Dust Collection with Carba-Tec

[PeterJohn]

Hi guys, I need some advice.

I have just spent much time in reading all the excellent advice on these forums and as a result decided to follow the dust collection path of Wayne Davey (thanks Wayne for your most valuable site) and buy a 2hp DC and eventually add the Cyclone. Therefore I took up a Carba-Tec offer after the last Melbourne Woodworkers Show and bought their FM 300 at a very good price.
Because of a large renovation project I have only just now fired it up and find that the performance is less than ideal. The claimed 1200CFM seems to be a myth. In fact it wouldn't suck the skin off a rice pudding.

To test the system I have connected the 3m 4" flexible pipe to the Y fitting that comes in the accessorie kit and pointed it at my mitre saw. I have added a partition around the saw to contain the flying dust and the Y is at the top of the partition. As far as I can tell the sawdust still does whatever it likes and deposits at the back of the saw.

Has anyone had any experience with this DC? Am I doing something stupid?

Cheers
Pete

[davo453]

I also have an FM-300 but haven’t experienced the same problems as you, mine draws just fine through a 3 meter flexible hose. I’m sure it would easily pull the skin off a very large rice pudding, they all get weaker as the bag blocks up though.

It sounds like your machine has an impellor or motor problem, and I’d be referring back to Carba-Tec for advice and a possible replacement.

The only problem I found with mine is that the main dust inlet on the motor housing is covered by a type of grill which is I imagine intended to trap large pieces of wood etc , but also traps large shavings and eventually blocks the hose , rightly or wrongly the guard didn’t see out the first full day in my workshop.

I too plan on building a cyclone one of these days.

[soundman]

If you are expecting the same amount of suction as a small bore vac you will be disapointed but not rightly.

also you need to get the suction ( sorry rong term) air flow into an enclosed area to work effectively

also drop saws are notoriously bad to collect dust from.


I have the metabo KGS with the factory 4" dust kit (which i recon is prety good) but it still misses quite a bit.

most dropsaws are better with a shop vac.

do a search on shop vac vs dust extractor, there was some discussion on this recently ( at length)

bill penz site has some words on colection hood & such also

cheers

[PeterJohn]

Thanks guys for your inputs.
I have looked at improving the shroud around the saw and initial results show that this is the problem as Soundman suggested.
I will make a better version and see how I go.

Again thanks for your input

regards
Pete