small shop dust collection

[tule peak timber]

I've outgrown my 3 HP Oneida dust collector and need to move up ...What are you guys running in the 15- 20 HP range ? I will probably keep ,my existing plumbing as I am set up ... Rob

[jueston]

i assume the piping for your 3HP was 4". are you concerned that all that horsepower will be wasted because your pipes are so small?

i think repiping the main run would give you a higher volume of air being moved.

but i'm still carting a shopvac around my shop.... ;)

[tule peak timber]

Hi Jueston, My main concern is the large investment to upgrade the collector itself- is it worth it....My twin split mains now are both 8 inch stepped appropriately to the different machines and the system overall has gotten too big. I'm looking at used towers for sale and talking to Oneida about new. The 3 hp cyclone I have now seemed big when I first started woodworking 8-9 years ago, but today the dual 55gallon drums actually hold up work having to empty them so many times a day. Then there are the machines I want to add. Power and air...short on both.  Rob

[Sawyer697]

I ended up putting up a small building framed in 3x4's then wrapped in old metal roofing, with a metal roof on top, a door in front to unload the sawdust and shavings. Set away from the shop far enough for fire protection. Powered by 3 H.P. Blower! 4" pipes, when it is full, I call some one with horses, and it is empty!

[tule peak timber]

Sawyer...Excellent idea...Rob

[Don_Papenburg]

Could you put rotary airlocks under your cyclone and run another piping system to remove the sawdust to a larger receptical . Like a semi trailer.

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Tule

Once we put a website out there, we got lots of requests for our sawdust and shavings. Our cedar shavings get isolated and sold to local pet owners for animal bedding. Other shavings, with the exception of walnut, which is toxic, gets sold to local horse owners and they come and get it when I have a fair amount on the side for them. I was even contacted by a place that made wood pellets. They wanted the sawdust bad and were even willing to provide a tractor trailer box that i could blow the sawdust into..but i dont come anywhere close to that volume to make it worth is for them.

My local woodworking club has over 350 members and generates a ton of sawdust and shavings. They bag it and offer it for free on craigslist and through word of mouth and never have any problems finding takers...in fact the takers often battle one another to get their hands on it.

Maybe you can avoid needing a large system by being more agressive at finding takers or buyers for what you have available and getting them to come get it on a timely basis.

[Sawyer697]

bag of kiln dried sawdust goes for goes for $3.00 around here, if you want to mess with it!
Merry Christmas Everyone

[tule peak timber]

And a merry Christmas to all on this thread... Thanks for the replies .The quest for more air has to do with the marginal ability I have now for the existing system to support the shop as is. I want to expand with a moulder and a double sided planer that will each need about 4- 6000 CFM . Presently I scoop all my sawdust from the mills and shop, into a canyon out back along with smaller slash. Lots of horse people around me , but I also mill a lot of walnut which is mixed into the dust/shavings. I want to stay clear of being accused of making an animal sick. I'm helping one of my guys get into the firewood business with the the larger scraps. Most of the used 20 HP systems I'm looking at are almost as much as new equipment , which seems odd to me. So at this point I'm still looking.... Cheers  Rob

[pineywoods]

What about multiple smaller systems ? 6 inch Stove pipe..Should be easy to do if you are just dumping it in the ravine..

[Lud]

My  bankbarn is my shop and  I use a trapdoor to dump the shavings from my lathe into a cart downstairs  and to empty the bag from the dust collection system which is also there so the noise is a bit further away.   I haul the cart out to the " mulch gulch" a few times a year.

You might consider the outside structure choice for isolation but then set it up with a gravity- empty grain wagon parked underneath.  That might hold a week's worth for you! 8)

[Tom L]

I was looking around all last summer for a blower to take care of the dust out of my saw shed

after doing a lot of research I am going to buy a billy goat blower in the spring, I got the idea from this board, and it seems to be the right choice. they make some very high hp units that move a lot of air for not too much money, compared to what I found in electric machines.

a few of the local guys have enclosed trailers with a mesh tops that act like a large filter bag
they use them every day for clearing leaves and debris.
seems the trailer idea may be worth while, just move it to your dump site and heave ho

good luck

[Larry]

Most of the used 20 HP systems I'm looking at are almost as much as new equipment , which seems odd to me. So at this point I'm still looking.... Cheers  Rob

I've been to several manufacturing plant auctions in the last few years where dust systems sold for far less than scrap value.  I thought it curious they sold so cheap but than I thought.  No new wood product manufacturing plants are being built (at least round here).  All the equipment has to be removed from the old plant.  That means a couple of guys, a man lift to get the pipe, something big to lift the cyclone/blower, and we haven't even started on the bag house.  Lots of labor costs to get that stuff.  Than you will need an 18 wheeler to haul the goodies home.

I would certainly check all the auctions.  Its pretty easy to check online auctions similar to IRS and put in a low ball bid.  Just find out if you have to remove the stuff with an insured rigger.  That can add a lot.

Good luck on your search.