[bkboggy]

Hey guys, I'm not sure where to find answers for this. I've been looking all over the web for reviews... but it seems like most of those review websites are profit driven. I've found posts on several forums that recommend Bill's Cyclone Dust Collector: Bill's Cyclone Dust Collection Research - Home Page

Does anyone have any experience with it? Is he full of crap? I always thought that Jet and Delta were producing best dust collection products from all the reviews, but after reading his and a few other articles, it seems as if the whole industry produces junk that doesn't really do what they advertise.

It appears that if I go with his machine (even if I build one), it's more expensive than buying a $600 Jet/Delta collection.... but my health is more important to me than money. I've been breezing in wood dust for several years from small home improvements... I always knew that there are health risks... but didn't know that they're that high until I started my small research on the web.

For now, I am doing stuff in my 2-car garage. My Joe's 2006 CNC (when I finish it....) will produce the most dust, but there will be a few more tools. Most of the time it'll be 1-2 tools working at a time.

I have a small baby girl growing up in the household, so I don't want to expose her to health risks if I can help it. I've even purchased Austin Air purifier, which I'm very impressed with. So, I am looking for a good small workshop solution as far as dust collection goes. Any suggestions?

-BK

[adprinter]

Harbor Freight sells a 2 HP dust collector that it very powerful. (4" diameter hose) however, the hose connects directly to the blower unit, which means large chunks will get caught up in the fan and possibly even damage the blades. So I went to Highland Woodworking in Atlanta, and bought a cyclone unit. It works GREAT! All it consists of, is a lid which fits a standard 30 gallon trash can which features a groove with a gasket to seat onto the trash can, an input and output hose port, and a 90 degree elbow which fastens to one of the two ports on the INSIDE of the lid. This directs the airflow into the curvature of the inside of the trash can to create the cylone effect. The output port is just aiming straight up, where you connect the hose going to the blower. Works great! Although large curls (such as from cutting oak) sometimes does clog up in the 90 degree elbow. It's a lot easier to just lift the lid off a trash can and empty it, than it is to fiddle with the giant hose clamp used to hold the plastic bad on the dust collector itself! Highly recommended system!

[datac]

A friend of mine bought an Oneida dust collector and put it in his basement workshop. I was impressed. When we were looking for a small unit at the shop, I bought this 3 hp model and love it:

EDIT: My link failed... Google 3HP Dust Gorilla Portable.... you will find it.

Having worked with a few different lower budget dust collectors, I now avoid anything with the basic bag filters. Whatever dust they catch, you seem to inhale it later when you try to clean them rascals out.

I've been around a few small Torits too, but your talking a lot more money there.

[cbcnc]

BK,

I was researching the same thing also and came across this site:
Home built Cyclone Separator Lid.

Chris

[ger21]

BK,

I was researching the same thing also and came across this site:
Home built Cyclone Separator Lid.

Chris

I was going to use my HF collector on a custom made Penz cyclone, but I think I'm going to go something like this, as it's much easier, and smaller.

If you have a few hours to kill, there are several examples of these on Phil's forum.

5", Rectangular Inlet, Bellmouth Outlet with Air Straightener, Top Hat Separator

[bamoore01]

No, he is not full of crap. I've had his designs and they work. Cyclone design change dramaticly for the all of us because of his work and this website. You see a lot of his suggestions in the latest designs from the main manufacturers. I use them. the latest addition he has of the exhaust filter improves on what he had some years back.

And no, I don't even know him. I'm just another schmuck that likes to make little pieces of wood out of big pieces of wood.

[Dennis Rech]

[QUOTE=bkboggy;1059681 I always thought that Jet and Delta were producing best dust collection products from all the reviews, but after reading his and a few other articles, it seems as if the whole industry produces junk that doesn't really do what they advertise.
Any suggestions?

-BK[/QUOTE]

I have a 1.5 hp Delta with 1 micron bag and it works exactly as advertised.
I route MDF on a ShopBot and have virtually no dust in my shop, not even on the shiny black car and motorcycle sitting right next to the router.
Delta's one micron bag works wonderfully well.

However, the springy steel hoop holding the bottom disposable bag on can be a bear to reinstall.

[HelicopterJohn]

Hi Dennis,

I had the same problems as you mentioned. The plastic bag kept falling off or was not in the correct position when I wanted to place the retainer hoop in position and tighten it.

What I did was use about 4 of the small spring clamps to temporarily hold the plastic bag in position while I placed the bag retainer hoop around the plastic bag. Once the retainer hoop was in position I removed the spring clamps. Made a hard job really easy.

Hope this was of some help.

John

[Mauser]

I have a Jet, and even without the .5 Micron bag it does a lot of good. I also have one of those trashcan lid devices, and it stops a LOT of stuff before it even gets to the bag (VERY helpful if you have a Planer and Jointer). I haven't got a good way to hook it up to my (non-CNC) router table and the Table Saw doesn't collect well, but for that I have one of those shop air filter units which also does a great job of taking stuff out of the air.

But if you're concerned, dust masks are cheap insurance. And a box fan blowing out the window (screen removed) is really nice in the summer.