Blowing fines direct to the outside.

[Ronmilner]

I have been thinking of adding a separator to my HF unit and piping the output to the outside of the shop. Since what I have read about the separator that it catches most of the chips and fine stuff if I were to pipe the exhaust directly to the outside of the shop I would have no back pressure on the motor and increase efficiency. Has anyone done this and if so How has it worked out?

Thanks
Ron Milner

[phil (admin)]

Yes, several people have done this.  One of them (Bob Hallowell) posted over at sawmillcreek.org in this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=84327

You may want to ask him how it works now that he has been using it for a while.

I'll try to find the other users and see if I can get extended-use updates.

[rjwz28]

I started doing this with my setup that is pictured on this site as the email from Robert W.  It is the one with the Penn State 1.5 hp DC on top of the trash can.  I am finding out that it would probably be better withg a little back pressure as I think the DC is a bit too strong now.  If I'm doing planing and jointing, no problem.  But with fine stuff like sanding and sawing, I do see some fine stuff coming out of my hose.  I'll probably get a 1 micron bag in the future.  Other than that, the setup works fine.

Rob

[phil (admin)]

Rob, sometimes when there isn't enough airflow you'll see stuff come out the exhaust, too.  I know one guy was using it with a hand-held sander and the machine just couldn't get enough air through the little 1-1/4" hose to do an adequate job of separation.

[rjwz28]

Phil, I am the Robert W. that sent you the pics of my Penn state dc on your baffle set up.  And I am getting good airflow without a bag.  Just a hose directed out.  I think it is too much airflow.  I am using a 4" hose connected to my machines and a 4" dryer type hose blowing out of my garage.  I think I will need to go to a bag in the future.  Like I say, when I do stuff with chips it is fine.  It's when I work with fine sawdust is where it looks like a lot of it exits the dryer hose.

Rob (Robert W.)
rjwz28