Replies

1. 
   Don01 | Oct 12, 2013 10:31am | #1

   Improve dust extraction

   Dust extraction is improved in 2 primary ways. Efiicient ports at the source and CFM. You machine designers have you handcuffed on the prot issue, but you may be able to make minor improvements.

   CFM though is within your control. Providing HP values doesn't tell us much. CFM at the port is much more relevant.

   If you go to Bill Pentz site Ducting and download his Static Calculator spreadsheet, you will find some valuable information on what you dust collector can theoretically delver based on motor HP, fan size and duct size. One major limitation is duct size. On there charts, the capacity difference between 4" and 5" or preferably 6" ducing is exponential not linear. From the one picture I could see at the minimax site, there is one very big port on the top of the machine. You need big CFM to catch everything that could be blowing around that port.

   Take a mouthful of smoke and blow it out of a straw. Then try to suck it back into your mouth. You will pass out before you can recover even 25% of the smoke. That is what we are doing with our dust collector. You need a big pipe, big volume. Once the dust escapes the port, it is gone.

   If you increase your duct size your DC motor will appear to slow down. This is because it is moving more air. Depending on your DC, this could cause an overload in the motor, especially if your motor is 110 volt. It is the way DC manufacturers distort the machine specifications. If this happens, you may be able to throttle the flow enough wih a blast gate.

   You will have to experiment. Other wise a proper 2 stage machine - cyclone with good efficiency.

   Your dust collection should be equal to the quality of your Minimax.

   Don