Planning Dust Collection System

2944 Views 13 Replies 8 Participants Last post by FishFactory, Jan 25, 2014

deadherring

Discussion Starter · Jan 23, 2014

Hello,
I have been building up my shop and am now ready to get a serious dust collection system going. I currently have:
• Grizzly G0690 table saw
• Chop Saw
• Tabletop jointer
• Planer
• Router table

This is my first time doing a project like this and I was hoping I could get some input on do’s and dont’s.

The DC will be located in the next room. It will be 22 feet from the DC to the shop, then I’ll split the run and it will be another 10 feet to the each set of machines.

For that distance Grizzly recommended the G0443: http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0443 which is 1 1/2 HP, 1025 CFM.

My research showed some people use PVC and some use metal. I was leaning toward PVC. Any opinions? If I decide on PVC I’ve seen that there are different kinds of PVC. Some recommended using the Sewer and Drain pipe?

I was going to do 6” runs and reduce down to each machine? Are there considerations for making sure components will fit together such as the PVC to the machines/blast gates? Is the sequence: 6”run-->4” reducer-->blast gate-->4” pipe-->machine?

How should the runs be connected? Some have said don’t glue so that things can be moved around if necessary? Should screws be used? What hangers should be used to mount the pipe to the ceiling?

If I want to drop extra runs and cap them for future expansion is there a cap I can get for the pipe?

Where is the best place to buy additional components such as reducers, blast gates etc?

Sorry for all the questions—if anyone has a great source such as a blog post or video for how to put this system together please let me know, I’ve looked around online and have found bits and pieces but nothing comprehensive.

Thanks,
Nathan

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Fred Hargis

· #2 · Jan 23, 2014

For most, the choice between metal and PVC comes down to 2 things: availability and/or cost. For the record I have all PVC ducting, except for a short 7' run just in front of the DC...that part is metal. The real money will be spent on the fittings, so if you have both materials available take a stab at what parts you need and rough estimate them (assuming budget needs to be managed). If you choose PVC, there is a lot less choice in sizes: it's either 4" or 6", and the 6" can be hard to find. Soil and Drain is the most widely used, and that which is labeled ASTM D2729 is what you want. This stuff goes by a myriad of names, so look for the technical spec printed on the side of the pipe. To be sure you can also use 3034, but it's heavier and usually more expensive. If you're in an area that has Menard's they carry the 3034 and all the fittings. For metal it's a little hard to find wyes but otherwise it comes in a wider variety of sizes. Be sure any snap lock you get is a least 26 gauge. Also consider all the seams need to be sealed, most easily with the foil tape. Regardless of what you use, a basic rule in DC: nothing ever fits anything else. So you will be doing all kinds of things to make one piece fit another correctly. Best to ask specific questions about each happenstance to see the wide variety of ideas others have. If you use PVC, do not glue the pieces together. For straight runs the slip fit, caulked with silicone will allow dis assembly in the future. For those that hang, short sheet metal screws run between the pieces will suffice, you don't want a lot of protrusion into the pipe. or habgers there's again all kinds of ideas that work, I simply used metal plumbers strapping to hold mine up.
I suggest you build your own blast gates, cheaper and better than most purchased ones. I also suggest you don't neck down to 4" anywhere you don't have to. This would mean many tools would have to be modified to accept a 6" port in some way. Lastly, I would consider a larger DC as well, but like all the advice given here....that's just my opinion.

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tvman44

· #3 · Jan 23, 2014

I ran all 4" PVC and have no regrets. :thumbsup:

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BigJoe16

· #4 · Jan 23, 2014

PVC pipe is measure mainly in diameter,3/4" 2 1/2" 4"-6"etc, and wall thickness. If you have PVC sewer pipe is schedule 40. Thick walls and expensive.

PVC drain pipe like in drain tile, storm lines an such is generally schedule 35. It has thinner walls but are more than strong enough. It will be quite a bit cheaper to run this in your shop.

As far as fittings, don't use T's and 90s. They hurt air flow. Stick you WYEs and 45's. Were you need a right angle, if you can, use 2 45's spread apart alittle.

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BigJoe16

· #5 · Jan 23, 2014

By the way there is a dust collection section here with plenty of similar threads.

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Steve Neul

· #6 · Jan 24, 2014

I find dust collection about the most confusing topic around. They rate the dust collectors in cfm and when you research the topic the talk turns to velocity. Then it seems like every website that shows how to set up a dust collection system they show equipment with heavy particles like a jointer or planer at the far end of the system. It would seem to me it would be best to locate the jointer and planer as close to the dust collector as possible. To me dust collection is still a broom and dust pan but I've been warming up to the idea lately if I could find some clear info. I did work at one shop that had a dust collector but that was in 1977 and I don't remember any of it.

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Dopalgangr

· #7 · Jan 24, 2014

Does anyone else's DC build a static discharge and shock you? I have a Delta that does it when I'm holding the hose. Is there some type of ground strap that comes with these? I bought mine used.

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BigJoe16

· #8 · Jan 24, 2014

Dopalgangr said:
Does anyone else's DC build a static discharge and shock you? I have a Delta that does it when I'm holding the hose. Is there some type of ground strap that comes with these? I bought mine used.

That's a whole-nother discussion! It seems to go round and round depending on who you ask. I ran about a 10ft run a few months back for my lathe. It's the only permanent attached run I have. For the ground I ran a ground wire pulled out of a length of 14 AWG romex I had left over. I fixed if to the pipe on the outside, using ground screws pre-drilled and sunk into the pipe long enough to reach in threw the inner wall of the pipe. I haven't yet connected this wire to anything. It's on the list.

After just sanding a bowl, I touched the end of my ground wire and there was a static discharge. It was smaller than a shock from the carpet so it wasn't anything to be concerned about.

But the charge will only grow with use right? So I think it is important to ground it and follow the precautions but I would be surprised if the discharge amounted to anything, on a hobby level and use that is.

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rficalora

· #9 · Jan 24, 2014 (Edited)

I haven't hooked up my dust collector in my current shop, but in my old shop I had it plumed with 4" thin wall PVC that the phone and cable companies use to burry their main lines. My dust collector is a 2hp Grizzly and I had 6 or 7 drops across a 15x20' space. I ran twisted copper inside the pipe pulled snug thru holes drilled near junctions and tied together on the outside. The wire was tied into the house ground at the power outlet. In the 5 years and scores of projects, I never had chips clog the system and had no static build up. I know there's lots of debate on the topic, just sharing what worked for me.

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deadherring

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 24, 2014

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I laughed at @Steve Nuell's comment: "I find dust collection about the most confusing topic around.". I am finding the same thing. This whole project intimidates me, particularly this comment by @Fred Hargis:

"Regardless of what you use, a basic rule in DC: nothing ever fits anything else. So you will be doing all kinds of things to make one piece fit another correctly."

Yikes. Not sure how I am going to get this thing together if that's the case. I've made some headway on some woodworking projects but am still a beginner.

So it looks like I am going to go with 6" PVC--next week I'm going to figure out the pipe lengths I need and pick them up at the big box stores. Would they also have the couplers and reducers? Or somewhere else?

Where would I get the blast gates and anything else I might need?

Thanks,

Nathan

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rficalora

· #11 · Jan 24, 2014

Before you buy the pvc from a big box store, check your local craigslist. You can sometimes get pipe at 50 cents on the dollar or less.

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BigJoe16

· #12 · Jan 25, 2014

There has to be local plumbing warehouses. I know one of the local stores here is called Irr supply. They are cheaper than HD and carry everything you will ever need. Look up a plumbing wholesaler and compare prices.

My HD dosent have sch. 35. Only sch. 40. And there fitting are considerably more money. Check around before you buy at a big box store.

When I ran mine, I put blue painters tape on the wall in the the configuration as I was to later run the pipe. It helped me make sure everything worked and was how I wanted it before cutting and hanging pipe.

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Fred Hargis

· #13 · Jan 25, 2014

BigJoe16 said:
There has to be local plumbing warehouses.

When I ran mine, I put blue painters tape on the wall in the the configuration as I was to later run the pipe. It helped me make sure everything worked and was how I wanted it before cutting and hanging pipe.

You will have more luck (maybe) at the plumbing supply houses, Hughes Supply is a national chain, they may have a place nearby. Joe's idea of using blue tape is fantastic. I wish I had thought of that. As for the subject being confusing, there are more opinions on DC than most other aspects of woodworking. I thinm that's because we all have such different criteria for what we consider DC. On one end of the stick are those who simply want to avoid sweeping the floor...the other end are those who want to capture/contain every spec of dust possible. The setup for those 2 criteria are hugely different; that's why some guys are happy with equipment that other guys have no use for. Neither are wrong, they are just different.

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FishFactory

· #14 · Jan 25, 2014

I went with 4" thin wall pvc, had a wire in it for static, but caused a lot of clogging issues. Took the wire out and haven't had a single issue with static or clogging. I have a G0690 cabinet saw, a 6" free standing joiner and a Delta Planer hoked up to it on permanent runs. Love my setup. I put mine in the cod storage area outside my garage to keep the dust outside. Now all I need is a planer that actually has a little power!!

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