Hey all. I'm planning on upgrading the DC setup in my basement shop this year. Right now I'm running a 1.5 HP Delta with a Super Dust Deputy and some 5" snap-lock pipe. It's sufficient, but really not all that performant. I'd like my new setup to have more power overall, and be able to collect from both underneath and above my table saw at the same time.
The primary limiting factor for any new setup is space. Having a basement shop with low ceilings means I can't (easily) install the big dust collectors, and I also can't run the ductwork diagonally or in any other truly efficient manner. Instead I have to run ductwork up between joists (and above HVAC ducts), and make a few more bends than would generally be recommended.
Below is a rough Sketchup drawing of my shop along with my plan for a new DC and upgraded ductwork. The only tools in this picture that accurately reflect what I own are the K3 table saw and the Grizzly bandsaw hiding in the corner. I have a different drum sander, different jointer/planer, slightly different router table, different drill press, and slightly different workbench. These are the closest things I could find on the Sketchup 3D warehouse. That being said, the placement of these tools in the picture and their relative sizes does reflect my shop equipment and layout. Due to the size of my shop, using any of those tools on the far wall requires sliding them out, hooking them up to power and DC, etc. None of them can be used in their "stored" locations. Note: one thing that's missing in the drawing is my lumber rack: that is hanging on the left-side wall between the cyclone and where the cement wall juts in. Underneath of that on the floor are litter boxes for cats, so that wall and floor are unusable by me for anything else.
For reference, the total width (from workbench wall to router table wall) is about 16', while the length is about 24'. The distance from the floor to the bottom of the joists is ~93", while the distance to the top of the joists is ~104".
You'll note the "transparent" boxes up around the duct work. The long ones running along the "width" are joists, with that one joist being a manufactured one that's wider than a standard 2x12; the other joists are not shown. The boxes running along the "length" represent obstructions: HVAC ducts, house sprinkler system, water pipes, etc. Those are of course all located under the joists, and they all pretty much extend the entire length of the shop. That's the reason the far duct comes down like it does, the reason the closer duct bends 90 degrees where it does, etc. Those obstructions are pretty much everywhere in my ceiling space. That is, this is really the only "open" joist bay in my shop, and attempting to run ductwork under the HVAC duct is not something I want to do.
Here's my current plan: Install an Oneida V-3000 where the cyclone is located in the picture. I would love to get the 5HP Dust Gorilla Pro, but I'm pretty sure it will not (easily) fit in my shop; there's little-to-no flexibility with regard to its placement, while the lower height of the V-3000 means I can move it around a little as needed. I'm not thrilled with the double-elbows leading into the cyclone inlet, but given the limited space this seems like the best option.
The ductwork shown is 7" Nordfab (models sourced from 3D warehouse); I would most likely go with Nordfab or equivalent due to ease of installation, easy of expansion / modification, and because I won't have to tape up ductwork that lives up in the joists. The far wye branch is a 7-5-4; all 4 of those tools along that wall have 5" Magport hookups already, while I can use the 4" line for secondary pickup on both the bandsaw and router table. The wye branch next to the cyclone will also be a 7-5-4; the 5" will drop down to the floor and connect to the bottom of my table saw, while the 4" will go to a (future) overhead pickup. Yes, the path from the cyclone to that wye is "complicated", but given the position of the cyclone and the space restrictions, this seems like the best option. That 7" line that ends in space is for future expansion and will be capped.
Does this seem like a good plan? The V-3000 has a 7" OD opening, so I believe I can use 7" ductwork for this, but I'm wondering if I should go with 6" instead. Splitting a 7" line into 5" and 4" seems like I might be restricting the system a bit too much. I can of course start with 7" off the cyclone and have each of those ceiling-mounted 45" degree splitters be 7-7-6, thus making the two "drops" be 6" lines, but I don't know if that's worth it versus just running all 6" or all 7". Also note that I have the gates above the splitters; I'm thinking both the 5" and 4" lines should be open even when not being used (e.g. I don't use the 4" when planing), as that will ensure enough air is being provided to the cyclone.
Thoughts? Critiques? Any and all advice is welcome. Thanks.
workshop.jpg