mini dust gorilla vs 2 stage conversion

[charles mathieu]

Hello guys

Made some researches before making this post but I am still not sure what is the best. I have a single car garage with a bandsaw, benchtop planer and drill press. I plan on getting a table saw and a combo planer/jointer in the future. The oneida v3000 is probably the best fit but there's no way I can afford this model and the ducting. They are also impossible to find used in my area (quebec, canada), been looking for a couple of years on marketplace now. So it's down to the mini dust gorilla or buying a 3hp single stage collector and then adding a hepa filter and dust deputy. I know the mini gorilla is a mobile DC, I think I can live with that but there's not a ton of reviews so I'm not sure if it's powerful enough to truly get the fine dust.

Getting a cheapo 3hp seems reasonable but again, most blowers are around 12", don't know if it's that gonna pull enough air. The mini gorilla has a 13" impeller... what would you guys suggest ?

[james manutes]

building "shop built cyclones" is a bit of a rabbit hole I think . I've built 3 so far , and have this to offer . Impeller size is very important - both diameter and its height . Grizzly offers a wide range of impellers across their lineup , w/ different dia. , heights , and shaft diameters . How much work/fabrication one wants to take on is also a factor .Check out filter retailers instead of woodworking retailers . All in , I have $1000 in a "shop built "cyclone that will be my last DC . It's very powerful and works great . My first two were a little underpowered and topped out about 700 cfm , OK for a small shop but not quite enough . So yes it's possible, but a 12.5 " impeller will only get you close . Do lots of research , lots of thought . Bigger-taller impellers move more air .

[Matthew Hills]

A buddy of mine uses the mini dust gorilla and likes it for what it is (biggest dust collector he can fit in his work area with decent filtration). But it is definitely a compromise with the smaller fan/motor limiting how much air you can filter.

You have roughly 3 factors to consider:
- volume of air you are collecting at the tool
- air filtration
- chip/dust management

also consider what options you have -- working outside? ventilation/fans to move air through the shop? venting outside? good-quality dust masks? fan/filter units to clear the air over time

[Jim Andrew]

I started off my dust system with a 2hp woodsucker about 20 years ago, and it was better than nothing. I had it set up using a filter, and it worked great with my planer, but most of the machines it left a little to be desired. Found a 3hp cyclone for sale on nexttech clasifieds, bought it and set it up also with a filter, then read about guys doing a direct air vent outside, and built a large 8" dryer vent type opening for the wall of the shop, and a blast gate, so I could use the filter on a hot or really cold day, and have been venting outside for years now. Only issue is when the barrel runs over and it shoots sawdust out the side of the building. Seems the direct vent doubles the amount of air my system moves.

[Tom Bender]

Two more thoughts

1. Buy once cry once

2. 55 gallons of chips are heavy, what will you do with them?

3. Noise is pretty important and the v3000 is quiet

[Jimmy Harris]

I'd just set a budget and work within that. Bigger is better, but dust collection is a game of diminishing returns. I just use a portable, 1HP DC and it works great. But it has a several drawbacks some might find unpalatable, like I have to move it and hook it up to the machine I'm using each time. And I keep the dust collector outside, so I don't have to worry about microns in the air, but I do have to check it often, since I can't see it. I have to move my tools to use them, so installing a DC hose every time isn't a big deal to me. And a permanent system wouldn't work for me, as I work in a garage, so space is extremely limited. But I now have no need for a filter, yards of pipe and fittings, or a powerful motor, so I saved a bunch of money and space by sacrificing time, convenience, and comfort. It's a system that wouldn't work for everyone, but works for me.

Good dust collection is more about the design of the tool than the power of the vacuum anyway. A well designed tool doesn't need a ton of CFM's to manage the dust. But a poorly designed tool does. And a portable DC doesn't need anywhere near as much power because you don't have yards of pipes and hoses that aren't being used, but still creating a drag on the system. But it does slow you down. you And a mask is better than the best dust collector known to man at protecting your lungs. Beside, most power tools should be used with hearing protection regardless of DC noise. Not that that's an issue for me with the motor being outside.

So you can spend big on a big system, but the more you spend, the less you get in return. So the best approach is to just set a budget and work within that. Buy the best you can reasonably afford and work around it's shortcomings. I'm not saying you need to go as spartan as I did. I'm just saying that you don't need to spend big bucks to find a system that works for you, unless you demand no compromises. Only you know your needs and where you are willing to compromise.