Dust collector advice for a small garage?

[Toolinator]

I was leaning towardsa wall mount dc like an gorilla mini, but I lean towards the Laguna 1hp. Seems good enough for a guy in his garage... Just takes up more precious space....hmmmm

http://www.rockler.com/laguna-mobile-cyclone-1-5-hp-dust-collector

Thoughts?

 

[grbmds]

I was leaning towardsa wall mount dc like an gorilla mini, but I lean towards the Laguna 1hp. Seems good enough for a guy in his garage... Just takes up more precious space....hmmmm

http://www.rockler.com/laguna-mobile-cyclone-1-5-hp-dust-collector

Thoughts?

Should check the specs on the Laguna. The last time I checked it wasn't HEPA. An upgrade to a HEPA canister filter might be possible. I couldn't find your use in past relies. Are you connecting to one machine at a time with a flexible hose? I believe the Gorilla Mini is meant for connection to one machine with 10' or shorter hose. The Laguna would be the same most likely. Nothing wrong with that for use in a small garage shop where you can easily move the collector from one machine to the next as needed. I would go for the best filter that you can get; HEPA preferred.

 

[Tayler_mann]

I have never really figured out why everyone wants the HEPA filters on their dust collectors. I have worked in shops with collection for a very long time and never had problems except with the felt bag filters. Any of the 1 micron filters have always been good enough. People always forget one thing that is very important. Sure you have a HEPA filter on your dust collector and sure it collects a lot smaller particles. Now my question is in any shop with adequate dust collection where does all the dust in the shop come from? It all comes from the tool and shoots you in the face or drops to the ground. Now obviously a 1 micron filter will let some small particles through but it's an easy fix. Empty your dust collector a little more often and take good care of it by keeping it clean.

With that said I will make the statement that Oneidas dust collectors are very inexpensive for a HEPA rated filter and are probably worth all the money that they cost. I don't think I have heard anyone complain about their dust collectors of any kind or their customer service. Also, with vacuums I find it important to have a HEPA rated filter purely because you are in someone's home with them 6 out of the 10 times using them. So even after my rant on not buying HEPA, buy an Oneida system which will be a HEPA unit anyways. If you don't want to spend that much money than buy the 1 micron JET.

 

[Toolinator]

Good advise here to think about.

Yes, garage is small so likely an expandable hose to go from one machine to the next.

I should measure, I think the mini gorilla with 10' max expandable may be too tight

 

[grbmds]

I have never really figured out why everyone wants the HEPA filters on their dust collectors. I have worked in shops with collection for a very long time and never had problems except with the felt bag filters. Any of the 1 micron filters have always been good enough. People always forget one thing that is very important. Sure you have a HEPA filter on your dust collector and sure it collects a lot smaller particles. Now my question is in any shop with adequate dust collection where does all the dust in the shop come from? It all comes from the tool and shoots you in the face or drops to the ground. Now obviously a 1 micron filter will let some small particles through but it's an easy fix. Empty your dust collector a little more often and take good care of it by keeping it clean.

With that said I will make the statement that Oneidas dust collectors are very inexpensive for a HEPA rated filter and are probably worth all the money that they cost. I don't think I have heard anyone complain about their dust collectors of any kind or their customer service. Also, with vacuums I find it important to have a HEPA rated filter purely because you are in someone's home with them 6 out of the 10 times using them. So even after my rant on not buying HEPA, buy an Oneida system which will be a HEPA unit anyways. If you don't want to spend that much money than buy the 1 micron JET.

Some always escapes, especially with table saws and bandsaws. How I found that, with some modifications to dust collection and a dust collector properly sized to the machine, the escaping sawdust is minimal and generally of a larger size than the fine dust which is really dangerous to human lungs. For example, with my Rikon bandsaw, using  the 4" inch port on the saw low and on the right side alone yields just average results with more escaping than, in my opinion is acceptable. Adding a rigid flexible hose connected to a Y fitting (which also is connected to the original 4" port on the saw) results in almost no escaped dust anywhere around the saw. On the other hand, my Dewalt planer and Jet jointer have ports which result in almost no escape of sawdust or shavings of any size. In my experience, with the right dust collector the fine particles are not the ones that escape from on-machine collection into the air and, having a HEPA filter makes sure that they don't get put back into the air. There are no perfect solutions, however, and that is why I use a dust mask when I am doing anything other than a single cut. That is also why I use a ceiling mounted air cleaner which is turned on always while I'm working in the shop. I can say that, with these in place, I really have no dust build-up on floors or on flat surfaces of the machines or shelves. I feel that all of this is a small price to pay for (regardless of cost) for keeping my lungs as healthily as possible.

 

[b.hog]

I collect chips in a 55gal drum with cyclone on top and then vent outside into a garbage can that sits under a 5" dryer vent. Works killer. No need for fancy canisters  or changing a dusty bag all the time.
  I have never noticed losing any heat or cold from venting outside.
  For DC I wanted good suction for the least amount of coins as you'll eventually have to factor in pipe once you get tired of hooking a flex hose up every time you need to use a machine.
  Just food for thought

 

[Greg M]

  I have never noticed losing any heat or cold from venting outside.

Venting to the outside is the best solution.  However, that air has to come from someplace.  If you're in a conditioned space it won't stay conditioned for very long when you're dumping hundreds of CFM outside.  The air that replaces it comes from the outside.  You will have temp change and you will have humidity change based on the outside conditions.

HEPA Filters
Why Hepa filtration?  Because those sub micron particles are the ones that your body has a hard time getting out of your lungs.  The real problem is that the problems it causes don't typically show up for years, long after you can do anything about it.  How many of those that have been forced out of woodworking or have died from wood dust do you think you're going to hear from on woodworking sites?  I've read a lot of comments in other threads like, I haven't noticed any problems, or, I don't know anyone that's been affected by dust.  Bill Pentz has lost his quality of life and lots of money to wood dust.  Read his website.

Or don't listen to reason.  It's your health.  BTW, for you young guys, 50,60,70 comes a lot faster then you think.  Do yourself a favor and take dust seriously.

 

[b.hog]

  I have never noticed losing any heat or cold from venting outside.

Venting to the outside is the best solution.  However, that air has to come from someplace.  If you're in a conditioned space it won't stay conditioned for very long when you're dumping hundreds of CFM outside.  The air that replaces it comes from the outside.  You will have temp change and you will have humidity change based on the outside conditions.

  Absolutely. My shop is a 28x24 with a 16' overhead door ,2 windows and an entry door. It's insulated and sealed up ok-ish. I understand the air has to be replaced and it comes through doors and window leaks ,also vented soffit, but I never notice any temp changes from running dc. I only have it on when needed which can be from a minute to 35. 

 

[grbmds]

Venting outside is fine but, for me, in a basement shop, it presented some issues. It was much easier to buy a dust collector that already contained HEPA filtration. The key is, though, whether you vent outside or with a filter inside, you need to prevent the air exhausting from the collector from getting back into the shop or your house. Greg M is right, though, it is very important. I did a lot of research on collectors over the past year to replace an old Oneida collector. The bottom line is that very few of the companies making collectors provide adequate HEPA filtration. Oneida does and they have been in the dust collection business for about 20 years. They are very innovative, provide very good support, and have top of the line filters. It may cost a little more but, whatever you do, the level of filtration of the air and the air movement of the collector for your use are, to me, the two most important issues. If it's sized right and has HEPA filtration, it will do a great job and your shop environment (and possibly home environment) will be safer. Most important, you will not be putting yourself and/or family in jeopardy.

 

[JimD]

My first DC was a Delta 1 hp which I still have.  The original bags were terrible.  The DC caught chips but all the fine dust just got blown around.  I switched to shaker felt bags and it was better but fine dust still got over everything.  I then switched to a 1 micron canister filter and it was decent.  I had gates at each machine because I only had suction for one tool at a time.  But I still need a shop vacuum for the hand held tools which now includes the track saw.

So in my current shop, the Delta sits there unconnected and I use my shop vacuum on a cart with a dust deputy.  The shop vacuum by itself fills up too fast and clogs it's HEPA filter too fast.  The dust deputy takes care of that.  It works on my table saw (well), CMS (kind of, nothing gets all that dust), RAS (worse than CMS), track saw (very well), and sanders (very well).  The DC didn't work better on the table saw, CMS or RAS and wouldn't work on the track saw or sander.  Shop vacuum seems to work pretty well on my router table too.  I need to build a piece of furniture or two before making a final decision (been doing house projects) but I think I will just use the shop vacuum.  I have a spot where I can sit it where I don't need to move it much, just switch hoses (2.5 inch for table saw and 35mm for littler tools). 

Starting with a good shop vacuum setup makes sense to me.  Depending on a lot of factors you may or may not stop there but the shop vacuum will still be very useful for the hand held tools.

 

[Toolinator]

Just to close this thread out, I ordered today the Clearvue cv1800. Looks like it will last me a long long time . Now to mount that bad boy!

 

[nickao]

Did you get the 3 or 5HP? Either way you can't go wrong with one of those they work nicely. Or do those all come with 5HP now? Yep just checked 5HP on single or 3 phase, you are good to go forever.

 

[teocaf]

Just to close this thread out, I ordered today the Clearvue cv1800. Looks like it will last me a long long time . Now to mount that bad boy!

awesome choice, dude!  looks like you went with some great quality, performance and design.  but don't close out the thread until you post a pic after you get it installed.