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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    110

    Dust collection designs

    Does anybody have some good designs for dust & cuttings collection. I'm running the big 3.25 Porter cable and the air flow out the bottom of the unit is very strong. I'm sure there are some good ways to deal with the dust. I would love to see them.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    735
    Clear view dust collection cyclone.. 6" pipe to machine then down to 4" flex tube from celing. I'll have to take pics of my install at some point. Upgraded from my wood magizine design cyclone and 2hp pen state blower. Make a huge difference as I have very little dust getting away from me now..

    Probably overkill for most people though.

    b.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    312
    Some ideas can be found here... http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...ollection.html

    A deflector for the router cooling exhaust will need to be tailored to your particular router. The tunnel dust shoe design is a huge improvement over the typical adjacent pickup and the cyclone is the greatest thing since man discovered fire...!

    Steve
    aka BOOMER52 >>> http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/member.php?u=159693

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    253
    Does anyone have experience using a cyclone and thien baffle, if so which way is the best to go?

    Rob
    I'll get it finished sometime after I start it.....

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538
    A deflector for the router cooling exhaust will need to be tailored to your particular router.
    My personal opinion is that a deflector shouldn't be used, and is only needed because of inadequate suction and a poorly designed shoe.

    A good shoe needs to use a brush that forms a seal around the cutting area.
    And you need a dust collector with a 4" hose. I use a 1HP craftsman that doesn't have a ton of suction, but it still get's all airborne dust and 95% of larger chips.
    I also have a 2HP Harbor Freight that sucks like crazy. Hard to beat if you can get it for the $139 I paid for mine. Even at full price, it's the best deal you can probably find.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
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    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    153
    My choice is the cyclone. I have a little 2 gallon shop vac mounted on top of mine with the original hose capped off and a 3" hole cut in the bottom where it attaches to the top of the cyclone. Man those things suck a lot better then. Now have a 2.5" hose on it and use it in my metal shop. Just swap buckets when I change materials and keep on going. Also no more oil soaked filters

    here is a photo with the cyclone from my junkbox 18x7x7 thread.
    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...0&d=1294039921

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    371
    I think the HF DC upgraded with a Wynn filter, and a Thein baffle is by far the most economical way to keep your shop clean and safe. You can mount the baffle INSIDE the HF. You need the filter upgrade unless your DC comes with a .5 micron filter. 5 micron or 2 micron, or even 1 micron isn't enough. The better MERV ratings are better, but the basic Wynn 35A is good enough.

    Duct work is a bigger problem. So many variables, hard to get to simple instructions. With the HF, you pretty much are limited to 4" ducts. It would be good to have a single 5" main with 4" drops (assuming you have more than one machine in the shop that needs DC), but 5" is not easy to find.

    You can use metal (26 ga or heavier) or plastic (the S&D PVC is recommended) for rigid duct. Don't use any 90 degree bends. You use 45 degree elbows with a short piece of straight pipe between two of them. Use Wyes, not Ts for branches. Use blast gates if you have more than one machine connected to the DC.

    Of course, the CNC needs a piece of flexible duct from the drop to the shoe. Use 4".

    Lots of shoe designs here on the 'zone. Google for dust shoe and see what you can find.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    73
    FYI, you can get a coupon for the HF 2HP dust collector for $139, valid through 3/23/11 from the latest Wood magazine. Here is a link to it, I think it is OK to print out. It is a very popular model amongst CNCZoners and woodworkers and for the price it is hard to beat.

    WOOD Magazine - December 2010/January 2011
    http://build1.cncdiaries.com
    http://www.cncdiaries.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    241
    Quote Originally Posted by robe_uk View Post
    Does anyone have experience using a cyclone and thien baffle, if so which way is the best to go?

    Rob
    I have a simple thien seperator on my setup. work pretty good, capturing about 95% of the dust. The Hepafiltler in the shopvac gets the rest

    I haven't tried a cyclonic cuz the thien is holding up well for me.
    Besides, its a 5 gallon bucket, 4 bolts, a couple PVC drain pipe couplers, and a 1/8" sheet cut into the appropriate shape! Too easy!! and only about 6 bucks in parts!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    435
    There are many "Pentz Cyclone vs. Phil Thien Baffle/Seperator" on woodworking forums and both camps have their preferences. It seems more people use a Thien Seperator on standard shop vacs than on dust collectors.

    The video on the original site that had the Thien seems to be down, but here is a vid showing how effective the Thien separator is (sorry, you have to wait 20 seconds to download):

    Phil_Thien_Baffle_demo LINK

    Here is the link to Bill Pentz site (plans on bottom): Bill Pentz LINK

    Here is the link to the Thien site (plans not clear, but you can see pics) Phil Thien LINK

    I was going to make a cheap version of the Phil Thien baffle using a Harbor Freight Dust Separator lid and a Home Depot 31 gallon trash can. I was going to simply use all-thread to attach the lid to the MDF baffle. I just haven't made the baffle yet. My shop vac will crush the crap out of that galvanized lid if I cover the inlet hose so I know it has good suction.

    Harbor Freight Dust Separator Lid
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails vac_1.jpg   vac_2.jpg   vac_3.jpg  

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    231
    Quote Originally Posted by gjhammer View Post
    FYI, you can get a coupon for the HF 2HP dust collector for $139, valid through 3/23/11 from the latest Wood magazine. Here is a link to it, I think it is OK to print out. It is a very popular model amongst CNCZoners and woodworkers and for the price it is hard to beat.

    WOOD Magazine - December 2010/January 2011

    Thanks for that coupon link! I printed that off and picked up the Dust Collector today for $139.00. Even better, the one I picked up has a steel impeller, we have one at work that has a plastic impeller and it has given out twice.

    Thanks again,

    Scott

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    104
    How loud is the harbor freight dust collector?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    272

    Hurry up and wait!!!

    I ordered my HF 2HP DC Saturday with the $139.00 coupon. Yea!!! :banana:

    I will modify and add a Thien Baffle when it arrives. The 0.5micron cartridge filter upgrade is unfortunately going to have to wait a little while.

    The DC is the first step towards finally setting up my basement shop (if you don't count the demo, clean up and painting). This also means that I will have to finalize the design of my 3' x 4' R&P CNC Router, I won't have the "No Shop" excuse anymore (and I am such a good procrastinator).

    Randy,
    I may not be good....
    But I am S L O W!!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538
    Quote Originally Posted by bandtank View Post
    How loud is the harbor freight dust collector?
    It's not quiet.
    But it's far less annoying than a Shop Vac or a router at 25,000 rpm.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    371
    Quote Originally Posted by DIYaholic View Post
    ...The 0.5micron cartridge filter upgrade is unfortunately going to have to wait a little while.
    I understand.

    Wear a respirator while you are in the shop cutting

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    272

    Heads Up!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by brtech View Post
    Wear a respirator while you are in the shop cutting
    Thanks for the "heads up" regarding a respirator, I may try to temporarily vent outside in the mean time. Won't be too long before the 0.5micron upgrade.

    Randy,
    I may not be good....
    But I am S L O W!!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by bandtank View Post
    How loud is the harbor freight dust collector?
    I measured mine at 3ft without any ducting attached (Which mean no load -> higher rpm -> louder noise) and it was right on the border between 94.9 and 95 dB.

    HTH,

    Jay
    "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten"

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    104
    Quote Originally Posted by RedskinsJBS View Post
    I measured mine at 3ft without any ducting attached (Which mean no load -> higher rpm -> louder noise) and it was right on the border between 94.9 and 95 dB.

    HTH,

    Jay
    Thanks.

    I'm going to pick up the HF dust collector this afternoon. I don't really understand how I can use it as a central garage vacuum as well as my CNC vacuum yet, but I need to mess around with it first anyway. Maybe I'll try adding the baffle, too.

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