# Harbor freight 2hp dust collector....



## Cato

I think they are all made the same and re labeled for the label. My Penn State unit looks identical to yours just different color.


----------



## Jimi_C

Wynn sells a cartridge aimed directly at third party DC's, including the Harbor Freight model. I don't have one myself (yet), but I've heard good things about them, so that's where I was going to get mine - since they say they support mounting on the HF 2HP model (which I also have).


----------



## PhineasWhipsnake

I have that DC myself, and added the Wynn cannister. I haven't personally tried the Jet, Delta, or Grizzly machines in this class, but my HF reallly sucks (in a good way!) For the money, it's hard to beat.


----------



## a1Jim

I have three of them they're great you can't beat them for the price.


----------



## thefishingschool

i was looking into geeting this for my lathe and now i think iwll pull the trigger when i get the money


----------



## dustyal

I go to a Harbor Freight store… and I have been wondering about their DC… Question: In relative terms, how loud is it… I suspect no different than any other… I get by with a shop vac and Oneida dust cyclone thing… but it just get the cfm that I need for a hood over the table saw, or an enclosure for the cut off miter saw. Plus I want to add band saw and lathe and jointer, and etc… etc…

I have small shop in our house finished basement… I'll need to convince my wife that HF green is a decorator color… :>)


----------



## los

njcraftsman,

Where did you get your replacement filter bag? I saw one on Amazon from Big Horn for $33? Here is the link - http://www.amazon.com/Big-Horn-11765-Diameter-1-Micron/dp/B001C04FJY


----------



## ellen35

dustyal,
This machine is much quieter than a shop vac and dust deputy. I know… I replaced them with the HF… It is a great machine and I ordered the Wynn cartridge today! It is also soooo much more in terms of suction.


----------



## Gerry1

njcraftsman,

Congrats on the DC from HF. I too have the same unit, with a Thien baffled 30 gal metal trash can in line as a chip collector. The system works really well, and with most of the chips and dust going the the can, even keeps the plastic bag almost empty.

A friend here has the Grizzly 2 HP unit, and neither of us can tell the difference between them.

I've emptied the chip separator can twice now, and have yet to even *think* about the bag. It even seems to keep dust out of the filter. Almost as good as a cyclone unit, and WAY more cost effective.

Ellen, Which Wynn filter did you choose? I'm about to make a similar purchase. Thanks!


----------



## njcraftsman

DustyAl…..Dust collectors in general are MUCH quieter than shop vacs! My shop Vac is almost as loud at my router. As far as how many tools you can run at once I'm not sure. Recently, I had the TS, and jointer working at the same time (helper), and it proved it self more than capable (one is on a branch 45ft front the DC, and the other is 25ft from the DC). As far as what individual tools can you use with it, pretty much anything you can think of it can do I imagine, way beyond a shop vac power.

LOS…. Yep that be the very bag…I highly recomend!


----------



## DavidHarms

Agree with this review, I have the same model, wait for it to go on sale, they do often, then grab a 20% off coupon out of family handy man or similar mag and go pick it up .. best price on a DC in my opinion, specially for a hobbyist.


----------



## davidroberts

I finally broke down and bought the HF 2hp DC with a coupon from Wood magazine. I waited till the last day on the coupon. I think July 21 or 22. I tried to double up and use the 20% off also, but the clerk said no go. It actually rang up at $179 and my coupon was $139. Still a great deal. It went together much easier than I thought. All the holes lined up. It is a big heavy unit and you need at least 10 to 12 sqft to contain it. Mine is stock but *thanks Los *for the 1-micron bag tip on Amazon. I plan to put a Thien baffle between soon. The noise is like a small jet liner, but much more pleasant than a shop vac of any size. One of my shop vac is relegated to a cabinet underneath the router table. I'll probably use the other for hand power tools. Ultimately I want to build a small room fitted to the outside of my garage and run hose through the exterior wall. One day…


----------



## thefishingschool

david i think one day i will build a small shed and put my compressor my dc when i get one and perhaps some small tool storage…...............well money is always the issue


----------



## los

njcraftsman - Thanks! Just ordered mine this morning!


----------



## dbhost

I have written one of those positive reviews of the HF DC, I have had mine for a while now and have been nothing but pleased with it.. I use the Wynn filter. The OEM bag has never seen sawdust…


----------



## SST

It's great to read this review because I bought one as well several months ago & haven't had the time to set it up yet. I was kinda interested in getting a DC & was just starting to look around when someone (on LJ's, I think) mentioned that the website had them down to $139. I printed off the page & took it to my local store along with a 20% off coupon & they gave me *both* discounts.
I ended up laying out about $112 for the collector! I couldn't pass it up for that. Now, if only I can find the time to hook it up.


----------



## Estley

ok.. now I'm curious about this….

of those 45ft runs you guys talk about, are they all hose, or hose+pipe?.... and how many bends can you put on a pipe run on one of these before it looses suction to the point of being useless?


----------



## njcraftsman

Estley…..Ridgid pipe for me with long straight runs, when I have to turn I use long radius elbows, and 45 degree branch connectors. I kept my flexible hose runs a short as possible, under 2 feet, except for one drop down from the center of the ceiling. I bought a book about how to properly set up a DC system, can find it now though.


----------



## Ken90712

Hmmmmm good info and review might have to think this over a bit…..... Thx


----------



## Howie

Just remember if when you put a 90 fitting in the piping it is the equivalent of adding another lenght of pipe as far as resistance goes. For the long runs stick with the slick pipe, not flexible tubing.


----------



## dustyal

Picked it up at HF today. $139. coupon, but I could not use my 20% off coupon with that. So, used the 20% coupon for their dust collection kit of two 10' hoses, couple of gates, two accessory collectors, and bunch of clamps. Since I picked it up, no shipping charges, and in Delaware we have no sales tax.

Assembly was straight forward if you throw away the instructions… they were poor and out of date with manufacturing changes. I was pleased with the unit. It was well painted, not dents or scratches. Everything fit fine. It wasn't too loud and it did not blow my 15 amp circuit. Haven't used it for intended purpose, but I am very pleased so far-especially considering price. Biggest problem is trying to find a place to park it in my small area.


----------



## DavidHarms

wood magazine - issue 200 pg 83 has a coupon for this model for 139.00 in case anyone is still shopping for it, expires 12/24/10


----------



## DAWG

Going to get mine in two weeks. I was already considering the HF DC, but I sure have gotten a lot of great info from this post to improve it. Thanks for all the info; I hope they'll take the 20% coupon.


----------



## Routerisstillmyname

last week they had these online for 159.99 + the 20 % coupon so I Picked one up today from HF for 127.99 + tax. grab'em while they're on sale.
there's also a sale/coupon for 139 in some wood mags.


----------



## Umpire20

Gentlemen ….... I just purchased the Harbor Freight Dust Collector this past weekend. I also purchased their dust collector accessory kit which consists of several hose clamps, blast gates, and a table saw "shroud".

I am having trouble with the hoses connecting onto the tools which I want them attached to. Case in point, I have a Dewalt 735X thickness planer. The Harbor Freight hoses will not go over the dust collection output on this planer.

I also have a Ridgid R4512 table saw which has its own 4" (or so it says) dust port on the bottom. The fittings in the Harbor Freight kit seem to be different sizes than the tools I already have.

Can anyone give me some advice or tell me where I can get fittings & hoses that will fit on my tools? I really want to put this dust collector to work, but I'm hesitant to break down the shop vac connections I had until I know I can connect directly to the HF collector.

Thanks in advance for your help.


----------



## njcraftsman

Follow up 1712 days later!! Still ticking, used for a small professional wood shop. Generally runs two tools at the same time, with my ducting system. I have had three tools running at once but the suction does suffer a bit. Frankly I have been meaning to replace the bag system, with a canister style. But I do run the PENN 1 mic. bags, and poly lowers. I does get filled a bit quickly, but for the average home shop user this will not be a problem!!
The stock bags are definitely junk, ditch them as quickly as poss. for something with quality. Since My biz is getting larger I'm probably going with a larger cyclone, and but this was def. a great buy. Real sleeper.


----------



## Poppasmurf

I have the same one and VERY Happy w/it also have the small !hp for my Mitersaw,havent hooked it up yet ,but I know it works cause its what I used in my shop first


----------

