Axminster SDS100 Dust Separator

[davy_owen_88]

Hey guys, I've been checking out this forum for a while now and after browsing the Axminster website for a new dust extractor decided to write my first post.

I currently use a Record RSDE1 dust extractor which has good filtration but doesn't move enough air (53 litres/second = 190 m^3/hour) for my small ducted system currently connected to a 6 inch planer, bandsaw, mitre saw, spindle sander and belt/disk sander, not to mention its noisy as hell when coupled with a running tool.

So after looking through all the extractors I noticed the SDS100.
(http://www.axminster.co.uk/recno/14/product-Axminster-SDS100-Dust-Separator-23254.htm)

The 2 things that interest me are the air flow : 1100m³/hr (nearly 6 times as much as the RSDE1) and also 'the low noise level comes from the use of an induction motor which runs with a lower frequency noise than a brush motor and produces a sound more like a low-pitched drone.'

My questions are:
Has anyone got anything to say about that particular extractor?
Is the airflow a misprint since it is far higher than all the other extractors at that price?
Would you recommend something like that with the addition of the dust bin extender: http://www.axminster.co.uk/recno/9/product-Axminster-Dustbin-Extender-21891.htm

And am I just missing something blatantly obvious?

Thanks in advance,
Davy

 

[PowerTool]

Hi Davy

Can't help you with your question,but welcome to the forum

If you have been browsing for a while,you will know that there have been some forum members who have done a lot of work on dust extraction recently - hopefully someone will be along shortly with some words of wisdom.

Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Davy

Welcome to the forum

the 1100m/hr looks fine to me as my charnwood extractor has the same size motor (750w = 1HP) and flows 1050m/hr

I would say that that is one seriously expensive alternative to the charnwood that also has an induction motor and is very quiet at £109.99 incl vat

The charnwood has a course bag (5 micron I think) but I bought a 1 micron bag for it from Axminster for around £30

 

[davy_owen_88]

Thanks for the welcome, testament to my laziness I only really looked at Axminster, but that charnwood does look interesting at that price.

I was thinking of incorporating a primary bin using the Axminster dustbin extender that would be easier to get empty, so the high flow rate of the Charnwood accompanied by the lower price is definately a plus point.

Do you know if you can get bags suitable for that extractor that filter below 1 micron?

Thanks for the insight and if anyone else has any points to make then I'd be very grateful.

Davy

 

[RogerS]

The charnwood has a course bag (5 micron I think) but I bought a 1 micron bag for it from Axminster for around £30

Tony..was it this one? Are you happy with the results ..ie...minimal MDF dust floating around? Or do you use something else as well to get the really fine stuff out of the air?

Cheers

Roger

 

[Barry Burgess]

Davy with a 1HP(750W) motor the dust separator (bin) will take to much airflow out of the system. You need 2 or 3HP motors to make them work well.
They are easily made and if you can create a cyclone type effect in the bin by separating the inlet and outlet the results are better. You can only half fill them as the dust is then drawn into the extractor. Taller narrower bins work best.
With regard to the filter system there are a number of problems. The ideal filter size is 10 to 15m2 per HP. If too much dust gets through to the extractor the filter blocks very quickly. If you look at the MDF dust thread you will find more comments
Hope this helps else PM me
Barry

 

[Anonymous]

Davy

As far as I am aware, 1micron is the best one can get for the Charnwood although it was not made for the Charnwood extractor, it was made for one of Axmintser's range. I spent about 6 months trying to find one that fitted :shock:
A lovely bloke at Axminster went around the showroom measuring all the extractors for me :wink:

Roger
I find that this bag stops ALL dust. I am quite frankly amazed at the difference. With the old bag, when cutting MDF etc., there was always a fine mist of dust around the bag itself. With this new bag, there is nothing at all. Everything stops in the bag
Another thing I noticed it that the outside of the bag is clean as when I bought it. With the older bag, it looked a little dirty (dust escaping).

Finally , the thing that I don't understand is that with the finer bag, the suction is actually increased and it 'hoovers' up stuff that it could not pick up before :?

Bean came round for a play a while back, saw how much better it was and he too bought the same bag (he lives near Charnwood too and so has the same extractor)

I have been using this bag for about 6 months now

 

[Barry Burgess]

Tony I dought if a cloth filter could get below 2 micron and a membrane filter would be required. When I questioned somebody at Axminster technical they agreed with me and there is some 'new' EU regulation about filtering & dust.
He said Axminster were changing filter to comply!

 

[mpooley]

Hi all,
I am new to this forum and returning to woodworking soon when i move into my new house.
I used to have a 1000sq foot workshop with underfloor 4inch pipes to each machine an external extractor with no filter just a dustbin type collector. I thought that this would be best as i assume filters reduce the airflow?
Unfortunately for whatever reason the system was rubbish and did not have enough suction. It left dangerouse amounts of dust in the air and this time when i design my new workshop i want to get it right.
Whenever i have read about this before it is always said that to get the smaller particals out of the air you need high volume low pressure systems using 6inch pipes.
Does anyone here have experience of this type of system or any ideas for me?
I have a reasonably large budget to get this right

Thanks

Mike

 

[nickson71]

Hi Mike and welcome to the forum


a while back there was a long thread on extracting MDF dust which went into the whole extraction thing in detail I think it maybe a good idea for you to look at it as I guess it may answer most of your questions

you can find it HERE

hope this helps

Ian

 

[DaveL]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like you need cyclone with a 3HP blower hooked on the end, even then you should put large fine filters on to stop the 1 micro dust getting though the system. The MDF dust thread already linked to has loads of info in it.

 

[davy_owen_88]

Thanks again guys for all the helpful replies. I just found out that my uncle has bought some land on which he's going to build a new house, since its got a fair bit of land I was thinking of asking him if I can build a workshop there (sure as hell beats my pokey garage at the moment). If I do that then I will be keeping the extractor outside so dust filtration won't be a problem.

Can anyone suggest something that would be very powerful but not break the bank? Would the 2-3 HP charnwood extractors be ok or could I save more money by just buying the blower part (has to be 240V) and using a series of those axminster bins (all outside the shop)?

Oh and one other thing... I was reading through the various dust extraction help websites and originally I was under the impression that it would be a bad idea to totally restrict the flow of air to a dust extractor while it was running (as in closing all the gates). But it seems that it won't damage the motor in any way. and that its actually worse to give it too much free air. Is this correct? So if I have all my tools connected to a main trunk and from there each tool is individually gated and only 1 gate is open with a 3 HP extractor running then it won't be a problem?

Sorry for all the questions, it just seems that as I find the answer to one question, I read something that makes me wonder about another aspect. And since I'll be building the workshop from nothing I'd rather have everything planned out and know its going to be all I need and not feel a few months down the line that I need something better.

Thanks,
Davy

 

[Anonymous]

Tony I dought if a cloth filter could get below 2 micron and a membrane filter would be required.

Well, I have regualrly seen 1 micron (and 0.5) bags for sale for extractors and mine is reckoned to be 1 micron on the packaging - it is a thick felt like material, the original was more like a woven cloth

I know nothing about cloth, but I know that no dust escapes this bag :wink:

 

[Barry Burgess]

Tony I dought if a cloth filter could get below 2 micron and a membrane filter would be required.

Well, I have regualrly seen 1 micron (and 0.5) bags for sale for extractors and mine is reckoned to be 1 micron on the packaging - it is a thick felt like material, the original was more like a woven cloth

I know nothing about cloth, but I know that no dust escapes this bag :wink:

Tony being an engineer,I thought you would have known how small 1 micron was - will you see it - I don't think so. When I asked the suppliers of these bags to confirm in writing the filtering promises made they would not.

 

[Anonymous]

Tony I dought if a cloth filter could get below 2 micron and a membrane filter would be required.

Well, I have regualrly seen 1 micron (and 0.5) bags for sale for extractors and mine is reckoned to be 1 micron on the packaging - it is a thick felt like material, the original was more like a woven cloth

I know nothing about cloth, but I know that no dust escapes this bag :wink:

Tony being an engineer,I thought you would have known how small 1 micron was - will you see it - I don't think so. When I asked the suppliers of these bags to confirm in writing the filtering promises made they would not.

Barry, I don't understand your point. Of course I know what a micron is, and how small it is in real terms - I regularly use a machine that measures down to 0.5 microns. The manufacturers quote in writing that the bag stops particles down to 1 micron. Are you saying that they are lying?

The current bag is a sort of felt-like material and very thick (several mm) and I have no doubt that it does as the manufacturer says. One can see dust clouds even if they are composed of 1 micron particles - I don't see dust clouds (or any escaping dust) around the extractor (anymore)

 

[Barry Burgess]

Tony with the original bag it was a dust producer. From what I have read, as I have nothing to measure the particles, a pleated membrane filter with the right spec will achieve the below 1 micron.
I started of with the original bag , then went for the 1micron bag and finally ended up with 2 filters of 20m2 each. I know what works best in my eyes.
Did you replace the bottom bag with a plastic bag??
Barry

 

[Colin C]

Hi Tony
Is there a chance of posting a link to the bag you got as I am thinking of get one myself ( lots of mdf to cut up on my next job )
Thanks Colin

 

[RogerS]

Beat me to it, Colin! Have you got the Charnwood as well?

Roger

 

[Colin C]

Beat me to it, Colin! Have you got the Charnwood as well?

Roger

Yes Roger
I got mine at woodex ( should have got one a few years ago :roll: ), well better late than never :wink:

 

[RogerS]

Bump this again for Tony :wink: