In-line dust collection booster?

[Kev Godwin]

I have been fighting a suction problem with an undersized 1 HP Jet DC-650 dust collector too far from a couple machines and I'm using 4" flex duct. Can anyone give me some advice if I could supplement my collector with a low-cost in-line booster. Today I received the Harbor Freight sale flyer showing they have their cheap 13 gallon collector on sale for $90 (#31810). Could I set this unit close to my furthest machines and get flowing better?

Also, can someone tell me if this portable unit has an induction motor or a noisy universal motor. Thanks Creekers.

PS - I know, I know; "...you should just upgrade with a larger collector." Thanks again.
Kev

[Joe Vee]

Kev,

I tried that with 2HP collector and a 1HP collector with the same idea as you. Unfortunately, they fought each other.


Joe

[Greg Peterson]

You might try going with a larger flex hose or install 6" PVC. My HF DC has a five inch inlet on the impeller housing so I use a 5" flex hose and reduce to 4" at the tool. I just roll my DC around to whatever machine I'm using.

Seems many folks run 6" PVC from their DC and then run 4" drops to each tool.

[Steven Wilson]

Kev, running 4" flex for any distance causes too much resistance in the line not only for your Jet but for larger units as well. Unfortunately your Jet doesn't have sufficient suction to support larger lines. Although you may be able to cobble something together that may help some, you would be best served by forgetting the long 4" duct and just wheel your DC to the other machines. Going forward you need to plan on upgrading all of your ductwork as well as your DC to something more appropriate. The Jet DC650 works best with 5' of 4" hose and then wheel it to each machine.

[Jim Becker]

The DC650 and similar 1hp machines were designed to work with a maximum of a 10' hose 4" connected directly to the machine and preferably shorter. This matches with the approximate real-world 300-350 CFM performance of both the machine and the air flow capacity of a 4" conduit for that air at the given velocities.

[Prashun Patel]

Shorten the ducts and make as much of the mains rigid as possible.

[glenn bradley]

I tried to go down this road. Save your money. The 1HP units many of us have are designed to be rolled from machine to machine and run a (generally) very stiff piece of flex under 10' long. Anything in excess of this that works at all is a bonus.

My 1HP unit runs about three feet to a manifold that directs the suction to different tools via blast gates. All are very short runs except the overarm TS guard due to the hose-route requirement of my shop. Not surprisingly, this is the only service that is not satisfactory.

Saving my pennies for a cyclone and using a broom in the mean time while struggling with the fact that I can't have a Mercedes for the cost of a Volkswagen.

[Kev Godwin]

Thanks for the comments everyone. You confirmed what was my anticipated answer to this question. I'm going to just get more mobile until I do get a bigger collector and get rigid duct.
Kev

[Ben Cadotte]

Thanks for the comments everyone. You confirmed what was my anticipated answer to this question. I'm going to just get more mobile until I do get a bigger collector and get rigid duct.
Kev

The HF 2 hp collector is really decent. Not sure on the longevity but works really well for me. And its only $165. You could boost your current set up until you can afford a better system and hard lines. And you can probably sell it used for half when you do.

I have it and the canister filter. I do not have hard lines, use a 10' flex duct. Pulls very well even through the inefecient flex duct.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I must be really lucky. I made the Wood Mag. cyclone, and put a 1 HP blower that was made by Cincinnatti Fan on top. It has a 10" blower wheel, made of cast aluminum. I have a run of 4" PVC that is about 30' long, and changes direction three times. Onto that I add a section of flex, another piece of PVC and another section of flex to connect up my 15" planer. So I have three nineties, thirty + feet of PVC and twenty feet of 4" flex. Unit has no trouble keeping up with my 15" planer. According to all I read, my system shouldn't work. But it does.

[Dave MacArthur]

My DeWalt 935 planer works perfectly without a DC at all; internal blower.
My point is that planers don't produce dust, they produce chips, and you can take care of them with almost anything. According to all you read, your system shouldn't "work"--- there's the issue. Does it generate enough CFM (>400 or so) to move enough air to capture DUST? The main issue with chips from a planer is air velocity inside the tube must be high enough to keep them entrained, and this is pretty easy with a 4" tube.

I'm not knocking your system, it's great that it does what you want (planer chip collection)! Just pointing out that there is a vast difference between "works" and meeting CFM and FPM specs you're targeting. By the way, your system is much better than mine (mobile DC), and I salute you for building a cyclone from scratch!