Re: minimum dust collector w/ trash can

I've got a 1.2HP 650 or 750 TWC unit and it is adequate for TS, jointer, router table pickup. Once I hooked up a trash can separator (a necessary item, in my case) efficiency dropped a bit, but the DC still picks up fairly well. I'm sure it would be cool to have a unit that could suck the chrome off a bumper, but my little unit is: little, cheap, and reasonably quiet. All three characteristics I appreciate. I have a 10' hose to the can, and a 20' hose to the equipment.

dave

Igor wrote:

Igor wrote:I'd appreciate hearing from people who have this trash can setup using whatever lower-end HP DC -- whether or not it works. Thanks. It works with my 1.5 HP Jet 1100, and I'm using 4 inch flex and DWV about 35 feet from the can and collector. And dadoes, not being through-cuts, won't spit much sawdust at you. Tom

I've been using a little Jet DC (3/4 hp I think) with a shop-made trash can chip collector. It's plumbed with 4" PVC pipe to serve a contractor saw and has an additional port where I hook my planer when I need it--the total run is about 20 ft.. It has worked fine for the past 5 years. I have a grounding wire down the inside of the PVC pipe that sometimes collects big shavings from the planer and chokes, but other than that it works fine. More suctation from a bigger DC is always nice, but this one serves my needs.

malcolm

I have the 1HP jet unit that is made to sit on a 35Gal can (you supply) which I have on wheels. It has a canister type final filter. Uses less floor space than a DC AND a trashcan separator. With 4" hose, works very well for all my tools, including a very messy planer that creates cubic feet of waste in short order. It's quiet (actually quieter than my saw running at idle). Only beef is having to clean canister every few days when doing a lot of fine dust. I'm not affiliated with any tool co. or distributor, just a happy consumer.

Gary

I have a 2HP DC hooked up to trash can separator. With the can in the middle I haven't had any problems with getting reasonable suction on a single 4" line. Reasonable means a) I've never plugged it up and b) it will keep up with the jointer. Most of the time I handle serious amounts planer shavings with a shovel and wheelbarrow approach I haven't tried a separator with a smaller collector. FWIW, I find the can eats about 95% of the stuff I generate --- but the "bulky" part of what get's sucked up is cleaning up around the lathe, planer or jointer. Don't forget 2HP will probably require a 220V feed --- no idea if that is an issue in your shop.

This spring I got tire of chasing the DC around and put it up on top of a 7' cabinet --- yes I have a high space but it's un-insulated, no climate control --- think barn. Anyway, I used to have a carrier bolted to the DC that held the can so the can went whereever the DC went. If you are using the DC as a roll-around unit, I would highly recommend doing something similar. Also tie the hose off to the DC unit somewhere after the can so things don't fall apart if (when) you pull on the hose. I used a couple of elastic cords to hold the can onto the carrier.

Best of luck,

Hex

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Agreed, the "fines" are the important part from a health perspective. Efficient collecting on an SCMS is something I've always considered to be pretty hopeless -- do what you can hooking up the DC, wear a mask, make sure the air filter is running. But, for better or worse, most people adding a separator aren't thinking about gathering the fines; they are worried about reducing the number of times the bags are emptied. The OP was concerned with keeping up a dado blade in a TS. In that case efficient collection (including the fines) is pretty easy. The approach I have favored is that machines with a low waste volume avoid going through the separator as it provides no benefit and only costs power. Fortunately, the high waste volume devices tend to generate larger shavings so, as you point out, the collection is easy and the loss of power isn't a big deal. Of course, I work almost exclusively in domestic hardwoods -- my WW budget doesn't afford much in the way of exotics, no Padauk dust for me.

Must get to work......

hex

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