# More outputs on my DC?



## Clive Driscoll (Mar 19, 2009)

I'm very new to DC... Got the 2HP Harbor Freight DC a month or so ago and it works great (added a wynn cannister too).

This might be a very elementary question, so I apologize, but the DC I have has two outputs (4") so I have two hoses running from it, one to my TS and one to my Jointer... so whenever I have to use my router or planer I need to unhook from the TS and hook up to the router for example. Not a huge deal but kind of a pain.

Wondering if I can get some kind of "splitter" that would take my existing two outputs and make them into 4? Is there something made just for this purpose? I would never use all 4 at the same time, so maybe a way to shutoff the outputs I'm not using, etc? Thanks for any insight on this.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Clive Driscoll said:


> I'm very new to DC... Got the 2HP Harbor Freight DC a month or so ago and it works great (added a wynn cannister too).
> 
> This might be a very elementary question, so I apologize, but the DC I have has two outputs (4") so I have two hoses running from it, one to my TS and one to my Jointer... so whenever I have to use my router or planer I need to unhook from the TS and hook up to the router for example. Not a huge deal but kind of a pain.
> 
> Wondering if I can get some kind of "splitter" that would take my existing two outputs and make them into 4? Is there something made just for this purpose? I would never use all 4 at the same time, so maybe a way to shutoff the outputs I'm not using, etc? Thanks for any insight on this.


Clive,

Rather than splitting the two you have and making a tree branch, it would be more efficient to put your tool more or less in line and run one pipe past em all. PVC works well. You would have a T, a blast gate and a short section of flex hose at each tool.

The "blast gate" enables you to open and close suction to each tool...

There is PLENTY PLENTY info here about DC's... Try the search function...

Good luck...

~tom


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

I cap of one of the ports from the DC, run a short piece of hose to the separator, then off the separator to a wye. Now I have two hoses again. on each I put another wye. Viola! 4 hoses. My TS uses 2 of the hoses. The router table uses one and one goes to the Miter saw. When not in use, I cap or plug the non used hoses with a 1 lb coffee can. A little unhandy, but it works.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I agree with Tom lots of info on here about DC systems. You may also want to make a Thien cyclone seperator for a trash can or do the Thien baffle mod to your collector.

There are lots of opinions on the duct PVC vs Metal I and many if not most others use PVC in home shops.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

rrbrown said:


> I agree with Tom lots of info on here about DC systems. You may also want to make a Thien cyclone seperator for a trash can or do the Thien baffle mod to your collector.
> 
> There are lots of opinions on the duct PVC vs Metal I and many if not most others use PVC in home shops.


Clive,

One more thing... The guy above ^ is pretty knowledgable on the subject. Once you read up on it I suggest you direct your specific questions to him. There others here with a lot of experience too though.

Also a separator is a great addition. Rich, the guy above, and I are both in the works on ones made from a poly drum. It allows you to suck up darn near anything and not worry about it going through and damaging the impeller on your DC.

ps. Rich ole buddy... Hope ya don't mind me volunteering you, lol

~tom


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

firemedic said:


> Clive,
> 
> Rather than splitting the two you have and making a tree branch, it would be more efficient to put your tool more or less in line and run one pipe past em all. PVC works well. You would have a T, a blast gate and a short section of flex hose at each tool.
> 
> ...


Tom is mostly right, however I wanted to correct the suggestion for a T, instead use Y connectors (a branch connector that intersects at 45 degrees is ideal) and a 45 degree elbow to make your turn. Think of air flow like a car, the tighter the turns, and the bumpier the road the slower the car, or air has to go... Make your turns long and sweeping, and make everything as smooth as possible. While in most shops some flex hose is necessary to allow for tool movement, minimize flex hose as much as possible, and keep your runs as straight as possible... 

OP, you said you have a Harbor Freight 2HP Dust Collector. Those are decent machines, and the one I own... Fitted with a Wynn cartridge filter, and a separator either in the machine, or in line before the machine, makes this thing perform like a much more expensive unit. Replacing the flex hose between the impeller and inlet ring with 5" stove pipe (known as the Stove Pipe Mod) will also improve its performance...

FWIW, my setup has permanent ducts running to the table saw lower end, table saw blade guard, router table lower end, band saw, lathe, and soon drill press, and miter saw. My jointer and planer are bench top models, and so the DC hose is shared between those, and my router table fence. 

Good quality blast gates can add up cost wise, but you can make your own out of S&D PVC scrap, plywood / MDF, and hardboard if you are resourceful enough... LOTS of folks use the cheap ABS plastic gates and do well enough with them, although they are prone to clogging the gap which can prevent the gate from closing all the way. Self cleaning gates run considerably more money, and again, some creativity and cheapie blast gates can be made to self clean...

For what it's worth, I have my DC running 5" hose off the impeller housing (that is the size of port you have if you take the wye off..) and in to a separator barrel, then going out of the barrel with 5" into that wye... I have a total of 12 blast gates in my system. My longest run is a 20' from the separator.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

+1 on the Y's... That's what I meant :smile:

~tom


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

firemedic said:


> Clive,
> 
> One more thing... The guy above ^ is pretty knowledgable on the subject. Once you read up on it I suggest you direct your specific questions to him. There others here with a lot of experience too though.
> 
> ...


No to late if i did. :laughing:


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

rrbrown said:


> No to late if i did. :laughing:


...hahaha...

Yep!

~tom


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## Ycreek (Dec 8, 2010)

dbhost said:


> My longest run is a 20' from the separator.













Which tool is on the long run?


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Ycreek said:


> Which tool is on the long run?


Table saw blade guard. it goes up 4', across 12' and back down 4'.

My system is wyed off, so I have 2 runs at close to the same length actually, the lower cabinet for the table saw goes down the wall, down to the floor, and across, a total length of 20' as well. My next longest run is reserved for the drill press / miter saw once I get those figured out, it is 18'. Lathe at 16', band saw at 12 etc...

The miter saw will likely end up on a MUCH shorter run, top pickup only, at around 15' total. I plan on adding a wye to branch over my common wall to add dust collection for the miter saw, and move that machine there Some heavy modding of the workbench there is in order before I can do that though... I need to make room for the slide rails by bumping the front of the bench out..., and build a decent dust hood for it...


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