Cyclone Follow Up & Improvements 

Thanks for all the info on your dust collector. I’m sure really no matter which kind you get there may be some drawbacks. Looks like you have some good plans for utilizing the space on and around your collector. Thanks again for the updates and stay safe!

Thanks for the information on how the cyclone is working out in your shop. I’ve noticed that your shop has been looking cleaner and now I know why.

Thanks for the update on that unit, Matt.

thanks Matt. My shop also is two car garage with low ceilings & I've been using the ole starter D/C Harbor Freight. Works fine for starters but we all know more money buys more tool. Your insights help.

Nice follow up review. Once the pocketbook allows, this one is definitely on the radar.

Really appreciate your thoughts regarding dust collectors, very helpful!!

Great review, I hope to be building a shop soon. I'll keep your thoughts on dust collectors in mind.

Thanks for the video as always. I am at the point now, I am currently just using a shop vac and am going to be upgrading soon to a 2hp DC system. Can't wait!

3 months later Matt is looking everywhere in the shop for that other washer he was going to fix the casters with which is now under the hook.

Hi Matt. Thank you for your great videos - love them. Looking at your dust collector, the dustbin under the collector seems really, really small. I imagine that it must be necessary to empty it every 10 minutes or so! I have build my own dust collection system and the dust "cabinet " is about 15 times bigger - but still - if i'm working with the thickness planer or shaper, I have to empty it twice a day. Have a nice weekend.

Great job Matt!!!

You are such a great teacher!

Awesome stuff Matt! 👍👊

I've always liked the look of those Laguna DC's. Thanks for the update. I converted an old 90's Jet 3hp dual bag DC into a 9ft tall conical separator system. I would love to share images of it with you but not sure how.

Matt, the upgrade I'd recommend would be to extend the smaller diameter inlet pipe as deep into the cyclone as possible, and I'd even flatten the end of it a bit (flatten vertically). With cyclone the trick is to get the vortex to spin as fast as possible - menas, the air with dust has to enter the cyclone as fast as practically possible - and the incoming stream should flow as close to the cyclone walls as possible. With this tapered connector you get just the opposite effect - slower and spread out stream.

You're a goofball. Love you man!

Well, this video answers my question to your question request video :-)

a 4" x 2" angle iron may fix wheel challenge. Always great info video Matt.

Thanks for the follow up

Have you thought of mixing the fine sawdust with wood glue, pressing it into panels with your cider press and then selling it to Steve Ramsey as "MDF"?

Like your moves for the welding cable👷‍♂️👷‍♂️👍👍👍👍👍

I love how you're thinking about the "dead-space" and how to utilize it. The size of collector you need also depends on the equipment you're hooking to it and not just your length of run and ceiling height. All of these factors play into the equation. Your shop set-up also plays in with how you can route your gates and pipes/vac-lines. Great set of issues to consider, thanks for bringing up things to think about. Do you have any "floor sweeps" hooked into the collection system?

Matt, you make an excellent point, the whole point of dust collection is just that collect dust. This unit does this very well it appears. Sure a lot of fine particles make it to the filter but as long as you use the handy paddles everything was still collected. I do wish this thing is a little cheaper. You can get a Oneida or clear vue for almost the same price. I do have to say that my homemade thein baffle separates more fines than this thing does, BUT I would rather have this than my frankstein harbor freight/rikon collector.

Love that dustpan dude

Forget the metric screws/bolts, get some magnetic hooks. Amazon has some with a 40 pound capacity that are only $12.99 for a set of four. I have them around the shop and find them very convenient.

Matt: Good idea with the large fender washers. What you need to do to further stiffen the thin sheet metal is to double up the fender washer by placing a corresponding fender washer on the inside at each wheel and add two additional fender washers at the other two wheels. If that is insufficient, then I would recommend you replace the thin sheet metal with a 12 ga. version of the existing sheet.

Just a thought ... by the looks of the motor mount you have a significant air leak were it meets the impeller housing! Something you may wish to address considering its only emitting the finest most insidious dust! Cheers and keep up the awesome videos :)

Wow, five years later and this thing is approaching a $1000 premium.

I know this is now three years later but I did just purchase the new 2022 3HP Cflux model. It is making a difference - still need to do better setup of where it is and routing the piping, but it was clear to see that it is making a difference already even with just connecting flex house. BTW, the 2022 model is now 10' taller. So, not quite as compact.

If Matt's environment had a higher cieling would he grow bigger? Sorry, couldn't resist. Love your stuff, Matt. And being a Minneapolan I feel some stupid kinship. Always a skill to aspire to on your channel.

Hey Matt, watch your head on that hook. That looks like the perfect height to really cause a bad day.

Matt: I think a vertical 1/2" partial sheet of plywood, say 12" x 24" +/- mounted vertically behind the filter as a charger station would work well. Just use the existing vertical structure of the extractor for mounting the plywood sheet.

Get you one of those Ishitani sawdust stoves for those cold Minnesota nights.

I love this thumbnail

Good vid, Matt. I have that DC and have had the same issue with poor separation. I've been considering replacing the entire cone with an Oneida Super Dust Deputy XL, for better separation. I have yet to find anyone else who has done this, however it doesn't appear to be that difficult a mod and would only involve replacing the cone and bin. I'm wondering if you've considered doing this?

matt, enjoyed your shop comments on your dust collector system, however I wonder how many times you run head on to the pipe coming off the collector. Maybe a elbow aim more to the ceiling would help. You need to put some metal plates under the caster wheels in order to strengthen the caster from bending or at least put a plywood bottom over the bottom .

What type of metal piping are you using for your dust collection system ?

How does the planer work? Seen some positive and negative reviews. What do you like about it? where could it be improved? Thanks!

I have the CFlux 1.5 and it uses bags in the canister. I'm surprised this doesn't as well. Makes the emptying a lot easier instead of dragging in across the yard.

Have you tried hanging and balancing things on it when it’s on? Vibration could be a road block that breaks stuff and also drives you crazy.

Matt, I’ve been debating between Laguna 2hp (CFX) and Jet JCDC-2. One of my main goals is to avoid noise. It seems to me that Laguna is noisier than Jet. Is your machine super loud? Would you still suggest this machine?

Matt, you could build (weld from square stock) a small low angle wheelbarrow style cart to help haul the chip container out. But then it wouldn’t work in the snow AND you’d have to find a place to store it. Ok forget that idea and just drag the dang thing out. When JR gets a little bigger he can do it for you and sweep up the shop. But (this will bring you to tears I know) you’ll have to give up your colorful sawdust shovel.

Have you seen any noticeable difference on separation when not using the bags in the bin? I have the same DC unit. I've bought the bags for the bin and other than ease of clean up it seems pointless to keep buying the bags if it doesn't affect performance.

Great rundown Matt. Did you ever consider an outdoor location for it? Just wondering what your thoughts are for that arrangement... I'm designing the shop in my "new to me" house and wondering if I can clear some space by making the dust collection a remote operation.

Why the new welder? Was looking at getting a buzzbox to get started. Still recommend that?

Matt - just got a C:Flux 3. They have changed the casters on the bottom with a 4-bolt caster rather than the threaded caster. I don't know if you would be able to 4-wheel it with the new design but at least they listened.

Matt, You can make a "S " hook for the ruler instead of the metric bolt.

Matt I got a good idea, on the side of your garage make a very well insulated shelf that fits the unit in there. That will give you a lot more space. Also can you tell me the name and model of that unit? Would it fit 6.5’ basement?

Getting a DC vented outside & bypassing the filters is pretty huge for performance. I did mine this way and even with a cyclone, the 1.5 HP blower (which I intended to replace with a 3HP blower but could never find one) performs beyond my expectations. In your case, Matt, why not put the whole unit outside in a closet it would free up space and do away with that angled duct that would annoy the hell out of me personally. ;-)

I have the P Flux 3 HEPA. I think you're getting dust in your filter because you're using a 6 inch tube. The Cyclone works best using a 8 inch or two 4 inch hoses which I use. I filled my container about 10 times and get very little dust in my filter.

Did you really say you needed Shannon to help you with the casters!?!?!.....lol. Great stuff sir.

When are you getting a Bridgeport Mill and why not use the MIG feature on your welder. Let me hang off the hook to strength test.

great video's matt. go to a scrapyard : japanese cars are loaded with metric bolts and nuts and this at low cost.

You might have to build a angle iron frame to support the tub.

You have an Amazon link for the beach toys you use? What else do you have besides the Anchor Seal bucket and dust shovel? I want to get the whole set :D

Hi Matt ! I expect my 2HP Laguna CFlux here in the next few days. Is there something you would recommend that I do prior installation based on your experience and using it for a few years now? How you liking it so far?

I bought a used Oneida for $500. Workhorse and I love it. Nice review. Also, I have orangutan arms.

What is the noise level of the dust collector?

Hi Matthew, if you put a magnet on the side of the cyclone you would be able to hang the rule from that without any need for fasteners.

You make mention of the "restrictor plate" was that included or did you have to reach out to Laguna for that?

Hi Matt. Love your videos. What kind of face mask do you use? Thanks for the inspiration!

Do you have any fact supporting that a full size vertical dust collector would have less fine dust in the clear bag? I have the earlier version of your model Laguna. It has about the same or little less dust in the clear bag. I wonder with a cyclone collector if you can ever get every fine particles out.

Did you postbone moving or why do you put so much effort into rearranging the shop?

Good insight. Thanks for the review. I figured that short cycle would not separate as well as the taller units. That is a shame because I like the mobility/looks/cost of it.

I like the dust shovel..;)

So who was walking by the window? Love all your videos. Wish I could get a dust collector that big. Have you tried a MIG welder? Lot cleaner and easier😀

There’s someone roaming your garden at 5:50 (he may have gone by the time you see this) Oh, and interesting stuff on the cyclone. Shall I send you some metric screws?

Most importantly - its black. And that just makes it look so much cooler!

Matt, I know you're probably not reading comments on this video anymore, and I agree that shorter cyclones probably don't separate quite as well as taller ones, you would likely get much better separation if you used 8" ducting, and made sure that you're allowing enough air through to maximize the cfm through that 8" ducting. Cyclones separate the dust by centrifugal force inside the cyclone itself. An 8" circle has a 70% larger surface area than a 6" circle. So while your air speed inside the ducting may not be quite as high, you will move a lot more air, and the air speed inside the cyclone will be much higher. The higher the air speed inside the cyclone, the better the separation.

there has been mention of moving when and how big of shop do you anticipate?

Hi Matt the fact the bracket held your weight shows not a lot when you weigh the same weight as a four year old ( he he he he he ), the fact you are getting all that fine dust through the filter is that a sign that there is to much force in the cyclone and the fine dust can not drop ??

Find metric bolts at a car scrapyard, from alpha to o(pel)mega.

thank you Matt. ah the never ending quest where to put stuff

Based on your description I really don’t think that’s a lot of sawdust in bag after emptying the bin multiple times.

I am in the process of build my own shop. I am wondering how far is your shop from your closest neighbor? Is there a problem when you are running the machines. My closest neighbor is 60ft away. I am not sure if that gonna cause any problem.

For the bolt size problem, I picked up a set of these: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GB03OLU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Great for figuring out what size bolt you need or what size you have if you need to sort a bunch of random sized bolts. Easily one of the most useful things in my shop. They also have them in jumbo sizes if you work with very large bolts a lot. I know the link says currently out of stock, but I didn't want to link a set I have not used in case they are poor quality.

So if you had to give it an A - F on a total quality and how well it's sevrving your shop?

Have you ever made your own MDF?

Matt- I think your fine dust buildup issue is caused by the angle going into your cyclone. If you had a run parallel to ground coming out at least 4’ you would see better results.

Man. I bought the p flux 3 hp. Only because Beaver supply had a company that financed it for me. It was like click on the tools you want and here is $25,000 of instant credit. I only bought it because of that. 2 years later I'm now spending more than 4,000 on Nordfab pipe. Damn this is expensive. Ive installed it where I can remove the filter and create an elbow to vent it outside if necessary! I know this is an old video and you've moved on to having two clear vue's, one bill Pentz model. Bill Pentz has been my motivation to understand and to study DC in our small shops. He would never approve of a Laguna.

Happy to send you some metric fixings if you want :)

Straighten out the flapper handle, and then you can use the full length of the dust collector.

U need that new shop

You might want to weld a short piece (2-3 inches) of one inch strap stock to the end of your "hook". It'll keep the cord from slipping off and keep you from core sampling a chunk of your forehead at an inconvenient moment.

I would think the non cylindrical shape of the dust drum is causing turbulence therefore going into your dust filter bag

You could put magnets on the bottom of the chargers

6:10 Why not rut a piece of half inch plywood to size and mount that on the bottom? Provided you can spare the half inch in additional bin height.

Ok... Your paint bucket is a child's sand toy and your dustpan is a kid's shovel... I'm sensing a trend.

Wait...that shovel...green parts??? Festool???

what do you do with all your metric wood?

You'll need a larger shop soon. Calculate how much space you'll need then double it and build the walls 2' taller. Just something to think about in the future. ….13

X cross underside and so that the weels are fit in the X

Who was walking around outside your window around 6:00? 🤣

time to get some of those great metric fasteners...you'll love 'em

First to thumbs up AND comment... That cyclone is on my list.

time to make a floor sweep

I too have struggled with rough surfaces when moving my heavier tools. I too have a 2 car garage with a ceiling (exposed joists) height of 96-1/4 inches. Cater issue solution: Add a 3/4 inch plywood copy of the bottom plate, either inside the cyclone tub or under it, to transfer the stresses from the castor stems across the bottom. Attach the castors through this reinforced "floor". Through bolting the castor stem with a fender washer and nylon cap nut, on the inside of the tub, is superior to a tee-nut, but the length of the stem will likely be an issue. The floor plate will no longer be the weakest link for mitigating the lateral forces on the casters. The next weakest link in the lateral force mitigation is the separation of the swivel plane leading to ball bearing loss. The only solution here is heavier caster rating. I have no more issues thanks to various iterations of this method.

Matt, You have Grizzly tools? Did you consider a Grizzly unit? My dollar amount for a 3 hp collector was considerably less. I have a shed I built next to the shop which holds garden tools, My dust collector is in there. Built a Thein chip/dust collector that precedes the 2 bag unit. ( less back pressure) , Like you my longest run is about 30 ft. Your machine has a very nice feature for chip removal as the canister has a step up mechanism. Been posting slow progress on instagram. Should be up and running by next week. Thanks for your update on your contained unit.

Matt it might be time to start thinking of a larger more efficient shop

I would put a piece of plywood or osb in the bottom of the dust bin and bolt the wheels to it with some large fender washers. Should stop the nonsense at the cost of a little less capacity.