# Designing A Automatic Dust Collection System



## Bellarosecabinets (Jan 28, 2017)

Over the next six weeks, I will be going through how to design a dust collection system what works and what didn't work for me and the cost that is involved with the system.
It will start with the picking a dust collector and go all the way to fully automated blast gates. We will in next six weeks talk about manual systems, semi-automated systems, and fully automated systems. We will also look at dust collection design and placement and about it cyclones separators and placement in your system. Personally, I like the biggest bang for the buck. We will be trying to do this system as cheaply as possible.

My background I started woodworking as a child and have been doing woodwork for the last 30 years. Woodworking is not my only expertise I am also an aerospace engineer. That makes me look at the world differently, I look at everything and think how can I fix that. In college, I did robotics, programs machines, and wrote code for CMM's. I have been a machinist for 10 years, an engineer for 15 years, and do it yourself person for my whole life. As we go forward with this you will see that DIY person in me come out.

Let's start with the Dust collector. There are many brands of dust collectors out the and all of them have their pros and cons. I am cheap so that cuts it down by a lot. I really looked at three dust collectors the Grizzly G0548ZP, JDS 2 HP Cyclone 2100-CKV, and Jet DC-1200VX, There was only one reason that I was looking at the JDS I really like a feature on the Dust collector the self-cleaning filter 

Grizzly
Cost $475 
Motor: 2 HP, 240V, single-phase, 9A
Blower/impeller: 12-3/4" aluminum, radial fin
Air suction capacity: 1700 CFM
Static pressure: 10"
Sound rating: 83–85 dB
6" inlet has removable "Y" fitting with three 4" inlets
Canister filter size (dia. x depth): 19-5/8" x 23-5/8"
Bag capacity: 5.7 cubic feet
Overall dimensions: 31-1/2"W x 37-3/8"L x 71"H
Approximate shipping weight: 150 lbs.

JDS Cyclone
Cost 1499.00
Compact design is perfect for small shops, only 68 inches tall!
Radio Frequency Remote Control.
The self-cleaning 1 Micron Canister is equipped with its own motor.
New and Improved “Turbo Fan” impeller is larger, resulting in more Power!
1700 Max CFM!!!
Quick connect drum lid lever makes removing the steel collection drum quick and easy!
The smallest most compact cyclone on the market is now portable!!!

Jet
Cost 749.99
5 Year Warranty
Brochure
Brand: Jet
Manufacturer Part Number: 710702K
Weight (lbs): 0.0000
Amps: 8
Sound Rating: 80 - 85 dB
Volts: 230
Height: 39"
Length: 37-1/2"
Width: 22-1/2"
Warranty: 5 Year
Capacity: 5.3 Cubic Feet
Flow Rate: 1200 CFM
Filter Type: Canister
HP: 2 HP

After looking everything over I went with cheap and the self-cleaning filter we will get to that later.
Because of its cost, 1700 CFM and 10" static pressure I got the Grizzly.






For self-cleaning dust collector system go to my other forum Self Cleaning Dust Collector.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Depending on the size of your shop unless you get a really large industrial blower I think you will have a lot of problems ducting to various machines. Using these small units you will need a dust collector pretty much for every machine. Machines like a shaper, jointer or planer that make large chips you will need a dust collector for each machine and still have problems. I've stopped up a dust collector before running raised panels on a shaper. Machines like table saws that make dust you could duct for several machines.


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## Bellarosecabinets (Jan 28, 2017)

No problems with the Grizzly, my shop is 30'X24' and HVAC ducts are everywhere.


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## Bellarosecabinets (Jan 28, 2017)

Designing your system this is a critical part and if done right you should have no problems with the system. In school, I studied fluid dynamics and the way air moves is complicated. I have read all about static pressure and how you calculate static pressure. It's not really easy and simple static pressure calculators (Flex hose is --" of static pressure per foot...), those calculators that help to make it easier are not real accurate. Even if all the calculation where correct you still need to get dust from the machines. Good or bad that's just what needs to happen. For the most part hooking a 4” pipe to the machine will get some if not all the dust that machine makes out. That makes all the calculation irrelevant because we just can’t spend thousands of dollars on 24-foot tall dust collectors that cost $5000 dollars a year to run. So you buy a smaller dust collector and use blast gates. With the exception of two machines in my shop, most dust collectors will do a good job of getting all the dust out of most machines. In my shop two machines got plugged over and over again, they were the jointer and planer. Unlike other machines, these machines make big heavy chips that are hard to get up a pipe and to a dust collector. So to help this I added a cyclone in the middle of the shop so the chips had a shorter distance to travel. The shaper is one other machine that also makes big chips but it's really close to the dust collector so it doesn't get plugged. I may add one more cyclone to shaper main line so I don’t have to empty the dust collector’s bag as often. The Dust collector bag is one of those things that really needs to be fixed. If anyone has every changed one you know what I’m talking about. Dust get everywhere and getting that ring around the bag is a pain. In my planes, you will see lots of blast gates even though they are a pain to open and close it really help to decrease static Pressure. The blast gates also help with dead air spaces that collect wood chips and saw dust. Most of my 90 deg are two 45 deg to help to lower the static pressure. I tried to use as little flex hose in the system to help with static pressure. I also used about 6 rolls of 3M Aluminum Foil Tape 3381 (for metal duck work) to help with lost suction in the joints. 

The Machines that I have in my shop

- Grizzly 15" planer G04539
- Grizzly 10" Cabinet Table Saw G0690
- Grizzly 6" X 55-1/2 Jointer
- Grizzly 3 HP Shaper G1026
- Grizzly 2 HP Canister Dust Collector G0548ZP
- Dewalt 12" Chop Saw double Bevel 
- Kobalt 3.7 HP 60 Gallon Air Compressor
- Almost all my hand tools are Ridgid
- Delta 31-481 26 Dual Drum Sander

I have been asked why Grizzly the cost is one for me but most machines at this level are made by the same factor in China. Attached is some common 15" planners and you will see that they are all the same with the exception of the cabinet they are identical in cutters and feed systems. I only own one Dewalt tool and that is the chop saw because I fill that it is the best chop saw out there. My hand tools are Ridgid because they work great and free batteries under the "lifetime warranty". Bad batteries really don't happen much in my experience, I'm still using batters that are 14 years old. I had a lithium battery that was 2 years old, that had the indicator charge light get stuck on and that battery would not charge after it was 100% dead. I called Ridgid they asked what the battery charger was doing when I put the battery on it and then sent a new battery without sending the bad battery back. That is great customer serves. The Detla drum sander because I owned one before and it works great, at that time it was being made by Steel City Tools but they are identical sanders in every way. 

This is my opinions and not everyone needs to agree with them. I am always open for a discussion on why you agree or disagree with me.


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## Bellarosecabinets (Jan 28, 2017)

I'm working on a YouTube video going over the whole design of the system


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## tjdux (Feb 3, 2017)

Hey I'm very interested in this post. I noticed in the attachments it shoes a photo of an arduino. Curous what it's going to control... Automatic blast gates?


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## tjdux (Feb 3, 2017)

Hey also I wanted to ask you about your overall blueprint plan of you whole DC system. I see your cyclone is a good ways from the actual dc itself. Does this effect performance any anyway? Most peoples I've seen have the cyclone, or thein baffle barrel right next to the dc unit.


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## Bellarosecabinets (Jan 28, 2017)

It is as close to the machines that make the most amount of chips. That put it 20" from the planer. As for performance, I have added a video to youtube showing it working but, you will have a hard time seeing the chips so I had to close a Blast gate by 90% so you can see the chips coming from the planer. The planer cutting 1/16 deep cut with a 14" wide board will not get one chip on the board or the planers deck.


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## Bellarosecabinets (Jan 28, 2017)

Arduino is controlling the blast gates right now but that will be changing to a BeagleBone Black.


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## Bellarosecabinets (Jan 28, 2017)

New Video


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## UglySign (Sep 13, 2009)

Hey Bella

This is perfect timing for me. I just ran a couple cylinders for my Hammer slider table
and after using that I looked over at the Oneida blast gates I have. I have it drawn up
for manual valves and was thinking of the auto/solenoid/arduino way. But....
I dont know anything about Arduino and now you mention the Beagle.
Does it take a while to learn this type of setup?
Is it possible for you to build & sell a Arduino/Beagle setup? I need control for 4 gates.
I found this post earlier today so alot is swirling at the moment.
Not holding anything against you. Just asking.
Im going to check out the videos now.

Caio!

Ronnie


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## Bellarosecabinets (Jan 28, 2017)

There are lots of video on Arduino and beagle black. I can help when you get to that point.


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## UglySign (Sep 13, 2009)

Thanks B,
After looking around, i've found alot of info somewhat overwhelming
and actually find I don't have the time for it to learn. We'll see down the road.
That is a nice setup you have going on there though. Kudos on the Lexan/polcarb
that would have to be the best solution opposed to aluminium like i'm using.

Q: Couldnt you also run the cylinder along side the blast gate?
The cylinders you have setup now look like you could bump into
them accidentally.

Q: I have to go back and read again, but what size cylinders (diam.) are you using?

There's 2 DC posts going on, sorry if I ask redundant Q's



Bellarosecabinets said:


> There are lots of video on Arduino and beagle black. I can help when you get to that point.


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## Bellarosecabinets (Jan 28, 2017)

Yes, you could, almost all of my blast gates are on the ceiling so it really has not been a problem for me on the gates size. Just remember that the side pressure can make the blast gate jam.
The cylinder is a 3/4 diameter.


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