Dust Collection Questions

[gachua]

Stinger III is on order and I am sorting out my dust collection options. Currently, the only machines that would be hooked up to whatever DC I decide on will be the Stinger and a small table saw. Down the road I know I will be adding some other equipment so I want to select a DC that will handle future expansion.

Will have DC in a basement utility room with the equipment in the main basement area (Approx 1200 sq ft). Considering Vortex/Cyclone Oneida, ClearVue, Grizzly and Laguna in the 2HP - 5HP range.

I've read countless reviews and leaning towards either Oneida or ClearVue. Just want some additional opinions and answers to some of my newbie questions from members of this forum.

1. What size flex piping connects to the Stinger?
2. What is the recommended CFM for Stinger 3?
3. Any recommendations here for or against any of the 4 listed above?
4. Any others that I should be considering?

Thanks for the help !!

[Gary Campbell]

Glenn...
Look this over... no mentioning of size tho. I have had best luck with 1100 cfm minimum thru a 4" hose.

http://www.camheads.org/showthread.php?t=3800

[honestak]

Gary, I have seen a few comments similar to yours regarding "1100 CFM and 4" hose" but everything I have seen including the attached chart shows that you just cant move that amount of air with a small hose diameter.

I am working on designing a new dust shoe for my machine that has a 5" opening and hose and have noticed an increase in performance from the 4" line. I am sure it is negligible but I hate cleaning the shop and every little bit helps!

[sgodding]

I have a ClearVue. I would not get it again. It is a kit, not a finished dust collector. You have to assemble it yourself, which includes spreading lots and lots of clear silicone caulk. I was very careful with this, and still ended up with several leaks that I found after the fact. There was a recent review of them in one of the woodworking magazines where its score was mediocre.

[Gary Campbell]

Abe...
You are correct, you can probably not get more than 400+ cfm thru a 4" flex hose. I was referring to the capacity of the dust collector itself. 1100 gets the machine in a class that has overhead to ensure that there is 400cfm left when it gets to the dust boot. If you start with a 400 cfm cheapie, then you will end up with 200 at the machine.

Each linear foot of pipe reduces the available cfm, as does the interior surface of that pipe. The flow is further restricted by same diameter runs and elbows. CFM is lost by leakage and the above flow restrictions.

The best working systems I have seen have incorporated the following:
Reducing diameter metal pipe to just above the CNC. (6 to 5 to 4) This increases velocity and greatly raises how effective the system works)
Shortest possible flexible hose
Well grounded, of course
Smallest opening that is practical at the dust boot itself.
High quality bristles on the brush

[gachua]

Thanks All !!

[curtin_cnc]

Originally Posted by Gary Campbell

Abe...
You are correct, you can probably not get more than 400+ cfm thru a 4" flex hose. I was referring to the capacity of the dust collector itself. 1100 gets the machine in a class that has overhead to ensure that there is 400cfm left when it gets to the dust boot. If you start with a 400 cfm cheapie, then you will end up with 200 at the machine.

Each linear foot of pipe reduces the available cfm, as does the interior surface of that pipe. The flow is further restricted by same diameter runs and elbows. CFM is lost by leakage and the above flow restrictions.

The best working systems I have seen have incorporated the following:
Reducing diameter metal pipe to just above the CNC. (6 to 5 to 4) This increases velocity and greatly raises how effective the system works)
Shortest possible flexible hose
Well grounded, of course
Smallest opening that is practical at the dust boot itself.
High quality bristles on the brush

Gary,

In response to your comment of 6" to 5" to 4" reduction - would you recommend doing the reduction of the 6 to 4 right before the dust boot? I.e. run 6" flex hose down to the PVC stack piece, reduce 6" to 5" to 4" right there, go through the 4" stack and into the 4" dust boot? Or a hybrid of that? I'm trying to determine the size of flex hose I want, and how far upstream or downstream to do the reductions to optimize the suction.

[Logan Y]

Ideally you'd want to neck it down right at the dust boot but that would fall into the diminishing returns category. I would say a majority of us neck it down right above the machine. In my case I go from 6" ducting to a 4" knuckle where the 4" flex hose is attached. The flex hose is maybe 4 foot long to allow for movement to both ends of my machine. It is then attached to a 2' tall riser of PVC off of the dust boot that keeps my flex hose from contacting the machine.

4" flex hose and a 4" knuckle (if you go that route) are much cheaper than their 6" cousins and they won't affect your dust collection a considerable amount.

[Laserman]

I have ordered a California air compressor and Grizzly G0777HEP dust collector.
If your using this in your home you really need to think about how loud it's going to be to your family.