Second stage dust collector

[eldyfig]

The reason I open the opposite door when vacuuming the floor is to lower the CFM air flow into the machine from the floor wand. I have reasoned a slower air flow, although high enough for floor care, will slow down "pieces" from rushing into the fan.

Is is it beneficial to open the opposite port while hooked up to the SS and running?

[osx-addict]

I built an old fashioned Drop Box. It's a little on the small side so it doesn't get all of the chips but gets most of the big stuff. The larger the size the more efficient any type of separator is.

While I've got NO experience under my belt with ANY sort of dust collection other than with my home vacuum cleaner, I'm guessing one of these drop-boxes (as mentioned above) must be something along the lines of a mid-sized plastic trash can (perhaps one of those ~30-40 gallon models) with two pipes going through the lid -- one for the incoming debris and another for the outgoing pipe to the dust collector itself.. I would assume the farther these hoses are away from each other the better the chance that large pieces would drop to the bottom of the can and not be sucked back up and sent to the collector -- correct? I'd almost be tempted to put the incoming hose (from the debris source) on the side of the trash can about 1/2 way up and then put the output tube on the lid in the center.. Comments?

[Ed in Tampa]

Is is it beneficial to open the opposite port while hooked up to the SS and running?

I'm perhaps all messed up on this but it seems to me that when I am using two ports instead of one the fan speed increases.
I figure there should be drop in suction with two ports versus one port but it seems the increased fan speed actually increases the air flow therefore the suction seems better.

If I run my DC3000 only one side port open and a hose plugged in and then open the opposite side port all the junk that fill into the bottom port cap is then sucked out. Since I discovered this I have made it a point to use both side ports when collecting dust from the saw or planner and it seems the dust collection is better.

When vaccuming the floor and I don't want to suck up anything that will ruin the fan I close on side port. After vaccuming I then turn the machine off and dump out the plug in the bottom port. It is usually filled with larger pieces.

Nothing scientific just my experience and observations.
Ed

[james.miller]

The Drop Box I built is a plywood box with a seal around the door. Two pieces of tubing comming into the top as far apart as possible separated by a baffle. A collection box that fits into the outer box to catch most of the debris. The outer box has to seal tight to not loose and air flow. You should be able to find drawings of this in old wood working books.