best Oneida cyclone system that you can afford. You will not go wrong with that. I've been happy with every Oneida cyclone I've had. Their systems do exactly what they say they'll do...others don't.

[Rod Sheridan]

A cyclone works just fine with hand held sanders, I did that for many years.

The issue was poor fine dust separation which clogged the filter, even with another blast gate open to increase airflow.

A cyclone with a HEPA filter is the ticket unless you exhaust outside, and a small HEPA extractor such as a Festool or Fein is extremely useful for portable tools or use around the house...Rod

[Larry Frank]

Opinions will vary, but I think a cyclone does a poor job with sanders. I have a 5 hp Onieda cyclone but max vacuum is only around 10" . Either my Ridgid shop vac or Festool C26 work much better because they have 6 or more times higher vacuum. They suck up the dust better.

But, whatever works for you is fine.

[Jim Andrew]

I use a shop vac on my random orbit sander, and my hand held belt sander. Work great as long as the hose does not get in the way. For your shop machines, a bigger cyclone system would make you happier than a 1 1/2 hp cyclone. I had a 2 hp cyclone and upgraded to a 3hp. Now I vent outside and that works great for me, you can not believe how much suction you lose to filters. A 1 1/2 hp cyclone will have double the suction if you can eliminate the filter. Grizzly has a portable 3hp cyclone G0862. says it has a 15" impeller, which would work well for most.Of course it is 1395 plus 129 shipping, but crying now and saving upgrading later will actually save you crying later.