WWA Info Exchange

After many years of being forced to do my woodworking in my basement, I am finally able to move my tools to my 26X32 shop. The shop was used for my business which I sold a couple years ago and now I am able to start thinking about the move.

I have started by fixing the roof on a shed that is next door to the shop. This will enable me to move a lot of the things out of the shop (welder, welding table etc.) making room for the woodworking tools. I have already installed an upright air compressor and am in the process of installing some better lighting (for some reason my eyes don't work as well as they used to )

With the move, I am also able to purchase a couple more tools that I didn't have room for in the basement shop. A jointer and a dust collector. It amazes me that I was able to do woodworking in my basement for 20 + years without a dust collector AND still be married to the same women

I think I have decided on this jointer http://www.cpopowermatic.com/products/1791279dxk.html The dust collector is harder to decide on. I am leaning towards this one http://www.cpopowermatic.com/products/1791077ck.html or maybe this one http://store.oneida-air.com/1hpstandard ... lla-1.aspx

I thought about a non-portable one and running ductwork but the shop will still be used for working on vehicles and I also park my skid steer here in the winter so my tools will all be on mobile bases.

I have been researching this off and on for a couple years now and my brain is starting to hurt. I would like to buy the larger oneida cyclone models, but they look rather large and they are expensive.

Any suggestions or observations would be appreciated.

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Dan

No matter where you go, There you are.

You might look at harbor freight. I have been using the 2hp for several years. The price is a lot less but it does not filter as nicely as your current choices, but it works.

If it will be portable and used on one tool only, this should be more than enough. I use a 1 HP and connect it one-at-a-time to a 6" jointer, 12" planer, or table saw. Works great. The Powermatic doesn't have a cyclone. You can add one pretty cheaply and it's a great addition.

I've had a small PennState for about 8 years. Never any problems with it aside from once when the switch needed cleaning out. Sucks good and all steel construction. Even handles small rodents without a hiccup. http://www.pennstateind.com/

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I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)

One sugestion not equipment related INSULATE the heck out of your shop.

Some of the bag filters filter better than the canister filters.

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"It is not a mistake it is a learning experience"
Monte

Hey Dan,

I don't have experience with either of your DC choices, but I do have an Onieda 3HP cyclone unit, and I am very pleased with it for the last five years.

Tom

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"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

When you stop to think about it, many stationary power tools can easily be used when 'backed' into a wall. Jointers, miter saws, drill presses, and so on can be placed in a permanent location along a wall somewhere. The point is, if we don't have that many tools we have to move to provide the storage duties of the space, I'd opt for a stationary cyclone DC. Open space tool like the table saw can be connected with a hose to a port located at the wall.

I'd locate the DC outside the shop as well. No filter bag is good enough to get everything. In my opinion. Built a lean-to aside the shop for weather protection, of course. Getting the DC out of the shop also frees up valuable real estate.

The down side is, if, you're in a heating mode through the winter, the DC will indeed defeat the purpose of heating the shop if it's on all the time. I don't know about others that heat their shops with a wood stove, but my big 3HP cyclone can defeat the draft of my vintage Fisher stove. I love the smell of a wood fire but when the shop's full of smoke it's not a pleasant place to work.

With respect to DC endorsements, mine is a Grizzly. I've had it for six years, no performance or maintenance issues. Filter efficiency? - Over the six years it's been in use there's a not so modest accumulation of fine, fine wood dust over the side of the building where it's located. But it's outside so-....

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Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

When you stop to think about it, many stationary power tools can easily be used when 'backed' against a wall. Jointers, miter saws, drill presses, and so on can be placed in a permanent location along a wall somewhere. The point is, if we don't have that many tools we have to move to provide the storage duties of the space, I'd opt for a stationary cyclone DC. Open space tool like the table saw can be connected with a hose to a port located at the wall.

I'd locate the DC outside the shop as well. No filter bag is good enough to get everything. In my opinion. Build a lean-to aside the shop for weather protection, of course. Getting the DC out of the shop also frees up valuable real estate.

The down side is, if, you're in a heating mode through the winter, the DC will indeed defeat the purpose of heating the shop if it's on all the time. I don't know about others that heat their shops with a wood stove, but my big 3HP cyclone can defeat the draft of my vintage Fisher stove. I love the smell of a wood fire but when the shop's full of smoke it's not a pleasant place to work.

With respect to DC endorsements, mine is a Grizzly. I've had it for six years, no performance or maintenance issues. Filter efficiency? - Over the six years it's been in use there's a not so modest accumulation of fine, fine wood dust over the side of the building where it's located. But it's outside so-....

The above is my humble yet closely held position. Not meant as an endorsement or critique of an product or individual.

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Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

That is exactly how I first envisioned my setup Dennis. But I just don't know if it is practical. I am guessing it will cost $2000 - $3000 or more to set up the shop like you suggest. Hard to justify for a hobby woodworker. Then there is the heat loss. Most of my woodworking is done in the winter. And living in ND, I wonder how long the dc would have to run before I need my coveralls on I heat the shop with an electric forced air furnace, so it would recover fairly quickly, but the electric bill could get steep

These are the things I have been struggling with. From my research, getting a dust collector that does not trap the small particles (1-3 microns) is really no better health wise than no dust collector. It is the small particles that are most dangerous to us and an inefficient dc gets these particles airborne more than using no dc. Even the good ones can't trap them all. (probably another reason to put it outside)

Now being that I have never owned a dc before, everything I just wrote is based solely on articles I have read on the internet. And while I believe they were helpful, there is no substitute for experience.

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Dan

No matter where you go, There you are.

My suggestion is since you will soon be filling your shop with more tools. ( nature hates a vacum ). I suggest you put all of your tools on moblie bases.That way you can move them all to make more room for what you are using. Be carefull with the jointer on a moblie base. They are top heavy and you will need a stable base to prevent tipping when moving it. In fact if I were you I would put the entire shop on a moblie base so I could move it about 1000 miles south for the winter.

Well Donald, I used to be a house and building mover so that suggestion is doable. Actually, when I bought this building it was about 40 miles from where I live now. Anyone have a place I can park a shop for a few months??

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Dan

No matter where you go, There you are.

Kind of a long commute, but yeah.

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I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)

One thing you can do to minimize the heat loss from the DC sucking all the heated air from the shop if it's located outside is to enclose it with return air vent or grille back into the shop. Size the vent for a standard high efficiency air filter and it should be as good as it gets for dust collection. Another plus having the DC outside is cutting down on all that noise.

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Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

I have the original Oneida 1.5 HP DC in my basement shop for almost 8 years ... it saved my marriage. Seriously, I have been very happy with it and the folks over at Oneida are great to work with.

Good luck with the move.

-Joe

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... Home of the inefficient workshop.
... Specializing in designer firewood.

sounds like plenty chimed in with advice on dc's... as for the jointer, that $$ will get you pretty darned close to a 8 inch grizz jointer. If I had a nickel for every time I used my 6 inch jointer that I wished I had an 8... well I'd have at least 60 cents... but you get my point.

Just a thought,
Good luck and I look forward to hearing (and seeing pics) of your decisions
Lawrence

Thanks a lot Lawrence!! Until you chimed in, I was only racking my brain about the dc

I kind of forgot about grizzly. I did some research on their web site and I do believe it is the way to go. Couple questions. One I was looking at says it has (Parallelogram Beds) What exactly is that? Another thing is the spiral heads. Are they worth it?

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Dan

No matter where you go, There you are.