HELP! Which DC?

[outback]

The time has come for me to purchase my first Dust Collector. In the current Carbatec catalogue they list a couple of one HP models. Their is a big difference between their "Economy Model, at $199.00 and their "standard" model at $395.00. Does anyone know if their is a major difference between the two? Most other makes I have looked at seem to run around the $375.00 - $400.00 mark. For a part time weekend saw dust maker the economy model coupled with the accesory kit for $99.00 seem excellent value for money.
Your feed back on this or any other options is welcomed.

Thanks. :)

[Sir Stinkalot]

Go for an economy 2Hp unit. The main difference between the economy and industrial appears to be in the strength of the stand. Try doing a search on dust collection and cyclones on the top of the page ..... plenty of information available.

[Wongo]

The only thing I know is the cheaper is made in China and the other one is made in Taiwan.

Scott

[outback]

I did a search and got heaps of info thanks. I am a little (read heaps) unsure of cyclones, from what I gather they are pretty efficient, what size fan/extraction unit? do I require to operate them? Also having trouble locating an Australian distributer.

[Tonyz]

Buddy mate cobba do a search there must be over 50 - 100 theres more info on DCs and cyclones than there are intelligent IQ's in parliment. Its not easy [the search is] just the screeds of info and data thats takes time to read and assimulate [yikes,big word] to decide what you really want GO FOR CYCLONE

[Sir Stinkalot]

Cyclonic Wayne made his with the H&F 2hp economy dust extractor unit - around $300.00. This is why I suggested a 2hp over the 1hp ..... in case in the future you may wish to go down this road ... or be blown down it.

[Wayne Davy]

Outback,

Check out my personal web site (http://members.optusnet.com.au/waynedavy/) if you want to know about cyclones and dust collection in general. Also, search the forum as the guys suggest.

Cheers,

[Grunt]

Get a Cyclone. After reading the threads on DC, I've decided to build a cyclone as my next project. I gave up smoking 15 years ago and I'll be buggered if I'm going to die of a lung disease from wood dust.

Also, thanks Wayne and Bill for all the info.

[arose62]

There are a few other things which take the price up from the "cheapie"....

Cheapie has string or some other simple & nasty way to fasten bags on.
Better ones have metal clips.

Cheapie has no guard inside to stop idiots shoving their hand in after some non-dust article got sucked away.
Better DCs have guards/grilles.

Cheapie is not (fully) Aust approved?
Better ones have the electrical "tick" approval sticker.

Cheapies have less efficient filtration bag.
Better ones have higher rating bags.

There can also be a difference in motor quality.
When my cheapie died, I priced a replacement motor - a quality Aussie 1 Hp motor was > $200.

Cheers,
Andrew

[Wayne Davy]

Andrew,

Actually, the cheap ones these days feature most of the items you mentioned.

Metal Band clips on the bags
Grill on the Air Inlet
Not sure about Tick Approval
Bags are the same (crappy) ones as the dearer ones (20+micron which is useless imho)
Motors are quite good (I was told by a mainenance guy that he had less probs with the cheaper ones - go figure)

My cheapie is running my Cyclone very, very well.

Cheers,

[outback]

Thanks for all your help and advice. The overwhelming opinion is to make a cyclone. After looking more at these, especially Waynes site, they seem the way to go, coupled with a 2HP unit as per Sir Stinkalots suggestion I should be dust free. Now all I gotta do is explain to SWMBO why we won't be eating for the next feww weeks.

[dale]

Originally posted by outback
Thanks for all your help and advice. The overwhelming opinion is to make a cyclone. After looking more at these, especially Waynes site, they seem the way to go, coupled with a 2HP unit as per Sir Stinkalots suggestion I should be dust free. Now all I gotta do is explain to SWMBO why we won't be eating for the next feww weeks.


The cyclone action only manages to get rid of the larger pieces and dust. The really fine dust (less than 30 microns in size - you can't see it) won't be trapped in the cyclone section, nor will it be trapped by a normal "bag" filter.

This stuff is dangerous (it's what reduces lung function in the long term) and shouldn't be exhausted back into your workshop.
You can get pleated filters (which filter down to 2 microns) mounted on the blower, or a separate room filter (or both).

It's expensive, but your health is probably worth it.

[outback]

After looking at Waynes cyclone it appears the exhaust dust dust is passed through a filter of some kind. Could you please let me know what type of filter this is? The good news is the minister for finances has kindly agreed that a 2HP DC should form the basis of my long term health. I gotta admit that I would be kinda upset at being a non-smoker my whole life but fall prey to lung related health problems due to my other activities!

[Wayne Davy]

Outback,

I don't have any neighbours on the side of the workshop that the Cyclone is mounted so I am, currently, just direct venting outside. i.e. No Filter.

I am going to fit a proper TORIT style filter one one day BUT these are about $200-$300 in Oz compared to $75USD in the States (due to their LARGE size, freight is prohibitive and brings them to the same Oz price if ordered from the USA btw)

So, other solutions people have done/used is multiple large Truck Air filters. I have heard of guys getting used ones from Truck mechanics and cleaning them out and using them for their Cyclones and getting good results. One thing is that these dont filter to the same rating as the proper Torit ones do (1 - .5 micron). Probably around 5 to 2 micron which is way, way better than bags and about matches Pleated filters.

For more details on filters, go to Bill Pentz's site in the US http://cnets.net/~eclectic/woodworking/cyclone/Index.html which has just been updated.

Cheers and hope this helps,