# 2 or 3 smaller dust collectors or 1 big one



## wdumas (Jul 4, 2007)

Which would be better, 2 or 3 smaller 1-2 HP dust collectors situated closer to each major tool or 1 5 HP ClearVue dust collector with longer (10-20' runs)?


----------



## sunnybob (Sep 3, 2016)

1 large, properly installed.
Time wasted on moving, connecting, emptying three separate units would be huge.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

wdumas said:


> Which would be better, 2 or 3 smaller 1-2 HP dust collectors situated closer to each major tool or 1 5 HP ClearVue dust collector with longer (10-20' runs)?


10-20' piping isn't that far. Unless you have a large planer making a lot of chips one smaller dust collector would do the work. Dealing with chips a separator is more important than the size of the collector. I have a 2hp HF collector which will work by itself for everything but chips. It will pick them up just fine but tends to get stopped up at the blower. It will handle chips from my lunchbox planer but not my 24" planer. If I would get a separator I think it would work.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Remove the X screen at the blower ....*



Steve Neul said:


> 10-20' piping isn't that far. Unless you have a large planer making a lot of chips one smaller dust collector would do the work. Dealing with chips a separator is more important than the size of the collector. I have a 2hp HF collector which will work by itself for everything but chips. It will pick them up just fine but tends to get stopped up at the blower. It will handle chips from my lunchbox planer but not my 24" planer. If I would get a separator I think it would work.



I have a Jet, similiar to the Hf, but I took off the X screen for the reason you stated. No big chunks of wood should enter the blower ...unless there's a catsazztrophy .....:sad2:


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> I have a Jet, similiar to the Hf, but I took off the X screen for the reason you stated. No big chunks of wood should enter the blower ...unless there's a catsazztrophy .....:sad2:


I started to do that but I have found large enough pieces of wood up next to the grille that it would have caused damage. I used to think it was there just to keep paws out but now I'm not so sure.


----------



## evilboweivel (Nov 3, 2018)

I prefer a cyclone with piping to all tools
Problem with this is the cyclone consumes(for lack of a better word) a lot of air
My cyclone is a sheet metal one I bought off of ebay, 6" inlet, 7" to dust collectors(2hp 2 bag and 3hp 4 bag) 6" sheet metal piping to tools exception being table saw, jointer and wide belt sander are 4"
Like how all dust and large pieces end up in collection bin unless bin is full then it travels on to dust collectors
Dislike the loss of vacuum thru the cyclone, think next step is to add a fan inline before the cyclone however don't like the idea of all the chips going thru it
my recommendation is to buy the best cyclone you can stretch and buy instead of spending more money over a few years and ending up with a less efficient system that you regret.


----------



## ORBlackFZ1 (Dec 25, 2013)

wdumas said:


> Which would be better, 2 or 3 smaller 1-2 HP dust collectors situated closer to each major tool or 1 5 HP ClearVue dust collector with longer (10-20' runs)?


Having done both, I would recommend one (1) cyclone over multiple smaller units. This assumes that your piping is designed and installed correctly and your cyclone is properly sized for the requirements. There are plenty of on-line tools that can help you with those calculations.

I have a small enough shop (500 sqft) that my 2hp Grizzly Cyclone can be moved between two (2) work areas. My tools are all on casters and move from the outside walls to the center work areas as they are needed.

You can read about my dust collection experience from shop vacs to my cyclone at this thread (https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f32/pipe-diameter-vs-performance-59625/)

Eric


----------

