Collecting dust in a good way

JDS Dust Collector

We use a JDS 2HP Cyclone 2100-CKV that handles 1700CFM. It requires 220VAC at 12AMP. At first this sounded scary simply due to the 220V power. Again we lucked out. On another sub-panel, a previous tenant had wired a pigtail with the exact outlet type we needed, a Nema 6-20R. Except, it was fifty feet away.

While trying to find a fifty foot extension cord we learned that companies that manufacture them end up with expensive liability since 220V is dangerous and often used for welding equipment. They pass on their costs to the customer. This turned into some cables being $4-6/ft. Copper prices fluctuate but that is a heavy premium.

We considered buying raw heavy gauge wire and adding our own plug and socket, but we eventually found the right extension cord. A NEMA 6-20P to 6-20R Power Cord - 50 Foot 20 Amp 250V was sold from a data center power supply company in North Carolina for $1.25/ft.

After the cord arrived, we plugged it in, flipped the switch, and nothing happened. Grabbing a multimeter, the cord wasn’t delivering power. Damn. That means we have to cut the main power to the building, open the sub-panel and investigate.

In the sub-panel, they had installed a 30Amp double pole breaker, which is needed to bridge the two hot legs in the panel. The wires feeding the outlet weren’t connected to the breaker. A quick reconnection and the outlet was fixed and the dust collector fire up. We don’t think running the machine on an long cord is a great idea, but it will work until we take the time to pull wire in some of the conduit on the ceiling.

Dust Ductwork

In our previous shop, we sloppily ran 4” PVC hose from the collector, up into the roof supports, over the ShopBot table, and down to a plastic ball joint. Stranded copper wire was routed through the hose and grounded. The idea is to prevent sparks from the static electricity generated by wood dust sliding across plastic. Sparks and a 35gallon drum of sawdust don’t play nice.

This setup worked, it was cheap, but we never liked it. The copper wire in the hose would catch debris that was hard to remove. The hose had odd bends and its ribbing decreased the airflow. The plastic ball joint turned but eventually the glue holding the halves of the ball let go and had to be taped in place. There had to be a better way.

One solution is spiral pipe ductwork. This pipe is a galvanized steel with a smooth interior and is used for air handling, fume control, and dust collection. It is clearly a professional product but we could see ordering complexity, installation challenges, and it didn’t seem user friendly.

Then we found another solution. Well, we found Gorilla Duct at Oneida first but it lead to Nordfab.

“Nordfab introduced Quick-Fit ductwork in 1990. As well as being the originator, Nordfab is the industry leader, and the world’s largest supplier of clamp-together ducting for dust, mist, fume and smoke collection.” –About Nordfab

After reading their specs and sketching out our ductwork layout in 4” Galvanized Steel, we contacted our Fastenal Rep to place an order. Two weeks later, we received our shipment including their version of a ball joint.

To secure the ductwork to the brick walls, we used their hangers and tried Tapcons and Wedge Anchors.

Pipes were then clamped together using their Quickfit design.

To support the weight of the ductwork from the ceiling, we used Gripple Pipe hangers.

To provide flexibility from the ductwork to the YZ Car, we used Nordfab’s 4” Static Dissipative Urethane hose.

We didn’t think much about hose clamps when we ordered them, but these are very well made. They are designed offset so they provide pressure all the way around the hose and fit over the internal wire.

Once we installed the ductwork and tried the Nordfab Ball Joint, we placed an order for another one to replace the plastic ball joint we have. We are reconsidering the conduit/armoured cable power drop we made and instead re-route the ShopBot power along the ductwork.

Next

The ShopBot is re-assembled, leveled, squared, and powered. Duct collection is power and ducted. Before we button everything up, the next big task is the table work surface.