DC3300 Dust Collector

[bigted]

I just bought a used Dust Collector and saw on the Shop Smith website that the 24" Collector is on sale and wonder if this is significantly better than the 12" or do you need to upgrade to the 42"?

Thanks,

Ted

[dusty]

I believe you are speaking of the dust collector hood of which there are three sizes. I had the small one for years and was always very satisfied. But then, about a year ago, I decided that bigger must be better so I bought the next larger size.

I quite frankly cannot tell the difference!

Now, having said that, it is important for you to understand that I do not work in a closed environment like many Shopsmith owners do. I live where it is seldom too cold to go out into the shop; therefore, I almost always have the windows and the double garage door wide open. In this situation, I might not be able to tell whether it is working or not.

What I can say, is that when the sun is casting rays through the windows, I can see dust particles hanging in the air. When I turn the dust collector on, I definitely see movement of those particles that was not there otherwise.

You need to think about where you are using the dust collector. If you are in a small enclosed shop, in a basement shop or any other poorly ventilated area - I would definitely recommend use of the dust collector whenever the Shopsmith is on.

I'll let someone else tell you you need to buy a bigger bag. Until you do, use what you have.

[charlese]

Hi Ted! You asked a very good question! I like Dusty's response and would like to add another way of looking at the issue.

I bought and use the medium size hood, moving up from the original one. At that time, my DC3300 was operated below a shelf that holds my shop T.V. (I love watching football and other sports while in the shop.) The larger hood just wouldn't fit in that location. Now, my DC3300 is usually in the center of the shop, and I wish I had the largest of hoods.

Here's my thinking - The smallest amount of air flow restriction on the outflow of air will result in an increase of airflow at the pick up/nozzle end. The larger the hood - the less restriction of air flow. Since there is less restriction per square inch on the larger hood - this translates into less force per square inch. Therefore less air movement through the hood per square inch -

This situation of less pressure and less air movement means it is more likely to stop small particles from passing through and being available to your lungs. At the same time more airflow restriction through the entire hood means more efficiency at the pick up end.

When my medium size hood was new, it didn't even blow up like a balloon while running. Even now, after a good vacuuming and shaking, it won't act like a balloon for a while. Nick has said, (he uses the larges hoods) that in the shop, they shake the hoods several times a day freeing them of some of the caking that builds up.

My hood still works well and although I want to get the larger hood I may wait a while longer. If I had a do-over, I would buy the largest one.

[a1gutterman]

Hi Ted,
I tend to believe that SS is telling us the truth when they claim the different particle sizes that pass through the 3 hoods that they offer. Like charlese, I believe that the largest hood wood be best, because of that claim. I wish that SS wood let us choose which hood we get when purchasing a DC3300. When purchased new, the DC3300 only comes with the small hood. To get a larger hood, you must "upgrade" which means discarding or re-useing the old small hood. I have the small hood. I find it hard to justify replacing a perfectly good hood.

[Nick]

Although Chuck's reasoning is sound, his conclusion that the larger bag restricts the air less than the smaller bag is untrue. The airflow/restriction is about the same on all three bags. The reason is that the larger the bag, the tighter the weave and the smaller the particles that it will capture. The largest bag can filter 1 micron particles, and allows the Shopsmith Dust Sucker to function as both a dust collector and air filter. Two of these suckers can turn over the air inside the Academy shop (about 9000 cubic feet) in 15 to 20 minutes. Since I work with this stuff daily and would like to avoid asthma, emphysema, pneumoitis, nasopharyngeal cancer, and all those other health risks associated with breathing sawdust (see http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... 0CHART.pdf ), my vote is for the big bag.

PS: Tim, I use the small hoods to dress up my granddaughters as DC3300s on Halloween. They don't get much candy, but someone did give them a maple burl one year. Your suggestion, however, is a good one. I'll take it to Marketing.

With all good wishes,

[bigted]

Thanks for your help!
I'm going to order the big bag!

Ted:

[putttn]

Wondered if anyone was familar with the large filter Wynn Environmental uses on refitting shop vacs etc. Seems like a very good filter system for not a lot of money and if it can be installed in place of the hood it might be a better solution. I've seen their demos but not sure if it would fit on a dc3300.

[dusty]

I have never seen one, Puttn, but it sounds like an excellent approach. What would be really neat would be for you to get one and give us a detailed equipment evaluation report after you have had a chance to use it for a week or two of active use.

[fixit]

Hi Putttn,

I have one mounted on a Delta collector and have been very pleased with it for over a year now. The bag that came with the collector put out dust (only caught stuff 3 micron size or larger if I remember correctly) but the smaller stuff - the stuff that causes lung damage - just went right through the bag.

With the Wynn filter I don't see much dust in the shop anymore. There is "some" but not much. After a couple of months I notice a light dusting on top of the filter and the hardboard workbench top. Nothing like the easily noticeable coat I'd get after about a week of working with the bag.

I don't know if the filter will fit the Shopsmith collector. The kit Wynn sells uses three clamps (sort of like C clamps) to attach the filter to the flange (for lack of a better term) in the collector you see when you remove the bag. It's a bit of a chore to install but once done it is worth the effort. If you call Wynn Environmental they may be able to tell you if the filter will fit the 3300.

Hope this information is of use to you.

[Ed in Tampa]

Hi Putttn,

I have one mounted on a Delta collector and have been very pleased with it for over a year now. The bag that came with the collector put out dust (only caught stuff 3 micron size or larger if I remember correctly) but the smaller stuff - the stuff that causes lung damage - just went right through the bag.

With the Wynn filter I don't see much dust in the shop anymore. There is "some" but not much. After a couple of months I notice a light dusting on top of the filter and the hardboard workbench top. Nothing like the easily noticeable coat I'd get after about a week of working with the bag.

I don't know if the filter will fit the Shopsmith collector. The kit Wynn sells uses three clamps (sort of like C clamps) to attach the filter to the flange (for lack of a better term) in the collector you see when you remove the bag. It's a bit of a chore to install but once done it is worth the effort. If you call Wynn Environmental they may be able to tell you if the filter will fit the 3300.

Hope this information is of use to you.

Interesting!!!
I wonder if a sheet of ply with a proper size cutout attached to the top of the DC3300 could be fashioned into the "flange" that you described to attach the filter to a dust collector. I would think it could easily fashioned to give sufficient clamping surface.
However I have to question if the Wynn filter is any better than the Shopsmith solution which is a direct attachment?
1 micron dust collection is most excellent and I doubt if anything really offers much better.

My question for those that know is, is the rod that holds the largest bag permanetly fixed to the dust collector or is it easily moved??? I have been redesigning my shop and the place I have settled on to store my DC3300 requires the DC3300 to be no higher than the standard bag. I could get the large bag and use it if I could easily lower the rod for storage.

Ed