Herbs DC System

[Herb Stoops]

This is my second DC system, I lost the first in a fire. Also learned better ways to do this one, for example:
The first system was set up so that the fan suction was directly on the main duct. this was the common way back then to design a system. The problem was any non sawdust item was sucked into the fan, screws,nails, cans of 3 and 1 oil,rags, plastic bags,small blocks of wood,etc. Not a good idea considering damage to the fan blades and jamming the motor to a stop. The air was blown directly into the cyclone and separator the large particles and the fines a lot of time ended up in the filters.

This one is set up where the cyclone is hooked to the main duct directly and the fan sucks out the top of the cyclone, thus any heavy items are dropped out of the airflow before the fan, and the sawdust and fine dust accumulate in the dust bin rather than being blown into the filters, Unless of course the bin fills up and everything ends up in the filters. Not a good situation. That is why I have a garage door sensors hooked up to read the level in the bin and setting off an alarm warning when it is time to empty.
I built an alcove into the shop and put the DC and air compressor in there, It has 3 1/2" sound bat between the studs and HF moving blankets stapled over the studs for sound proofing. The fan is a 12" old Granger fan with an old Oneida Cyclone, both 2nd hand. The filter are from Wynn designed for DC units. The dust bin is a 32 gal. metal garbage can I put a 3/4" plywood top with a seal groove for the bin underneath and cemented foam window weather strip in the groove.
The bin is lined with a 52 gal black garbage bag,that extends outside and is taped to the outside of the can. the inside of the bag is placed a couple of scraps of Formica bent to fit ,this holds the plastic bag from being sucked out when empty. and can be removed when the bag gets full and reused again.
The bin is on a 4 castor dolly for easy removal. I made it so I could slide it under the plywood top and apply air from the air compressor to a wheel barrel tube under it to seal it against the top then by sliding wooden wedges under the can before the pressure is released to hold it firmly in place.

[Herb Stoops]

My cousin Paul is an Engineer and he had set up a couple of DC systems for himself. His help was invaluable with mine also he did all the wiring.
We elected to use 6"PVC ducting. this is relatively less expensive than metal. But we found that the fittings are way expensive. "Y"'s are around $45. and Elbows $25, reducers around $20. you get the picture.
I ran 6" every where on the mains and to as many machines as possible Then some machines reduced it down to 4" and 2 1/2". I found that it needs more air flow for the smaller diameter connections, so I have to open larger gates in the same run to let enough make up air in to keep the air flow enough for the particles not to settle out in the main duct.
In the center of the shop, I built a hollow column and put 2-6",and 5-4" ports in it so I could cluster machines around it. As of this time I am only using the 5 smaller ones and one large. Around the shop I run the RA with a 6",12'TS gets a 6", Bosch 4100TS gets a 6", the Drum sander-4", Band saw-4",Planer,Jointer, 2 router tables-4"each. Disc/belt sander, OSS,and the small band saw- get 2 1/2"each The large band saw -gets a 4".

[Herb Stoops]

More pictures:

[Herb Stoops]

The Flex ducting I use is from Clear View,and also the clear 6" blast gates and duct hangers. The Flex is made for dust collection. The inside is smooth and the outside has the ridges. I did not ground the ducts. the only one I ran a solid copper wire from the flex to the machine to ground the static zap ,which was annoying ,is on the drum sander. The machines are all grounded and there is no other instant of static charge large enough to create a spark.
Here is the way I figured out how to get dust collection at the RA saw. I built a box to bury the blade and contain the sawdust. I found that the largest amount of saw dust is carried by the teeth on the blade. So I made a removable zero clearance insert for the blade. I will note here I only use it for cross cutting. Under the zero clearance insert I cut a dado for the sawdust to travel back to the box to be sucked out. It seems to remove 99% of the sawdust.
I found that I needed more air flow so I added some holes in the side of the box for make-up air.

[Herb Stoops]

On the big band saw, To get good dust collection,I found that I needed to contain the sawdust below the table and from the bottom wheel. The 4" port on the band saw was utterly useless, It had cross bars in the opening that really cut the air flow to almost nothing. I removed those, and it helped. But the problem then was the sawdust under the table was just running out on the floor. So I boxed in the underside of the table and included the port in the lower housing all in one This helps to about 80%, and I can live with that. It is a small pain to remove the box to change blades, but just a screw on each side, 2nd pic down, does the job of holding it in place.

[Herb Stoops]

The way I handled the router table was the same as Mike showed in the drawings. I built a box with a hole in the bottom for the router to get air and the lift to run up and down and hooked a 4" into the back of the box. That flex has a 2" "Y" off to run a 2" up to the fence.I also put an adjustable air vent in the side for makeup air,to give the main duct plenty of air.

[Herb Stoops]

When I got the Bosch 4100 saw, I gave away the collapsible stand and made a cabinet to set it on. so when it came to dust collection , I made a flat box to go between the red cord hangers on the back and then made some wooden handles that fit around the hangers and set the box in place and screwed the handles on around the cord hangers . that made a nice clean installation. Then hooked a 6" duct, and it works great I didn't seal any of the gaps under and around the table , because that is where the make-up air comes from to give it good air flow. It is 99% efficient.

[Sominus]

Looks like an effective system and design! We’ll forgive your obviously horribly disorganized shop..

[Nickp]

Nice, Herb...that's as good a write-up as I've seen anywhere...!

[Herb Stoops]

Looks like an effective system and design! We’ll forgive your obviously horribly disorganized shop..

Yeah, it's no"Intell Cleanroom" is it?
Herb

[Cherryville Chuck]

Well thought out Herb. I like that you brought up opening a blast gate upstream of something with a smaller hose size so that there is enough air in the main to keep the dust afloat in the air stream.

[DaninVan]

Holy Hanna! That's some serious dust collection, Herb. :0

[Herb Stoops]

Looks like an effective system and design! We’ll forgive your obviously horribly disorganized shop..

This is me, thanks to JJ7777 for taking the picture:
Herb

[Bushwhacker]

I am very envious Herb. My dust collection consist of , rolling the tool out on the garage apron and using it out side. I also place a large box fan behind me to blow the fine dust out the doors.
I do wear Eye Ear and a dust mask.

Bushwhacker

[Herb Stoops]

Don't feel bad, I did like you for 40 years before I retired and my cousin,Paul talked me into putting one in.With his expert designing and me helping put it together we did it. The reason I went to one was when I bought my first drum sander, it was a requirement to have good dust collection. I am glad I did.
HErb

[Nickp]

I am very envious Herb. My dust collection consist of , rolling the tool out on the garage apron and using it out side. I also place a large box fan behind me to blow the fine dust out the doors.
I do wear Eye Ear and a dust mask.

Bushwhacker

Yup...BTDT...

[Bushwhacker]

Lost me there Nick. What is BTDT?

Bushwhacker

[Herb Stoops]

Lost me there Nick. What is BTDT?

Bushwhacker

BeenThereDoneThat