# Does height matter for pipe/hose for Dust Collection system



## KI5AAI (Nov 4, 2021)

I have a Shop Fox W1685 that I got for free 3 years ago. I never hooked it up until now. I am going to use it in a small garage shop.

Question: does the height matter for the main pipe? It is easier for me to have it 2 feet off the ground versus at 6 feet.

I am using it for my router table, 14" Bandsaw and Table Saw. All are withing 12 feet of the Dust collector.


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## DrRobert (Apr 27, 2015)

If anything it would work better, right ??


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## KI5AAI (Nov 4, 2021)

DrRobert said:


> If anything it would work better, right ??


I am not sure, that is why a I am asking


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## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

KI5AAI said:


> I have a Shop Fox W1685 that I got for free 3 years ago. I never hooked it up until now. I am going to use it in a small garage shop.
> 
> Question: does the height matter for the main pipe? It is easier for me to have it 2 feet off the ground versus at 6 feet.
> 
> I am using it for my router table, 14" Bandsaw and Table Saw. All are withing 12 feet of the Dust collector.


I do not believe it makes a distance. The pipe is sealed except for the outlets. My pipes are fun on the ceiling and drop down to 5 different machines. It is a cheap ass collector, but with good blast gates it does an excellent job. My 15" planer and spindle shaper likely feed it the most and I have never had an issue.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Typically, any increase in the length of pipe, ducting, or flex hose especially, creates more resistance.
The closer you can keep the DC unit to the machines, the better it will work.
I only run a maximum of 5 ft of 4" flex hose to any of my machines, table saws, thickness planers, and my dual drum sanders.
I use a shop vac on the ports of my bandsaws, router tables and my 6" jointer even though it does make a lot of larger chips than the other machines.
I also hook a shop vac directly to any hand held sanders, ROS or belt 3" X 21" or 4" X 24". My bench top 4" X 36" is also hooked to a shop vac.
Shop vacs do a better job on small sanders and the bandsaws because of their increased velocity.


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## KI5AAI (Nov 4, 2021)

Thanks for all the replies. I get the concept: closer is better. My question is:

Question: does the height matter for the main pipe? It is easier for me to have it 2 feet off the ground versus at 6 feet. 

The main pipe will run no more than 12 feet. It will feed to the table saw, router table (I might still keep using the shop vac for the router but for planning purposes...), and bandsaw.

Is it more efficient to have the suction work from a lower height of the dust port of the equipment or higher height?


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

If all other factors are equal, then the actual height of the main pipe doesn't matter. 

Most likely, keeping the pipe 2 feet off the ground makes it shorter and with fewer bends and turns, so that should keep the dust collector closer to your tools and would get you the best dust collection. 

Keeping the pipe 6 feet off the ground makes it longer, right? 

At that point, you must weigh the other factors: 

Does the difference between 2 feet and 6 feet actually matter from a practical use standpoint? We don't know enough about your situation, that's a choice you will have to make.

Does the difference between 2 feet and 6 feet make your shop operations more convenient and efficient? Will 2 feet get in the way, where 6 feet won't? Is it worth the loss of efficiency to get it out of the way? Again - we don't know your situation well enough to answer that question.

Is this a "permanent" shop configuration that you are likely to keep a long time, or do you rearrange your tools a lot?


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## KI5AAI (Nov 4, 2021)

Tool Agnostic said:


> If all other factors are equal, then the actual height of the main pipe doesn't matter.
> 
> Most likely, keeping the pipe 2 feet off the ground makes it shorter and with fewer bends and turns, so that should keep the dust collector closer to your tools and would get you the best dust collection.
> 
> ...


"
If all other factors are equal, then the actual height of the main pipe doesn't matter.

Most likely, keeping the pipe 2 feet off the ground makes it shorter and with fewer bends and turns, so that should keep the dust collector closer to your tools and would get you the best dust collection."

Thank you! That is all I needed to know. I know there are other factors just as tubing (smooth or flex), distances. I just wanted to know if having the main line higher or lower would make a difference.

I will go with 2 feet off the ground..actually starting in about an hour or so LOL  Thanks again


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## HoytC (Dec 30, 2019)

KI5AAI said:


> Question: does the height matter for the main pipe?


Not really. Lower has a slight advantage.


> Is it more efficient to have the suction work from a lower height of the dust port of the equipment or higher height


Lower. Gravity makes a difference. I takes more energy to lift something against gravity than it does to accept it's assistance.


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