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Thread: Harvey G-700 dust collector review (sorta) after 3 months of use - long winded

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Madison, Wisconsin
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    489
    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Frank View Post
    This is certainly an interesting design and features. However, the 700 max cfm with 6"duct is kind of low given the price.

    Larry, I agree, per CFM it is an expensive system. But whatever the numbers, I can only say that for my smaller shop with a max run of about 30', I am getting good suction.....every speck of that nasty MDF dust is picked up from my CNC, which is worth every dime to me. As I said in my original post, that may be partially due to my new ducting. I can only state how it has worked for me. Your situation may not produce the same results.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Houston
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    239
    I frankly didn’t do much research on the CFM of comparable units. The G-700 was on sale for about $2,600 straight from Harvey tools, and it seemed really easy to empty the dust bin, which was the main selling point for me. I had just finished a project that involved repeated emptying of the canister after planing stock. That it was quiet was also attractive. Coming from a Harbor Freight unit rebuilt with a filter and dust deputy I don’t have much to compare it to.

    In use in my garage, with an approximate 10’ run with a 4” flex hose to each of the jointer/planer and bandsaw, and a 5’ run to the 4” collection box under the router table (I use a basic wooden fence with no over-the-table dust collection at the moment), I no longer need to sweep the floor around any of the machines or worry about much dust on the tables. The Festool track saw on the MFT spits out more dust than any of these machines with the G-700 set on 65, which is saying a lot. The garage is now immaculate, and the biggest difference is the standard port on the Laguna 14/12. I end up with a slight amount of dust on the table but none on the base of the machine or the floor like before. It is really a huge difference for me. The magports are also noticeably easier than the dust rite system. For the main connection, I use a Rockler flex hose, which tends to shrink slightly in use but does not pull apart with the magports.

    Other dust collectors might provide the same or better dust collection for the same price, but this one had the right footprint and features to fit my garage shop. Also, I really spent one too many times undoing the canister and the clear bag from the harbor freight model, and in looking at the method of emptying the bin on the G-700 on the YouTube videos, it seemed like a no-brainer. In practice, this is really much easier.

    For a larger shop with longer runs or more machines, maybe the CFM makes a difference, but this unit, assuming you can configure it to fit your smaller space such as a garage, is really a game changer, in my opinion. It is one of those machines that actually makes me happy whenever I turn it on. I actually leave it on between machines because it is so quiet, and the magports make that really easy to switch between machines while the G-700 is running.

    I wish I had bought it years ago.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    MA
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    2,243
    Thank you for taking the time to write this up, it has been very helpful to me.

    Appreciate the tip on ductwork source as well - that ductwork looks beautiful in itself.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Madison, Wisconsin
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    489
    Thanks Carl. I wanted to share an experience I had yesterday with the collector. As Monte pointed out, some have experienced "packing" the collector with chips due to a malfunctioning overfill light. My light works fine....I wasn't paying enough attention when planing a bunch of boards and packed the machine solid with chips. Even filled my dust recirculation hoses . I had to disconnect the hoses and used my smaller hosed vacuum (Festool) to get up inside the filter dust collection bins and clean out the chips. I decided to permanently remove the metal filter cover to provide better access to the filters. Gently tapping on them worked well to shake out the last of the chips.
    IMG_1319.jpg

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    N CA
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    1,277
    Are you able to adjust the unit speed on the remote or must you do so at the machine?

  6. #21
    So I have a Clearvue CV1800 (their smaller full-size unit, I think I got the model number right) and I'm considering switching to this one, despite much lower flow rates, for my new small shop for both noise and space reasons.

    Has anyone that's actually used this felt that this is underpowered? I keep reading the Clearvue units have enough power to use two machines simultaneously, which is massive overkill for my needs. If I were to switch to the Harvey I'd be out about $1200 and have less capability but more space. I'm just worried I'd wind up losing too much power, but everyone I've seen seems to like theirs.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Bert, one scenario I can see that might help mitigate the lower air flow while taking advantage of the lower noise benefits would be to incorporate the unit into the big tool arrangement for shorter pathways to the collector. Many of us tend to put a big cyclone in a sound-reduced closet which generally makes for a longer main run out to the tools. I'm actually giving this some thought as I mentally prepare for a new shop building...do I want to do what I did before with the closet or work out a "cluster" for machining that supports workflow with a collector like the Harvey smack in the middle of it? It really is something to think about and could even impact the size of the building I go with.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #23
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    Dec 2006
    Location
    Madison, Wisconsin
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    489
    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Frederick View Post
    Are you able to adjust the unit speed on the remote or must you do so at the machine?

    No, the remote is only on/off. Speed control is a small dial on front of machine

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Michigan
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    291
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Bert, one scenario I can see that might help mitigate the lower air flow while taking advantage of the lower noise benefits would be to incorporate the unit into the big tool arrangement for shorter pathways
    Great idea for fully utilize the low profile and lower noise level of the Harvey unit ! Never considered that approach only looked at the possibility building a beach top over it.

  10. #25

    Great for garage shop

    I got a G700 about 8 months ago and love it.

    Just for anyone who is considering one, I use it really only on 2 machines : a Minimax CU300 classic and a Minimax S400p.
    It works great for both machines, my max run is about 12' to my bandsaw. It is more than adequate for the jointer/planer on the CU300.
    Also, the mobility of the unit and the form factor really are game changers in a small garage shop.

    It has been a great machine and I'm glad I went with the G700. Having said that, my shop is a 2 car garage so the runs are fairly short and I only use 1 machine at a time.
    I do plan on getting a drum sander at some point, but I'm confident that the machine will be able to handle it.

    Long story short, if you are wondering if the G700 can handle a J/P or a combo machine, don't worry it will handle it with ease.

    Scott

  11. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Allen27 View Post
    I got a G700 about 8 months ago and love it.

    Just for anyone who is considering one, I use it really only on 2 machines : a Minimax CU300 classic and a Minimax S400p.
    It works great for both machines, my max run is about 12' to my bandsaw. It is more than adequate for the jointer/planer on the CU300.
    Also, the mobility of the unit and the form factor really are game changers in a small garage shop.

    It has been a great machine and I'm glad I went with the G700. Having said that, my shop is a 2 car garage so the runs are fairly short and I only use 1 machine at a time.
    I do plan on getting a drum sander at some point, but I'm confident that the machine will be able to handle it.

    Long story short, if you are wondering if the G700 can handle a J/P or a combo machine, don't worry it will handle it with ease.

    Scott

    Thanks for that post, Scott. I just ordered one to use with my own CU300. This is great to hear! Do you just use a single 4" flex hose run?

  12. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Allen27 View Post
    I got a G700 about 8 months ago and love it.

    Also, the mobility of the unit and the form factor really are game changers in a small garage shop.

    Thanks for the review Scott.

    Do you keep your ductwork/hoses close to the ground? I really considered the Harvey unit, but I couldn't figured our how to run my ductwork overhead in my small space. It seemed that it would stick out into the middle of the shop too much.

    But maybe I didn't think of a possibility.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,638
    I don't remember what thread I mentioned it in, Clifford, but if I were to decide on the Harvey when I get a new shop building up, I'd consider doing things differently and have it smack in the middle of the machinery it would be servicing...it's very quiet to run and really needs shorter duct runs than a big old cyclone. I'd try to incorporate it into the arrangement so that it was complimentary and easy to service. That would me limited overhead ducting.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  14. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Bert McMahan View Post
    Thanks for that post, Scott. I just ordered one to use with my own CU300. This is great to hear! Do you just use a single 4" flex hose run?
    Yea I just use 4" flex hoses - one to the combo machine which is like 8-9' long - and I just connect that one to another 4" flex hose that goes to my bandsaw another 4-5' down the wall.

    I haven't run metal ducting yet, but possibly will in the future. Having the runs low to the ground doesn't really bother me and I keep them along the wall. It's been a great machine so far.

    For any other owner, do you guys turn the machine completely off (back of machine) - or do you just leave it on?
    I often forget to turn it off on the back and it stays on overnight - doesn't seem to hurt the machine but would like to know what the correct protocol is on that?

  15. #30
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    MA
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    I do shut it all at night, just out of habit of trying to kill power to as many background electronics as possible. My neighbor for a while was a power electronics consultant and did legal consulting. Was constantly testifying on electronics design after something had burned down (toasters in particular he encourages to unplug each time - but felt if was general good practice to unplug any appliance when not in use)

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