Dust collector "upgrade"

Excellent setup.
You’ve got some nice machines too.

What kind of mortiser is that?

-- Everything is a prototype thats why its one of a kind!!

I like your setup. A couple questions.
You said putting the canister cost you cfm versus the bags. Everyone has always said the it will increase because there is much more surface area vs a bag filter. Was the decrease after use and dust buildup inside, or from the start?

Also, where did you get the 5” hose? Early on, before I went with 6” ducting and hose, I was going to try to use 5” hose with the same setup you have but I had a problem sourcing any, and what I found was too heavy or way out of the price range of 4” or 6”.

That is a great setup! On my list of things to do for sure. First on my list – insulate and put up the interior walls.

-- Joe, Indiana, http://www.crookedshack.com

Really great shop, wish I could have one similar. Thanks for the details of the setup. larry

-- Just a barn cat, now gone to cat heaven.

Excellent setup.
You ve got some nice machines too.

What kind of mortiser is that?

- rwe2156

Thank you.

The mortiser is a Canwood Industrial, a House of Tools brand model. Now out of business..

Cheers, Don

-- Don Kondra – Furniture Designer/Maker

Heck of set up!

-- Joe | Spartanburg, SC | "To give anything less than your best is to sacrafice the gift." - Steve Prefontaine

I like your setup. A couple questions.
You said putting the canister cost you cfm versus the bags. Everyone has always said the it will increase because there is much more surface area vs a bag filter. Was the decrease after use and dust buildup inside, or from the start?

Also, where did you get the 5” hose? Early on, before I went with 6” ducting and hose, I was going to try to use 5” hose with the same setup you have but I had a problem sourcing any, and what I found was too heavy or way out of the price range of 4” or 6”.
- AZWoody

Thank you.

The decrease was right from the start.

I believe there was some confusion with the salesperson when I purchased the canister for $200. In hindsight I believe it was meant for a smaller collector, ie., a 1 1/2 HP. By the time I built a step down ring to install it, I decided to just keep it. IIRC my no name collector’s OD was 3/4” larger than the “Craftex” canister.

I also had a problem sourcing the gray 5” hose, the only place in Canada where I could find some was at Busy Bee Tools. I paid $120 for 30’, roughly the same cost as the 5” metal spiral.

Cheers, Don

-- Don Kondra – Furniture Designer/Maker

Upgrading from a bag to a cannister substantially increases CFM. Adding a separator (like an SDD) DECREASES flow rates. It makes it easier to get rid of collected dust (more goes in the can, less into the filter), but it impedes the flow of air through the system. Changing from a plastic bag to a can to collect chips doesn’t affect CFM unless you screw up.

I suspect Don got a lot more CFM through upgrading his duct runs.

His before picture shows a cannister filter, if not a Wynn 35A, a close cousin to it. The after picture shows a different Wynn filter. There are differences in flow rates for different cannister filters, but they are much less significant than between any cannister and a bag.

Yours is the second system I’ve seen with what appears to be a motor intended for horizontal operation, mounted vertically.
I am given to understand that such motors lack a proper thrust bearing at the shaft end that is capable of supporting the weight of the rotor and impeller. These motors typically will use a plastic and/or metal washer since thrust loading along the shaft is minimal when oriented horizontally.

In the first case, my friend’s system uses a 12” impeller and has been running for a couple of years on an occasional basis with no problem. I am curious to know if yours is doing well, and if others have used this setup, how theirs are doing.

Only two ? You’re not looking hard enough :)

I have yet to confirm with a bearing expert if this is indeed going to be an issue. Meanwhile, I’m keeping an ear tuned to any unusual noises…

What I can tell you is that on a number of occasions I have inspected the motor after running the system continuously for at least an hour, the impeller side of the motor is barely warm and the top end is cool to the touch. So it is actually running “cooler” than it was in the horizontal position.

Cheers, Don

-- Don Kondra – Furniture Designer/Maker