Amazon is have a clearance sale on the DC-650 for $229 and I was considering just purchasing the HF 2HP Dust Collector for $229.
Any recommendations?
First compare amperages. My recollection is that the DC650 is 11a. I think that is also what the HF is, but I could be wrong. Buy the bigger one. If they are the same, buy the better reputation. Third, screw both of them and buy a 15a DC; the little ones aren't worth much.
I would look more at the CFM ratings vs. the amp ratings. Laguna recommends at least a 1,100 CFM collector for their small HD series band saws. I use
1,100 CFM and it works well on the BS, 15" planer, cabinet saw, router table.
You have to also decide how realistic the CFM rating is, as there are many different ways to measure CFM, and some manufacturers cheat. Is it with the filter bags on? At what static pressure did they measure, and did it still provide sufficient airspeed at that CFM? Did they take an average of the airspeed across the pipe, or just at one point?
Assuming that the motors are close to the same efficiency, the current draw is actually a decent indication of how hard the motor is working (and therefore how much air it is moving).
Chris
You are absolutely correct. Sadly they lie about CFM and there is no way to measure it yourself. Best indicator is amperage; maybe not as good as CFM, but harder to lie about. Even the ease of measuring doesn't stop PSI from lying though!
The quoted CFM and even motor hp is vritually meaningless as there are no standard testing methods for dust collectors. The actual airflow will depend not only on motor hp but on impeller design, filter size, etc. Generally bigger is better, so out of the two I'd go for the HF. If you do you might find this link interesting:
Maybe, not all fans are the same. Some are heavy steel some are lighter weight aluminum. Over all fan design and the material it is made out of is going to affect volume also. Assuming motors are close to the same efficiency I would agree that the current draw would be an indicator of similar power, but not the out put of the collector as a whole. While manufacturers may often cheat on CFM ratings this is not restricted to CFM's. They also often cheat on HP ratings and who is to know if one motor is as efficient as another. As you questioned, do they measure with or with out the bag and where, the filter will also affect the volume available if measured fully assembled as intended. At least a CFM rating is what you are actually interested in to accomplish a task. Somewhere you have to rely on an educated guess and IMHO stated CFM's are a better starting point if you are looking for a particular volume or ability to accomplish a job.
Given that the fan is balanced and generally spinning at a constant speed, the weight of the fan itself is not an issue.
Fan design, yes. I don't think the material is much of a factor.
Of course, the ideal is to find a 3rd party review of the particular model in which you are interested. Issue 183 of Fine Woodworking (April
2006) had a review of a number of portable dust collectors. I bought the Delta 50-760 (which goes for $299 at Amazon) based partially on that review.Chris
They lie about motor ratings also. If one manufacturer tells you his motor is rated at 10 amp and the unstated actual efficiency is 60% would a motor from another manufacturer with a 7 amp motor with an unstated actual 95% efficiency rating be less or more likely to do the job? Remember you only have stated hp and amperage and CFM ratings available. With out knowing the efficiency of a motor you are still lost.
"Leon" wrote in news:cREHg.18080$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com:
Hence, one comes to the wReck, and buys on reputation of the manufacturer, retailer, and recommender.
Patriarch, who owns a few lemons, too.
LOL. Yeah the reputable source. Well at least the REC will often steer you away from a stinker.
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.