Tool Gloat - DC

Sean Wright

Member
Messages
902
Location
WNY, Buffalo Area
Today I made the plunge into the DC world.

I picked up the Steel City 1.5 hp Dust Collector. I know 1.5ph isn't much, but I have a small basement shop, and its just me so only one tool will ever be used at any given time.

Some cool features :thumb: :
- 5 year Warranty
- 1 micron Felt filter bag (washable too!) not the cheapo 30 *Cough, Cough* micron flower sacks that are so common.
- Big industrial power buttons & a breaker on the switch box.
- Bag attachment is very easy! For the filter bag, there are "belt loops" that keep the band clamp held in place. For the plastic chip bag, there are metal retainer clips that hold the plastic bag in place while you put the band clamp on.
- There is no metal cross piece infront of the impeller. (most manufatures have one, and alot of people cut them off, to prevent blockage)
- Came with 3 chip bags, 4 wire band clamps, & a pad lock to secure the power switch from unauthorized use.

I connected it to my garbage can separator. That worked, but there was a noticable lost in suction (not a big suprise there). I think I will save the separator for use with the Joiner and the Planer. Everything else only generates small dust. For the time being I will just use a length of flex hose I picked up from Rockler and move that around the shop. Eventually I will run duct work of some sort.

My next project is a Down Draft "Table". I'll be sure to post the pictures once that gets underway. :D
 

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Congrats on the DC, Sean. I'm sure you'll be glad you have it. :thumb:

I've got a similar (but surely not as well made) DC from Harbor Freight, and it's been a good addition to the shop. (Dunno how I went so long without one.) I did replace my 30 micron bags with a .5 micron filter cartridge from Wynn Environmental. Someday, when the space, money, and amperage are available, I intend to have something more substantial, but for now this is better than a tired ol' Shop Vac. ;)
 
hey Sean, your 1.5 beats my .75! that's right, I have a 3/4 hp jet dc. cute little beasty, can barely keep up with my planer, but that was w/out a chip separator. I need to make a run to Buffalo one of these days. I need a Mighty Taco fix, think I could stop and visit some weekend (after I get my shop up)?
 
Great score. I take a big hit with my seperator too but the ease of ditching the chips and the long periods between having to remove the bag keeps me here. I use slip-on couplers on a couple tools and can put it in and out of the "circuit" as needed. Mostly its in despite the CFM hit.
 
hey Sean, your 1.5 beats my .75! that's right, I have a 3/4 hp jet dc. cute little beasty, can barely keep up with my planer, but that was w/out a chip separator. I need to make a run to Buffalo one of these days. I need a Mighty Taco fix, think I could stop and visit some weekend (after I get my shop up)?

Ned,

Right now my "weekends" are Thursdays and Fridays :doh: I will have off a few Saturdays over the summer. Send me a PM of when you are thinking about making a Buffalo run. I live about 10 minute from a Mighty Taco..... hmmm a super mighty sounds good for lunch today.
 
Nice, Sean. I have a Delta 50-760 with similar specs, but the Steel City tools are very nice. I have a SCT drill press and mortiser.

Is the input 4" or 5"? Mine is 5" at the impeller, but has 2 4" inputs. If you go directly to the 5" impeller port, the dust in the collector bag swirls like a cyclone and the micron bag fills up very full.
 
Congrats Sean - I also have a small basement shop my DC is actually a little smaller than yours and it works fine. Looks like some great features and the more I hear about SC, the more I'm impressed. The 5yr warranty speaks volumes. Nice.
 
Nice, Sean. I have a Delta 50-760 with similar specs, but the Steel City tools are very nice. I have a SCT drill press and mortiser.

Is the input 4" or 5"? Mine is 5" at the impeller, but has 2 4" inputs. If you go directly to the 5" impeller port, the dust in the collector bag swirls like a cyclone and the micron bag fills up very full.

Greg,

It has 2 4in ports, but if you remove that piece the intake directly to the impeller is 6in.
 
I gave the new DC & separator their first workout tonight.

Of course I fired it up after I got it, but only used it to suck down a pile of planer and joiner shavings.... which it did nicely. :thumb:

Tonight I hooked it up to the router table for some pattern routing of MDF for ZCIs for the table saw. I used a 8 in joiner hood/port from Rockler. I cut slots in it, and attached it to my fence using T-Bolts & plastic star knobs. I raised it up above the fence using 2 3/4in plywood blocks. Using this hood will allow a 4in hose connection. This is just my initial try at it, so if something better comes up, I'll give it a shot.

I figured routing MDF is one of the worst for dust so lets see how this goes. There was almost no dust at all. :D By positioning the 4in port almost directly over the router bit, the MDF dust was sucked away as it was created. Even with the separator in the line (big CFM hit), it moved the dust no problem.

My Table Saw has a 2 1/2in port under the blade. (sorry no pictures yet) I hooked the 4in hose up to that with an adaptor and cut some MDF on the TS with a ZCI in. Again barely any dust. :thumb:

I also hooked up the 6in joiner and again it seemed to move the chips right along. (no pictures of this one either :doh: ) :thumb:

On thing that I noticed was how much of a pain it was to go over to the DC and turn it on and off every time I wanted to run a tool. So I broke out what I had been saving for when I run ducting. I have an industial push button power switch for a router table which I was planning on hanging from the ceiling in the center of the shop. For the time being it is sitting on my assembly table and is making powering the DC on and off alot more convenient.
 

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On thing that I noticed was how much of a pain it was to go over to the DC and turn it on and off every time I wanted to run a tool.

And so we see why folks get so excited about their DC remotes. ;) Like other things I never knew I needed till I had them; I would not want to give up my DC remote. It's the size of a key fob and hangs from a small clip on my pants. Go with the small transmitter.:thumb:

The ones that are the size of a deck of cards seems like they would be too big to clip on and I'd always be setting it down and looking for it. If I couldn't get a small one, I'd go with a centralized switch like you describe. At least I'd always know where that was. :D
 
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