I have nothing, which blower/DC to start with?

[AJPeacock]

I'd like to build a DC system/Thien separator that has enough CFM to pull the dust/air from one machine at a time.

Of course before I start building a separator, I need to get the motor/vac/blower ... 

Where would you start?  Harbor Freight ?  Grizzly?  Delta? ... How much CFM ...?

I plan to exhaust to the outside with anything that sneaks past the separator.
Machine -> Separator -> Filter ->  Exhaust outside

If required, I can get 220v to the DC.
The noise of the DC is also important as this part of the basement is directly under our family room.

Currently, I'm doing all my cutting/routing ... outside on my driveway (doesn't work so well in the winter).
I do hand sanding in the basement with a 6.5hp Rigid shopvac and hepa filter (fills too fast).

The machines I'd like to use in my basement are  Router Table, guided Circular Saw, Drill press, Downdraft table for sanding.

I have an unused chimney in the basement that I will use to exhaust from the DC, it has 6" diameter.  I'll open a casement window to allow air in.

I'm very concerned about dust in the air, so want to limit the ultra-fine dust as much as possible.  Based on my reading, a high CFM and good dust capture around the tools is the most important thing.

Any and all ideas/comments/concerns are welcomed.

Thanks,
AJ

[retired2]

if you have a forced air heating and a/c system, the first thing you need to do is isolate the shop from the rest of the basement, and that means walls and ceiling.  If you don't do that you have no chance of keeping the dust and noise out of the rest of your house.  No DC system is going to get all the fines from routing and sanding, so if the shop is not isolated from your heating system the leaks in the return air system will pull all the airborn fines into the furnace.

Some DC systems are quieter than others, and you can build an enclosure to make it even quieter, but a router or circular saw running under you family room is not going to make the rest of the family happy if they are watching TV.  That is why you need a ceiling designed to control noise.

[AJPeacock]

Retired2,

Excellent points, thanks.

I'd actually rather work in the garage, as it's less carrying of wood, higher ceiling, disconnected from AC/heat, noise isn't as big issue ...

It's probably cheaper/ better to add some heat out there for the winter than dealing with all the necessaries for a basement workshop.

I'd still want to do a dust collection and vent the fines outside.

What DC would you start with in that case? 
I have enough height in the garage to use one of the taller Grizzly cyclones/filters and then just exhaust outside.  ??

The real nice thing about using the garage, for big router jobs, sawing MDF ...  I can wheel the bench into the driveway (or work with the garage door open) and a fan blowing out across the table.

Not sure how the humidity in the garage will impact my work, I might still need to acclimate the wood inside the house for a week or so before assembly/finishing?? thoughts?



Thanks again,
AJ

[retired2]

I'm afraid I can't give you a recommendation on which DC to buy, because the only one I have experience with is the Delta 50-750.  It was highly rated in a comparison test done quite a few years ago.  The only advice I can give you is buy an absolute minimum 1-1/2 HP DC with 1200CFM.  The problem is many vendors overstate the performance of their blowers. 

I do very little serious woodworking in the summer months due to high humidity in my area. I could never work in my garage due to the heat and humidity.  I run a dehumidifier in my basement shop in the summer months to keep the humidity low.  That way I don't need to worry about tools rusting.  A garage has its advantages as a location for a shop, but temperature and humidity are generally a problem, and in the long run they may cost you as much to control as building a proper shop in the basement where the enviroment is more hospitable.

[jgt1942]

AJ, take a look at Bill Pentz's site http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm He has a TON of info and it will get your head spinning but take your time and read through the site. It will answer ALL of your questions.

Trying to give advice as to which DC to purchase is like trying to give advice as to which car you should purchase next. Try to think down the road and what you might need. I have a Grizzly unit that has a 2 1/2 HP motor. I started with this unit because my son gave it to me. If I had the cash I'd buy the Grizzly G0441 ($1600) 3HP or better yet the Clear Vue CVMAX ($2000) 5HP.

About 3 years ago I redesigned the Grizzly and added the Thein Baffle (Top Hat). The first thing I noticed is how much better the unit worked. I placed the Grizzly unit on top of the baffle so it draws the air through the baffle and then through the impeller. The redesign put everything on a 2x4 cart that I could move around the shop. This was OK until I got more tools and now cannot move the darn DC. Thus I will be redesigning the DC into a stationary unit in the corner of my garage. I will run the pipes up through the ceiling into the attic area and then drop down to three areas to connect to the tools in that area. Gates will ensure I only use one tool at a time.

I also do woodturning which generates a LOT of dust and shavings. Until recently I've been working with very dry wood thus the turning generated mostly dust and small shavings similar to what you get with a chainsaw. However recently I turned some green (wet) wood and it generated a LOT of shavings which created a major problem for the Thein Baffle when I sucked up all of the turnings. The shavings plugged up the baffle. Now I'm thinking of building a cyclone separator.

I also have a planer and it generates a LOT of saw dust and will fill my 20 gal brute can VERY quickly. In the redesign I will use a 32 gal brute can, anything larger will be too heavy for me.

I suggest that you also add an air cleaner to the shop. Most of the inexpensive units (less than $500) are a waste of money IMHO. I'm in the process of building one using a whole house blower. I will be using a modified Wynn Nano Filter 9L300NANO. Normally the nano portion of the filter is on the inside of the filter, Wynn will be attaching the nano portion on the outside because I'm pulling the air through the filter rather than pushing the air through the filter. This is identified as the 9L300NANO EXT. This filter is 99.999% efficient at 0.5 micron. To purchase a similar unit I estimate it would cost more than $2500 and it is costing me about $250.

Currently I live in Prescott AZ at 5200 feet where it is dry most of the time. I do need to heat the shop in the winter and I use the shop a lot.

I see you can vent your DC outside, this would be super but remember that air must come from the shop.

I'm in the process of putting wheels on as much as possible (tools, benches, cabinets, etc.) so I can move things around and out of the way when not being used.

Ref humidity in your garage. Yes it will be more humid in the garage. Example, currently outside for me is 64% (for my area this is very wet, normally less than 30%) and inside the house it is 37% and I have my door going outside open. When I lived back East I did not worry about humidity and my project until I put a trim base around the mailbox post. The wood was dry to the touch and I thought I was good to go. The next day I had 1/8" gaps where the wood joined.

Ref noise - most wood tools generate a lot of noise. I have a DeWalt DW735 Thickness Planer and when I crank it up it hits at least 125 db and my wife hears it on the other side of the house. This by far is the loudest tool I have. Obviously when I run it I also have the DC running. I just measured the DC and it is 108 db, I did not realize it was so loud. When I shut the DC off the noise level dropped to 29 in the shop.