# Modifying HF Dust Collector without going nuts?



## HickWillis (Aug 5, 2016)

I just picked up a HF dust collector and have read a few threads here and elsewhere on the interwebs about modifying it to make it a little better. Frankly, I don't have the time at the current moment to do a lot of these mods. Maybe down the road, I will but for right now I just need it to work fairly well.

With that said, what very simple things can I do to it to make it work well? I've read the easiest fix is a better bag to filter down to 1 micron. Anything else very easy that can be done in maybe 10 minutes or so with minimal cost?

Also, this will be hooked up to a miter saw, sanders, and a router. My table saw is mainly used outside so my dust mask provides the protection I need there.


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## bbasiaga (Dec 8, 2012)

I did two things that took me a total of about 30 min.

1. I bought the Wynn environmental health filter cartridge and installed it. You'll also need a blast gate to conto air flow if you do this. This isn't cheap..i think the filter was $120 or something. Not sure if that meets your definition of minimal cost.

2. I got the woodcraft garbage can separator and a garbage can. Total of $50 here. 30 for the lid, 20 for a can that fit it.

Cleaner air, better seperation. Very little effort to implement.

Brian


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## HickWillis (Aug 5, 2016)

Thanks Brian, I'll look into those things. For under 200 bucks that doesn't seem too bad.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

Here is what I did with mine before buying clear view:

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/32589

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/46709

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/46764


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

Better how? Easier to clean out or better at collecting dust? The Winn filter is the one best mod to increase catching the fine dust and keeping it out of the air. A cyclone separator makes it easier to collect and dump out the larger chips and dust. But the cyclone actually reduces the overall suction of the collector possibly reducing what's collected at the tool. The HF doesn't have a whole lot of power to start with. I put both the Winn filter and cyclone on my HF and it does ok for my use. The cyclone just makes it easier to empty without having to remove the plastic bag.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Put on the felted bags from Highland Woodworking. Done. That's what I did. All the other stuff s like putting an English saddle on a jackass.
Bill


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

> Put on the felted bags from Highland Woodworking. Done. That s what I did. *All the other stuff s like putting an English saddle on a jackass*.
> Bill
> 
> - Bill White


That's hurtful. But jackass's are hard working beast.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

If I had to do it over again, I would…

#1. Wynn Environmental pleated filter. I picked the spun bond poly for its washability. 
#2. Thien baffle in the inlet ring of the dust collector. I went full on with a side inlet 55 gallon drum separator version, sucks up too much shop floor space which has been a problem for years…


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

The separator is a must to protect the vanes from larger chips. As to the filter, I just discarded it and the bag and vented the dust directly through an outside wall. Freed up a ton of space and no bags to empty and no worries about airborne dust….from the DC anyway.
The separator can catches a good deal and the rest can be vented to a container outside. 
I didn't bother with the outside container. We are VERY rural.


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## DustyM (May 16, 2016)

> The separator is a must to protect the vanes from larger chips. As to the filter, I just discarded it and the bag and vented the dust directly through an outside wall. Freed up a ton of space and no bags to empty and no worries about airborne dust….from the DC anyway.
> The separator can catches a good deal and the rest can be vented to a container outside.
> I didn t bother with the outside container. We are VERY rural.
> 
> - Gene Howe


Same here. It allowed me to mount the blower in the corner of my garage out of the way. The trash can is easy to empty. I have a neighbor about 60ft to the side of my house where it vents, so I wanted to be sure I wasn't caoting anything. I dumped maybe a gallon of dust on the floor to suck it up, and had my wife operate the collector while I observed outdoors. The dust is visible at a max of maybe 6 inches from the vent, then it's just gone. I think my actual dryer puts out more junk through its vent!


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## weathersfuori (Apr 23, 2015)

I bought the Wynn filter and made a separator as well. Both have made a big difference for me, but I think the most important is the upgraded filter. Not cheap, but you won't get it and feel bad about spending the money. And it couldn't be much easier to install it.

You can make the separator as easy or as hard as you want it to be. I overthought it, stewed over designs and inlet sizes and all this stuff… finally just went in the garage and stopped thinking and started doing, and it ended up much easier than I thought.

A chip separator would probably be helpful with your router, otherwise I would think for a sander and miter saw you'd be fine with just the upgraded filter. FWIW I gave up on dust collection for my miter saw and just bought a portable stand and do my cutting outside the garage.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

"As to the filter, I just discarded it and the bag and vented the dust directly through an outside wall. Freed up a ton of space and no bags to empty and no worries about airborne dust" 
You have to be careful about venting outside if you have an heated or air conditioned shop as the DC will pull so much air out.
I tried that with my clear view but ti was pulling so much air out that it created a vacuum in my shop.
I had to reinstall the filters in my shop, it works very well now.


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## Rentvent (Jan 28, 2016)

A remote controlled power switch isn't very expensive and can usually be installed in under 10 minutes.


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## bbasiaga (Dec 8, 2012)

> Better how? Easier to clean out or better at collecting dust? The Winn filter is the one best mod to increase catching the fine dust and keeping it out of the air. A cyclone separator makes it easier to collect and dump out the larger chips and dust. But the cyclone actually reduces the overall suction of the collector possibly reducing what s collected at the tool. The HF doesn t have a whole lot of power to start with. I put both the Winn filter and cyclone on my HF and it does ok for my use. The cyclone just makes it easier to empty without having to remove the plastic bag.
> 
> - WhyMe


Just ad a note…since the Wynn filter has significantly more surface area, it reduces the back pressure on the fan and air flow increases. This can actually be a problem by over amping the motor. Best to install a blast gate and keep it pinched back some. Adding a thine type separator also increases back pressure, so it more than likely offsets the filter change, plus some.

My can lid helps too, but I still have to pinch back a blast gate to avoid tripping the motor at startup.

Brian


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## DirtyMike (Dec 6, 2015)

the best bang for buck i did was seal mine with a good vinyl tape. Everyone uses foil tape but im not sure its the way to go to for a dust collector.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Bert, my 24X36 shop is tightly insulated and heated with a propane heater with its own tank.There has been no difference in my propane usage since venting the DC outside. The metal vent pipe doesn't even get warm. Possibly, the metal can used for the separator, might get warm but that heat would dissipate into the shop, anyway. 


> "As to the filter, I just discarded it and the bag and vented the dust dictly through an outside wall. Freed up a ton of space and no bags to empty and no worries about airborne dust"
> You have to be careful about venting outside if you have an heated or air conditioned shop as the DC will pull so much air out.
> I tried that with my clear view but ti was pulling so much air out that it created a vacuum in my shop.
> I had to reinstall the filters in my shop, it works very well now.
> ...


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## HickWillis (Aug 5, 2016)

Thanks for all the responses folks. I think I'll go with the Wynn filter and check out a couple of the other options presented here. I'm not too hung up on the larger chips for now as I use my shop vac and/or a broom for anything large. My woodworking volume isn't a large part of my day so I don't make a lot of mess.


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

I've been using a 20amp remote I found at Lowe's with my HF DC. While not special DC rated like the ones from woodworking stores, it has worked fine.



> A remote controlled power switch isn t very expensive and can usually be installed in under 10 minutes.
> 
> - Rentvent


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

For my clear view and because of the amperage required by a 5HP motor (over 30 Amps at start up)I made my own remote switch.
If you know what you are doing it is easy to do.


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## brtech (May 26, 2010)

+1 for the Wynn (it's a winner, or is that a wynner?)
I'm with WhyMe: the HF is underpowered. Anything that decreases airflow is bad. Separators decrease airflow, and therefore they are bad, full stop. It's nice to not have to empty the bag as often, but it decreases airflow, and thus I suggest you don't do it. The Wynn increases airflow, and therefore is good. I have the HF with the Wynn, and the motor isn't running any hotter or sound any different, so I would not add a blast gate. Emptying the bag is a PITA, but I don't need to do it often enough that it's really bothersome, and I don't want to decrease suction.

For me, besides the Wynn and a cheapo remote (I use a Woods Outdoor remote, I've replaced it a couple weeks ago after 3 years of service, making it quite a bargain), the only thing worthwhile for me was to buy the Rockler Dust Right hose with the handle and the adapters. It makes it really, really easy to move between machines, and the hose collapses to avoid loops of hose when connecting to the close-by machines in my shop.

Mounting the Wynn takes 30 minutes tops. Adding the remote, 1 minute. Adding the Dust Right system, 30 minutes for 4 machines (TS, BS, Jointer, Planner).

Please remember that it's underpowered. Use a mask.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

For my clear view and because of the amperage required by a 5HP motor (over 30 Amps at start up)I made my own remote switch.
If you know what you are doing it is easy to do.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I CERTAINLY didn't mean to be "hurtful". just tryin' to be economical. What works for me might not be your cup of tea.
I do have an ambient air cleaner which is used in conjunction with the HF collector.
Maybe I should add more glowing remarks for stuff that costs BIG bucks.
BTW, I made the ambient cleaner from an old "smoking room" device. Cost? NADA!
Bill


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