No, I didn't order Viagra like Smilin Bob..... Dew is a happy boy today because finally after 4 years of other crap getting in the way of improvements to the shop, and $140 later, I have all the goodies to start hooking up the duct work for the dust collector in my shop. It may not get all of the machines hooked up, in fact, far from it, but it is enough to hook up the ones that make the most dust for now. Every step at cutting down dust saves a lot of wear and tear on machinery, and saves me time in clean up. Just look at this smile  
Over the past 4 years or so every time I thought I was finally going to get this done, something of more importance rared it's ugly head and dust collection on the larger machines got put on hold.  I've had this giant of a dust collector box tying up valuable real-estate and not performing in any way shape or form.  This is going to make such a big diffeerence and save me a bundle of time unclogging machines, sweeping and dusting, and hopefully will p.o. the spiders that inhabit the dust piles enough that they will look for a new home.  Less down time means more productive time.  Woohooo I'm elated.  Looks like a busy w/e for the Dewster. 

We will be expecting pictures of the installaation, a clean shop, and a smiling Dewey next week.

Glad you are saving you're equipment and lungs, too.

Posted By Bubba_MoCity on 06-25-2010 05:39 PM
We will be expecting pictures of the installaation, a clean shop, and a smiling Dewey next week.

Glad you are saving you're equipment and lungs, too.

Thanks Bubba, I'll see what I can do about some pics.  I tried to find some braided 14ga wire at Lowe's but I guess they don't carry it anymore, I'd really like to be on the safe side and ground it all out to the panel.

Geesh Dewey, you will be such an expert you can come and "DEW" mine!    

Currently I have a two way splitter coming off collector - one run dedicated to table saw - the other hands loose with blast gate.  I then cart whichever tool over and connect it as I use it.  Seems to work for me - actually is probably the only way I can do it - don't have a dedicated location for my tools - all on mobile bases and I move them as I use them!

Good luck - and please post pics along the way and when completed!

Posted By Gerry_D on 06-25-2010 07:32 PM
Dewey,
It ain't got to be braided...
It ain't got to be 14 gauge...
Let me check what I have around here and get back with you...
I think I have about 90 feet or so of solid 16 gauge copper wire, it may be insulated, but I can rip that off nicely...

Nope, make that 46 feet exactly. I can send it off in the mail to you early next week.
See attached pdf.

Sixty, I'll see what I can do to get some pics as I go, but to be honest the shop looks like a disaster zone right now with several "improvements" going on.

Gerry, thanks for the offer, but it looks like I'll have to order about 200 feet anyway, I wonder if Radio Shack sells the stuff?  I could have gotten solid wire at Lowes' today but it looked like it would be a chore to work with, especially getting between cross braces and what not that are going to be in the way.

Dewey,
What cross braces?
the preferred method is to run the bare copper through all duct work, especially if it's plastic.
Only terminate it to a earth ground at the vacuum machine.
Terminating it at individual machines will screw up the electrical grounding system.

Remember the part that there should be ONLY one ground per electrical system?
Well terminating this "static" ground at machines will provide parallel paths to earth for your electrical system and could be dangerous as well.

You could use this 46 feet inside your duct work.
If you need more, I have some two conductor copper thermostat wire that I prefer not using for it's intended use, easily strip that down as well. It would be an additional 40 feet or so.

I would solder the T joints and where there is a metal piece of duct work, periodically ground it with the wire.

The reason inside the duct work if plastic is that as the air and material rush by, it drains off the static charge.
Outside the duct work is not good as it allows the inside to become charged in difference to the outside, like a capacitor or battery. Then after a limit of charge is built up it discharges with a single snap, like a spark plug igniting the volatile air and dust mixture.

Good on you, Dewey.  Congratulations!  If you don't mind, I'll ask Gerry to come wire my garage when I get some of the lumber out of the way.  Right now, using a 12 guage extension to my Shopsmith.  When it is not running, then plug in a sander or whatever small tool.  Still getting 'er done!  I am happy that you got to put up your vacuum system so it will be cleaner and healthier than what you've had all this time. 

Gerry, was wasn't going to terminate it or ground it to each machine, I was going to ground it to the circuit breaker panel. I have a shed style roof and several cross braces and other obstacles I have to go around because of the overhead door.

Posted By Dewey on 06-26-2010 12:41 AM
Gerry, was wasn't going to terminate it or ground it to each machine, I was going to ground it to the circuit breaker panel. I have a shed style roof and several cross braces and other obstacles I have to go around because of the overhead door.

OK Guys and Gals.
This is one of the times I will eat my words.

I was chatting with Dewey off line and I did some research about this.
I must admit I was swayed by numerous claims and theories about the potential explosiveness of dust collection in a shop.

But; Grounding may not be necessary.

Read this article: http://home.comcast.net/~rodec/woodworking/articles/DC_myths.html
I admit I'm still skeptical, but this guy Rod, has some pretty good background in electricity and physics.

So ya' know I'm having a Rum and Coke with my words right now.

Shot a few photos tonight before I called it quits, here's a sneak peek ........................ 



In the above photo I cut a sleeve to adapt the galvanized reducer to fit the schedule 40 pipe



The blower and control panel, the box is built of cypress



Putting hangers in place for line to drill press and floor sweep  .....

More to come in next post

First another clearer shot of the control panel, just above the black bar switch in the center are 3 three prong inputs where remote switching can be connected, the silver toggle between #1 & #2 can be set to "run" or to "remote switching"  




Moving on I started adding the first tee and branching off from there ............ 



Below the first gate valve goes in for the drillpress / floor sweep set-up



Thank you for not laughing at the tree in the middle of my shop  

OK, who laughed? 

I heard that! 

I still have to splice this line going down with a 4" X 4" X 2" Tee sweep, and run a flex hose to the drill press.  I'm also going to add a dead end onto the side of the collection box so when the drill press is not in use, I can snuff that flex line off without another gate valve, thus leaving the floor sweep to operate alone.



The floor sweep will go on here ............. 



I tucked the hanger in behind the motor cage.  I meant to get the gate valve in the photo (black section on pipe) but my camera aim was off.  Oh well, what do you expect for a 25 cent show? 

You did pay at the door; right?

I forgot to mention, if you look through the clutter of odds and ends scrap pieces in the first photo in the above post, you can barely see the plexiglass window so you know when it's time to roll the cart under the trap doors and empty it.

  Do I gotta pay for every update?

Dewey,
          good on. That'll beat the h### out my shopvac that I have hooked up to my router table and tablesaw. Thanks for the pics. If I put one of those in my basement I wouldn't have room for my tools. LOL
                                 Denny

Dewey, I installed my dust collection system ( Jet DC 1100) a number of years ago. At the time, there was considerable discussion about the need for grounding, when using PVC piping. I installed the system including twisted heavy gage copper wire inside the system,( sold at Woodcraft stores) Since my installation, I've read a lot about dust collection systems and potential dangers of electrical shock ,or sparks causing fires. It has been proven that there is no danger from electrical shock, and the risk of fire is non-existant, so far as static electricity is concerned. When I installed mine, I ran 4" PVC to my tablesaw, Jointer, bandsaw, drillpress, and at that time a RAS. The RAS has since been removed from my shop. Since getting the updated information, I have installed my SCMS, my oscillating spindle sander,router table, and provided for my thickness planer to be attached. None of the newer tools have been wired with any grounding, and I can say that I've never had a hint of any problems. I know that there was a long discussion on the Wood magazine site about this a couple of years ago. Maybe someone here, or at the WOOD magazine site can guide you the PROOF that grounding is not needed.

Dewey, I noticed that you are installing 90 degree elbows and, " T " fittings in your system. 90 Degree bends will substantially reduce the effectiveness of your system. Whearever possible, you should use " Y " fitting and 45 degree fittings to eliminate the sharp bends.Also, use only short runs of the flexible corrogated type hose. Long runs of this will cut efficiency too.

I didn't notice a cyclone ahead of the blower to catch the larger chunks so the don't go through the blower.

Cedar is right about 90 degree elbows. They reduce the static pressure considerably more than a double 45. The smoother and gentler the turns, the better the efficiency of the unit will be.

Looks like a lot of work ahead yet. Have fun.

Gerry: Yes it's 25 cents per update, I have to raise the rest of the money for this system somehow! 

Cedar:  You are right on about the tight turns, and I did know that going into the project, the problem was I had limited space between the reducer at the fan and the stringer that runs the length of the shop, and just barely had room to force that Tee into place, a sweeping Tee would never have fit unfortunately.  In time, I hope to add a room on to the side of my shop and install the collector there, until then I have to work with what I have, both space wise and $$$ wise.

Once I get things a bit more organized and cleaned up a bit, I'll shoot some photos as best I can to capture the entire unit.  I bought this unit from a customer when I worked in Tool World @ Lowes' for $100.  I also have a Delta Dust collector on the back wall which runs only to my belt / disk sander, router /shaper, and jointer.  The unit you are seeing here is about 8' tall after I cut about 15" off the bottom so it would stand up in the shop where I have it now.  It has a baffle inside on hinges that separates the larger pieces to drop inside the main box and the finer dust goes into a bagger on the side.  More pics coming after I pick up some more parts and find some affordable blast gates.  I thought I had some extras on hand but you know what "thought" did. 

I'm going to be making a trip to the city today and may end up having to make my own blast gates, woodcraft I find is usually over priced on things here.  With all the work I need to get done on my house and the wife's B-day coming up in a week, an anniversary in less than a month, not to mention I need to make a belated Mothers' Day gift for the wife, AND running on a shoe string budget, things usually get halted when you least need them to be.