# Okay talk some sense into me



## WorksInTheory (Jan 5, 2014)

Hi I was using the planer hooked to a rolling 1hp Grizzly dust collector. Until I noticed that I had big shavings and they would clump up at the inlet to the blower where there is a metal grid to prevent large items I guess from going into the impeller.

I immediately went to grab a plastic barrel I had and was going to proceed to make one of this chip separator - you know with the elbow in and the suction up the top and I think there is a thien inside. But then I stopped because I just dont' want to burn shop time doing this.

So then I thought what if I just cut that metal grid out. Problem solved right? Er or not?

Talk some sense into me.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

If large chips hit the impeller, you DC will bite the dust quickly. Make the separator or get a Super Dust Deputy or similar if you're really short on time. It's worth it one way or another and extends the life of your DC.


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## redlee (Apr 11, 2016)

The screen is there for a reason , to keep big pieces from destroying your impeller.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

Cut em out! 
If planer chips destroy your impeller then you need a better dust collector. The chips that do make it through the grid don't damage the impeller, just sayin

Just be careful not to suck up anything that CAN damage it.

PS: I'm a rebel, so take it for what it's worth..


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## kocgolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Be aware that a separator will definitely cause a hit in your CFM. A 1hp will lose a lot. Super Dust Deputy does pretty well with the HF collector, at least with something like a planer. I am probably losing all acceptable collection of fine particles on the table saw, so would say the scientists, but whatever. Do the best you can. I wouldn't remove the screen though. I think a separator and your planer would get along just fine.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

I would not remove the grate. It is there to protect the impeller from large impacts that could break it.

What kind of planer do you have? My DeWalt 735 has an impeller that expels the chips faster than my shop vac can so I just have a simple separator in between the planer and the vac and unless if forget to empty the separator, none of the chips ever make it to the vac. I've seen videos where they just had the 735 send the chips into a separator with no vac or DC connected and it worked very well.


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## WorksInTheory (Jan 5, 2014)

Sorry, I should have indicated my planer is a Grizzly G0505. Real basic, no blower so can't just collect chips.

If I use the dust collector with a jointer, planer and maybe in the future a down draft table. Would roll the DC around and hook up to each machine.

I wonder if I could not permanently remove the grate but just for jointer or planer use like not completely cut out, then just bend it out as needed. Don't want to loser CFM as it's already weak. What could come out of planer or jointer that would hurt the impaler?


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## mrg (Mar 10, 2010)

The shavings coming off of your planer shouldn't be any bigger than those coming from your jointer. I have a Dewalt 735 and have no issues with using it with my dust collector. It just fills the bag quicker. Now if you are sucking up nails and blocks of wood I would say you will damage your dust collector. If no big bangs or loud noises you are OK.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

A little different view - although many spend a lot of time and $'s on DC, few actually end up with a system that prevents the dangerous small, invisible stuff from getting in the air (hobbyists not industry). Hence I view it as chip vs dust collection. From this perspective, losing some cfm due to a separator that makes it much easier to deal with chip handling is no big deal. Its much easier and faster for me to remove the thein top and dump the trash can vs messing with the plastic collection bags, and the filter doesnt get bigger chips/dust build up like before so doesnt have to be cleaned as often. A respirator to prevent inhalation of the small stuff is needed either way, so I chose a method thats easier to maintain.

Many argue the cfm #s and such, but unless the actual collection points are designed properly its all moot. As long as chips arent clogging the ducts and there isnt some obvious improvement for a certain machine, you are ok, just wear the respirator thats needed anyway. I dont find anyone thats actually done the necessary air quality tests to prove there is not any dangerous dust floating in their shop - its more a placebo affect.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

Lots of people remove those grates for the reason that you are contemplating. If you never use it for anything but the planer, jointer and down draft table, the chances of a large chuck are pretty minimal. But if you ever use it more like a shop vac to clean up the floors or to suck up a pile that you swept up, you are bound to suck up some chucks of wood, screws, bolts or some other large item that you didn't know was there until you hear it clunking down the hose or hitting the impeller.

BTW, I agree with OSU55. For my shop vac anyway, my crude separator does not make a noticable difference in suction but makes emptying and filter cleaning much less of a hassle.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

None of my seven collectors had a screen. For the planer, shouldn't need one, but, for cleaning my floors,I use a separator.


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## WorksInTheory (Jan 5, 2014)

So wonder if I could remove it for use with planer, etc but put a screen on the other end of the hose where and when and if I clean floors


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## WorksInTheory (Jan 5, 2014)

I am thinking instead of a Thien baffle I would make the version where it's a box on top of the lid with a divider T wall. Anyone have experience with this and if it's inferior to the Thien or would have less impact on air flow?


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

If I understand what you mean, I don't have any scientific facts to back this up but I would think that the divider or baffle would result in more resistance and turbulence because the air stream has to make such an extreme changes in direction to go around it. Frankly, if your separator is large enough, you can simply have a hose in and a hose out and you will leave 99% of the coarse dust in the the separator and all of the big chips and chunks. If you have the air stream injected horizontally so that it spirals and the exhaust hose coming out of the top, you'll leave a little more of the finer dust in the separator. From what I can tell, what the Thein baffle mostly does is prevent the spiralling air turbulence from disturbing the dust that has already separated into the bottom of the bin, especially as the bottom starts to fill up. So you can just skip the baffle altogether and achieve your goal.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I'm another who would vote to cut the screen/grid out and just replace it at the other end with a removable one.


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## eflanders (May 2, 2013)

I have two DC units. One is dedicated to the saws and it has a separator because chips get in the DC from the various saws. My other unit is strictly used with the jointer and planer. The screen was removed on this unit because it would clog from shavings on wide boards. The other (saw) DC had issues with wide board shavings too and I was constantly having to empty my (55 gal.)collection bin. I work almost exclusively with rough sawn lumber. Neither unit does floor cleanup by the way. By adding a separate DC unit dedicated to the jointer and planer I saved a lot of money vs. buying a larger DC unit. By the way, that second unit I got was a used HF unit. It works just fine for the course shavings but I would never consider using it for any fine sawdust. As it was, I ended up adding a second filter bag to it to capture the few fines that were getting out of the HF bag. I had an extra filter bag because I put a pleated filter on my (saw) DC.


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## jimintx (Jan 23, 2014)

I lean toward the group that says remove the grid and be careful what you vacuum up from the floor. None of my shop vacs have ever had such grids, and they are often used for floor cleaning. My PM dust collector has a grid in the 4" inlet, but it is only a cross-hairs style, and doesn't ever clog. I'd say a lot can get past it.

HOWEVER - my personal solution is to take the machine outside and let the chips and dust spray out into the ambient air. I do this with several different machines, all of which are on mobile bases. I am lucky though, that my set up allows this to be done rather easily.


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## WorksInTheory (Jan 5, 2014)

jimintx - do you have a DW715x? Mine doesn't have a blower so I am thinking my dust collection pulls things out of the way so it doesn't clog up so probably can't do what you mention. My is a cross-hairs grid too but it is clogging up so I think I might just clip it out and take my chances until I can build a separator.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

Had the exact same problem. I cut it out. I don't really worry too much about screws and whatnot. I just put pieces too big in my scrap bucket. I'd do that whether vacuuming or sweeping.


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