# Got my HF DC Unit today



## new2woodwrk (Mar 16, 2015)

In the process of putting it together, so pics will come soon.

Instructions aren't very good at all 

Trying to find the thread about putting it together - read it last night and seemed much clearer than the instructions LOL


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

Their instructions suck at best. All you need is a little common sense, it is easy. I looked at the instructions and threw them away and followed my common sense. :thumbsup:


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## new2woodwrk (Mar 16, 2015)

Found the instructions I was reading - in a review on the HF website:

"Casters are held on by Philips head bolts, not hex head per the manual;

Motor manifold is held on by hex head, not Philips head; 

Motor mount is NOT pre-assembled, you have to use the four longer hex bolts;

The base plate is punched and threaded, you do not use nuts when attaching something to the base plate, if you do you will run out of nuts very quickly; 

If you have a harbor Freight near you, go there and take a few pictures of the assembled floor model."

I also bought a 1 year extended warranty which I NEVER purchase.

Anyone know best way to test for leaks?


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## EdwardNYC (Dec 12, 2014)

Hey there. I'm about to pull the trigger on this myself, so please continue to post about your experience setting it up. 

Thanks!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The dust collector is pretty basic. I have two of them I put together without instructions. What are you having trouble with? The hardest part I have with them is the clear plastic collection bag. It almost takes two people to get the thing on it under the banding strap.


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## Dan3103 (Mar 24, 2015)

Use some tape on the bag to hold it while putting the clamp on.. works like a charm


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Magnets work great to hold the bag while installing the band clamp


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## new2woodwrk (Mar 16, 2015)

Dan3103 said:


> Use some tape on the bag to hold it while putting the clamp on.. works like a charm


This is what I did at first - however, I noticed there are slip under clamps on the surround - I was able to lift the plastic bag up, pull away the clip enough to get the plastic under it, then went to the other side and did the same - then the sides these slip unders work really well.

The difficulty I encountered mostly was which bolts/screws to use - so I just guesstimated and it worked.

Pics:
























I do however have quite a few washers left over  which in my case is better than all the screws and bolts I usually have left over LOL

The directions I posted are a great help to any one about to tackle this. 

It's not really difficult.

However, how do you guys check for air leaks?


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## Dan3103 (Mar 24, 2015)

Mostly, I just listen. If you have a pretty good leak, you will definitely hear it. I wouldn't be too concerned with small leaks until you go to a fixed pipe system. Using the hose to a single tool one at a time should give you enough air flow that small leaks are easily overcome.


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

Good job getting it put together. I have the same one. I recently upgraded to the Wynn cartridge filter. That made a great difference.

Oh, and with that dryer duct, you'll probably have leaks in no time. Go to Rockler or Woodcraft and get some vinyl flex hose.


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## new2woodwrk (Mar 16, 2015)

sanchez said:


> Good job getting it put together. I have the same one. I recently upgraded to the Wynn cartridge filter. That made a great difference.
> 
> Oh, and with that dryer duct, you'll probably have leaks in no time. Go to Rockler or Woodcraft and get some vinyl flex hose.


Yah that dryer duct folds up once I start the thing up lol! Pretty much worthless  But allows me to use the 4" to 2" adapter I need.

I've got some sewer pipe I'm going to try tomorrow - more pics to come.

What's with the Wynn filter? where does it go? I don't see any filter area on this unit - also can't figure out what purpose the big bag on top is for?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*big bag at the top...*

You understand that a dust collector is a giant blower.
It pressurizes the air going out and creates a vacuum in the process. With some losses in efficiency, air out = air in. So chips and dust get sucked into the "separator" and the bigger stuff falls down into the clear bag and the finer stuff gets blown into the cloth top bag..... which acts as a filter, keeping most of the fines stuff inside the bag.

The weave of the cloth and the material makes for a more or less efficient filter. The Wynn filter has a plated surface rather than a cylinder which means way more surface area to filter out the fine stuff. In addition the pleated material is a spun polyester, if memory serves, and is very efficient while still letting the most air out. The more restrictive the filter is, the less efficient the DC will be. Bags are not very efficient, due to a smaller area and the cheaper fabric.
http://wynnenv.com/woodworking-filters/

The cannister filters are way more efficient than the bags and that's why they cost more to make and sell for way more. However, you can get 1 micron bags from American Fabric Filters:

http://www.americanfabricfilter.com/pdf/02-Custom-Filters/How-&-Why-Optimized-Filter-Bags-Work.pdf


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## new2woodwrk (Mar 16, 2015)

That's a great link woodnthings (american filter) and thanks a bunch for the explanation - I didn't know the upper bag was the micron filter 

The instructions weren't very clear on a lot of how this thing works


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

Actually, that upper bag acts more like a dust re-distributor. It gives a nice puff of dust whenever you start it up.

If you're woodworking in the house, and you can swing the funds, the Wynn filter is great.


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## Cabosawman (Apr 21, 2014)

I have a hf dust collector I first ran 4 inch pvc under my Concrete floor ( I wash it out and push it under there ) and ran it to my tools. I made a big mistake I should have ran 6 Inch pvc , By the time I got to my Planner , i had sucking but not enough , So I left the piece under the floor to the table saw and band saw and took everything else out and ran a seperate over the head line directly form the planer to the other inlet on the dust collector and boy what a improvement , I still was satisfy so I play around again and cut a plywood ring to go on the top of the dust collector and cut a 6 inch hole and ran a piece of duct pipe right to the outside ( this pipe is about 12 feet long ) I forgot to say I go from the planer to a dust seperator and then to the hf collector and the table saw goes under the floor to the another seperator and to the hf collector I also forgot to tell you that I have a seperate small room off the out side back where my Hf dust collector and Air compressor is so the nosie stay in there and not in the work area , Now it work so good and keeps most of the dust up


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

new2woodwrk said:


> That's a great link woodnthings (american filter) and thanks a bunch for the explanation - I didn't know the upper bag was the micron filter
> 
> The instructions weren't very clear on a lot of how this thing works


AmericanFabricFilter can custom make darn near anything and they can work just as well as any canister filter out there. 

They can also make non-breathable fabric lower collection bags so the plastic stuff can go in the trash... :yes:


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Mine never actually got put together as it is designed. I mounted it on a plywood base and screwed it to the wall. A Thien thingie was made to fit in a 30 gallon drum. Much easier to empty the drum than wrestle with the plastic bag. I replaced the cloth filter bag with a Wynn Env filter cart.


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

woodnthings said:


> Bags are not very efficient, due to a smaller area and the cheaper fabric.
> 
> 
> The cannister filters are way more efficient than the bags and that's why they cost more to make and sell for way more.


 
Our bags and bag house are rated at 99.97 % efficiency at .3 microns of filtration. :smile:










You must be comparing the better canister filter ratings to the cheap 'china' 30 micron bags that Grizzly and other sell for cheap. 

That is not an 'apples to apples' comparison at all. :no:

I spoke to the nice lady at AFF today and ordered some custom bags for my newest collector. - :yes:


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## wericha (Apr 29, 2012)

OnealWoodworking said:


> AmericanFabricFilter can custom make darn near anything and they can work just as well as any canister filter out there.
> 
> They can also make non-breathable fabric lower collection bags so the plastic stuff can go in the trash... :yes:


LOL:laughing::laughing:

Still haven't figured out a lot of real woodworkers use plastic bags for their dust collectors, skippy?


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

wericha said:


> LOL:laughing::laughing:
> 
> Still haven't figured out a lot of real woodworkers use plastic bags for their dust collectors, skippy?


 
You never struck me as being a 'real' wood worker. :no:

Real wood workers don't have to 'farm out' simple crap like drawer boxes and buy special (simple) moldings to do their projects that could be easily made 'in house' with simple tools and basic knowledge...

Post up some pics of your latest project and I will give you an 'honest' opinion. :thumbsup:

Looking forward to your thread Skippy! LOL! :yes:


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