2 hp dust collector

I can’t wait to get mine, just a few more weeks. Thanks for the review though. Is there a way if you put a stronger motor in it the power will stay the same? Does that make a difference in the suction?

-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com

I have one too, my wife gave it to me for christmas, she paid 179.00 on sale but I had the 139.00 coupon from wood magazine. I was able to take it back still in the carton and get the difference. I think mine is quiter than the shop vac I was using. I added some things from rockler, expandable hose, and attachments for moving to tool to tool. It has made woodworking so much more enjoyable since I spend alot less time cleaning up.
The 139.00 coupon is in the march edition of wood magazine also

-- RV

Please please upgrade the filter. The 5 micron is not safe. You need .5 micron. If you can’t afford the upgrade (from Wynn Engineering), wear a respirator with a P100 filter. This DC is really, really great, an HP gem, but the 5 micron bag doesn’t cut it.

I also recommend the Thein baffle which will greatly increase the amount of chips and dust that go in the lower bag rather than through the filter. You can make that yourself, and there is a way to mount the baffle inside the HF.

Also, don’t forget, no 90 degree bends in the duct. Only 45s with some straight line between them.

Did it came with the picture in background? lol

-- shdesign3.com

looks just like mine they must all come out of the same factory in taiwan?. i also use tape to secure the plastic bag a big pain the rear otherwise .as for the noise with ear plugs i don’t even know its running.does the job well but i havn’t tried running two inlets at once

-- carlow geelong australia

Excellent product from HF. Had mine for about a year now.
I also recommend that you upgrade the filter… Wynn is the way to go… costs as much as the dust collector but your lungs are priceless.
Thanks for your review.

-- Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

+1 on the Wynn Nano Filter. This increased the filter area from about 30 sq. ft. with the bage to about 250 sq. ft. with the cartridge.

Aso get some 3/8” x 1 1/2’ or 2” weather stripping with adhesive backing and install around the area where you connect the lower bag. Put the lower plastic bag in place and secure in 2 or 3 places with some blue duct tape while you install the band clamp. This not only makes installation of the band clamp easier but, eliminates another place to leak.

If you replace the corregated 6” vinyl tubing between blower motor and bag assembly with some 6” metal ducting with several adjustable elbows and real duct tape you will improve velocity and once again eliminate some potential leaks.

As brtech noted above some sort of pre-separator really helps. We use the Woodcraft trash can separator on top of a 30 trash can. Have emptied the can several times and probably have less that a gallon of material in the dust collector lower bag which has never been emtied. We built a base for the DC and the trash can with large casters to make it portable.

Good Luck!

-- Rick Gustafson - Lost Creek Ranch - Colorado County, Texas

100% agree, good machine for the money. I compared the HF to the JDS and Rikon at Woodcrafter. I would rather buy Amarican if I can, but these are all the same machine so what’s the point of paying more for a different color paint job?

I would rather put my upgrade money into a nice quite 0.5 micron room air filter than a cartridge up-grade on the dust collector. That is because the DC only runs for a few minutes, while I’m actually running the TS or BS or jointer or sander. The filter will run all the time I’m in the shop. I do think the pre-filter, in the form of a trashcan cyclone separator, is a great idea; saves wear and tear in the fan impeller. Also, if I needed more airflow, due to less static resistance, I would consider a cartridge for that reason; but I’m fine with the pressure and flow I have.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Crank;

If you don’t put it in the air with the 5 micron bag filter you don’t have to filter it out of the air. As Ellen very correctly noted, our lungs are priceless. The Wynn Nano filter, in my humble opinion, is worth every penny.

A dust filter cannot replace a dust collector and vice versa. Both go along way to reducing shop airborne dust but serve different functions.

Good Luck!

-- Rick Gustafson - Lost Creek Ranch - Colorado County, Texas

Definitely upgrade the filter. The customer service at Wynn environmental was excellent. It was very easy to put on. Now the air is much cleaner AND the increased air flow and suction is incredible. For what little I know. I was told by Wynn that the pleated filter reduces back pressure, so your total air flow increases. After using this stock DC or a little while, you’ll be wondering,”Shouldn’t this be working a little better, it’s a pretty powerful DC..” Then you’ll upgrade the filter and say “WOW” That’s what happened to me, after using the DC for about a year with the stock bag and still having a thin layer of dust over all my shop, and I run a JDS ambient air filter. The stock 5 micron bag just spews out dust. Plus, when you order the filter from Wynn, they give you 3 heavy duty bag plastic lower bags and you only use 1 band clamp, so you’ll have 1 extra. My lower bag was more duct tape than bag covering the holes. I say if you don’t have the cash, use it stock for a while, but use a mask and or a box fan with a filter at least, and when you upgrade the filter, it will feel like having brand new DC!!

Anyone had any problems with throwing breakers? I went from an extension cord to right into the wall and I keep throwing breakers. Besides that it looks really cool.

-- Bryan

Mine was throwing a power strip. Once I went straight to a regular heavy-duty extension cord it was fine, but the outlet is on a 20 amp breaker.

Yep, I have to move up to a 20 amp breaker. Working good now.

-- Bryan

I also purchased the HF 2 hp dust collector. Still working on the plans for the duct work. The impeller inlet on the DC is 5” is you take off the plastic adaptor so I’ve been thinking to go 5” on the main trunk and then down to 4” on the laterals. However, I keep seeing blogs about going 6” on the main. Does anyone know if that will really make a difference considering the inlet is 5”?

-- Jeff, SoCal

You can use a 5” main, and it’s likely to work better than either a 4” or a 6” main with this DC. The problem is that it’s hard to find 5” duct econonmically