Looking for a dust sucker.

[kevperro]

I'm in the middle of building my Joe's 2006 and need to buy a dust collection system. I'll mainly be cutting MDF and I don't want dust all over the shop. I'll be building a small enclosed room for the machine but dust control is critical for me as I store lots of small parts that need to stay clean.

Any suggestions for a sucker? I was thinking of a Cyclone system with the 2-3 micron bags, with the machine enclosed along with the dust sucker in the same small room.

[billyinks]

This guy's site is definitely worth a look... http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm

[neilw20]

My dust control is as follows.
I let it all build up in a pile around the cutter and do not disturb it.
The big pile works like a filter.
Then I just get the 1HP dust sucker with a 4" hose and suck it up.
I suspend the dust pipe from the ceiling with an adjustable elastic strap.
With the large hose on dust extractors, unless you make a close collection nozzle with a brush fence around it lots of dust escapes.
Once you have made a nozzle the restriction kills the performance of the sucker because it needs volume, and 1 restriction kills it's performance.
That's my experience on a CNC mill that always has different size jobs on it so custom nozzles take longer than 30 seconds to make.
I tried air jets to direct dust to the big hose but lots got away.
Now I go with the piles (no pun LOL) otherwise enclose the whole thing, but that creates access problems and lots of work.

Cheers
Neil

[blackbeard52]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51385 ]

nuttin like DIY

Bob

[bp092]

Get a Delta dust collector, 1, 1.5 hp. I have a 1.5hp two stage (with cyclone stile lid and full separator) and it works well. I can run a table saw and shaper dust free at the same time and it pulls virtually all dust except for whats left inside the toolpaths if run on the router. I think for a joe06 machine a full cyclone setup if a bit much but that's just me..

oh and go with a 4" hose.. if there is one thing I have learned here at the zone good dust collection esp. on a cnc router is all about CFM, and airflow. I think Ger made this quote, and its a good one "shop vacs don't make good dust collectors and dust collectors don't make good shop vacs" and for obvious reasons. Sometimes I see people putting like shop vacs and 1" diam. hoses to suck up some meaty cuts and it doesn't do anything but add noise to the room.

[Mr.Chips]

Originally Posted by billyinks This guy's site is definitely worth a look... http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm

BillPenz has a very good website.

EVERY CNC hobby operator especially needs to read about the dangers and health risks of fine dust. Fine dust just goes right through the typical shop vac.

His site has free plans for building the cyclone. You are seeing more and more of this type dust collector every day in the woodworking magazines because they work.

[acondit]

Originally Posted by billyinks This guy's site is definitely worth a look... http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm

I built one from a laser cut kit based on his plans (before he and the seller had a falling out). It works great.

Alan

[tpworks]

I'm sorry guys but if I'm going to spend $1000.00 on a dust collection system my money is on a more rugged unit.
http://www.oneida-air.com/index.php

[solodex2151]

Originally Posted by tpworks I'm sorry guys but if I'm going to spend $1000.00 on a dust collection system my money is on a more rugged unit. http://www.oneida-air.com/index.php

The oneida's are nice but their specs are misleading. It is very hard to get 2" of Static Pressure in a system. Most of the well designed systems with 6" diameter drops that are smooth wall pipe have 4" to 8" of Static Pressure. The Onieda's that I would consider would be the Gorilla series 3HP and 5HP models or the Pro Series. Anything else and you won't get the 1000CFM that you need for fine dust collection. That said, I think the Clear Vue Systems are designed better even though the materials are of lesser quality. The clear cyclone is wonderful though.

On another note, this point is moot if you are only running 4" drops. You need to run 6" or bigger to lower the SP enough to get the right CFM target. Also, you should target the air moving at 4000FPM to keep dust from collecting in the main lines.

Go with a good dust collection system. Do not skimp in this area as the health effects of fine dust are not worth it. Also, if you are working in a shop connected to your house (i.e. garage), consider putting in an exhaust fan and running with the windows and doors closed. This creates a negative pressure and will keep any fine dust that is in the air from making it into your house when you open the door.