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IWF Alert: Oneida's new cyclone is a smart heavyweight

Roland Johnson, contributor

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Oneida's new "Smart" cyclone adjusts its suction to create the highest efficiency.

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Oneida Air Systems has a new cyclone that automatically matches its suction to the dust-collection task at hand.  This is important, because drawing too much air through, say, a 2-1/2-in. port can actually choke off the suction. The heart of the Smart Dust Collector is a 3-hp, three-phase motor controlled by a variable frequency drive that senses power demands and adjusts the speed of the motor/ fan assembly, constantly allowing the system to optimize airflow to whatever the demand is. Not to worry, it draws single-phase power and hooks up to a normal 220-volt outlet. But this is a serious collector that can handle a ducted system in a big shop.

The machine works equally well with 6-in. and 4-in. ducting and even the smallest 2.5-in. shop-vacuum hose, optimizing the performance of each in a way that no other dust collector on the market will. In fact, I had a lot of trouble getting my hand out of the 4-in. duct when I stupidly stuck it in there. Wish we had caught that on video!

The bottom line is that you will be able to hook this dust collector up to a router table, a portable tablesaw, or any one of many shop-vac-sized dust collection ports around the shop and have great dust collection.  The system, using flex hose, will pull 343 CFM at 20 in. of static pressure through a 2-1/2in. diameter hose. For the non-geeks out there, that is a lot.
 
Another great feature is a flame arrestor at the top of the filter, a great safety device that I'm sure your shop insurance company will appreciate.
 
The dust bin disconnects from the collector with four easy-to-operate snap clamps and is equipped with casters, which allow it to easily roll away from the collector for emptying. The collector itself is mobile and has a castered front wheel and rear wheels that are large enough to easily roll over cords or other obstructions on a typical shop floor.
 
The system sells for $2,600.
 
The other great thing about the Oneida is the infrared dust-bin-level alert.  The infrared detector reads the level of the sawdust in the bin and when it reaches a predetermined level, which is adjustable, a flashing strobe light alerts you that it's time to empty the bin. What I like about the system is that the strobe is bright enough to see out of the corner of your eye, or even reflecting off a shop wall, so you don't have to be on watch.  And the best part is that this system is available as an add-on for any dust collector, for $120.

Read about other great tool finds at IWF 2010

2011 Tool Guide
From the editors of Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding 225 tools tested $9.99 more info...

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Comments (2)

bobomc writes: Great looking system and dust it the ever present issue I constantly struggle with but, I'm with honson, $2600? For most of us hobbiest out there, that's either out of our range or simply too much sugar for a penny. A weekend dust storm cannot jsutify such an outlay. I look forward to maybe seeing the "half" Smart collection system.
Posted: 9:01 am on September 21st

honson writes: This is very cool as a breakthrough in technology, but $2,600? I sure wish Oneida would give me one to test... and the let me keep it.
Posted: 12:35 am on August 27th

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