One dust collector Harbor Freight sold got really good reviews, but apparently they don't sell it any longer. Does anyone know if they simply gave the same machine a new number, or if they made significant changes?
Puckdropper
Except for the bottom bag it looks just like the one I bought about six years ago (on sale for $150). I use mine with two 55 gal drums with Lee Valley separator lids and have been happy.
I don't know about the 5 gal separator, but this shop-built lash-up works well:
If anything, any pre-DC unit will protect the fan blade. I don't have this separator, but I do have a trash-cap lid that was shop made. The accept goes straight up and flares at the bottom. The inlet makes a sharp turn against the upper trash-cap wall. I probably spent
3 hours to make it, but it does a fine job. The $8 lid for 5-gallon bucket is better than nothing.
I just got the 5 gal. bucket top. I haven't had a chance to hook it up yet. As soon as I do, and use it some, I'll give a mini review. I wonder about emptying the bucket... 5 gal. just isn't a whole lot of wood dust/chips. We'll see.
I think the $20 trashcan lid would be more useful. And, I even wonder if my orig. idea of 2 hose fittings mounted on either the top or sides of a 20 gal. trashcan would be even more cost effective.
I will say this, the shop-vac set up I put in, works (much) better than I thought it would.
Ed
On Tue 17 Feb 2009 03:48:05p, Puckdropper wrote in news:001758de$0$12354$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:
Like Morris said, that looks like the one I bought except for the bottom bag. I use a trash can separator with it.
I bought the five gallon separator when all I had was a shop vac. It filled up pretty fast. I haven't used it since I put the shop vac inside a muffler box.
I just got a flier in the mail with it advertised. Been using mine for several years, but made a few adjustments. I pulled the impeller off and used it to power a cyclone, venting the dust outside the building. Do not have the problem with losing cfm through the filter bag and get the dust away from the shop.
Deb
"Dr. Deb" wrote in news:EpOdnbhKnsp7PQbUnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@trueband.net:
Thanks Deb, I've been trying to find out when it's going on sale.
I've been sold on the cyclone idea for a long time, so I'll have to see about either building or buying one.
Puckdropper
Morris Dovey wrote in news:499b3414$0$48222$ snipped-for-privacy@news.qwest.net:
Maybe they improved it a little bit. (Or probably found a cheaper supplier for the bottom bag.)
The MiniCyclone idea looks interesting. An hour or so of playing around in the shop could easily yield a completed project. (The truely frugal woodworker only needs 7" of 2x4, too!)
Puckdropper
Dan wrote in news:Xns9BB5B7048658Bs2scharternet@69.16.185.250:
Well, the trash can separator looks like it'll work a little more smoothly with the DC. Plus it looks like less maintenance.
I've just got to ask though... How big of grounding wire do I need for the metal trash can? Is #12 going to be big enough, or should I take apart a pair or jumper cables? (Do I need to drive a new grounding rod, too?) :-)
Puckdropper
OTOH, 21.625" of 2x4 cutoff is enough to take care of yourself /and/ have a second set to give away.
The guy who carried my second set away called back a year later to order solar heating panels...
...and come to think of it, I /do/ still have some 2x4 cutoffs. Hmmm.
Thank you! :)
"Puckdropper" wrote
Don't forget the lightening rod!
As have I, and thanks to a prior thread where it was noted that Grizzly is currently offering free shipping on selected items, I finally took the plunge and had one of these delivered:
"Steve Turner" wrote
That ought to do the trick. Two questions. Do you have high enough ceiling for that to go under? Did you get the noise reduction (muffler) kit?
I'm still looking into this source.
Yes, my gara^h^h^h^h *shop* has 9-foot ceilings so there is plenty of room, but it will fit under an 8-foot ceiling too. The spec sheet on that web page mentions that the overall height is 93-1/4". If I remember I will post a picture of it tonight.
I didn't get the muffler, but I thought about it. I wanted to see just how loud it was first, and indeed this thing ROARS, but I can't imagine that little muffler making a world of difference... I'm thinking some kind of sound isolation box mounted over the motor would probably be more effective, but I wouldn't want to do anything that would cause the motor to overheat.
Steve Turner wrote in news:FITml.16516$ snipped-for-privacy@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com:
You'll have to let me know how that works out for you. The feedback I read on the Internet was about 50% positive, which is too low for something that runs as much as that one does.
Puckdropper
I believe that using a 30 gallon garbage can will be most effective and that you can make an effective lid (I've seen them on the web) but be sure to gasket the lid-to-can interface. I used a steel barrel (about 30 gal) and plumbed PVC fittings into the lid in a manner that the incoming dust strikes the side of the barrel and follows the ouside curve thus, slowing the air and allowing better drop out of solids. Now, my bottom bag get very little dust. You might also search the Thien baffle which is getting great reviews on the WW sites. Mine is working sufficiently well for the time being but if I was just starting I'd seriously consider this one!
On Wed 18 Feb 2009 02:31:57a, "Lee Michaels" wrote in news:008ed092$0$1030$c3e8da3 @news.astraweb.com:
I've got it isolated by putting it on rubber casters and then never touching it or going near it.
But now you've got me considering hooking it up to an inverter unit so I can use the trash can to power the DC.
"C & E" wrote in news:499cc229$0$2722$ snipped-for-privacy@news.pa.net:
The Thien baffle looks like a cheap and easy way to improve a DC's efficiency. Thanks.
Stopped by HF today, and they didn't have any of the 2 hp DC's in stock. I got a rain check, so if they don't get any until the sale ends, I can still get it for the sale price.
Puckdropper
I have a couple of their bucket top separator lids. I stack three buckets on top each other with holes cut in the base of two so I have a very deep container. I just wrapped the joints with duct tape. I have three of these in a row with them in series for more capacity. The first one generally fills to the top first. When I take it out to empty it, I slide the other two over and put the newly emptied one in the last position before the vacuum. It works great. I have tubing going in a ring around the shop to the wool stations and also a separate set of tubes high and low with holes drilled in them to pull in the airborn dust.
All that is connected to a wall mounted 6 HP vacuum.
Works great and is cheap.
I give the sawdust chips and shavings to a local scout troop to make fire starters with. I suspect they have anough to repopulate a small forest at this point.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.