PDA

View Full Version : DC insert comparison?



DianMayfield
01-27-2015, 07:44 AM
I have finally gotten to the stage where I have a real DC unit, rather than my Ridgid shop vac. The Ridgid 16 gal lasted 180hrs and did a good job, but now I hear the bearings whine. (A Shop Vac started to go after 4 hrs - stay far away!!)

So, my question is, has anyone used both the Dust Devil (which I have) AND the Ringneck? I know there are as many opinions as there are people, but I figured if I was upgrading, I would look at the hood at the same time. None of my machine issues have been caused by dust (all sealed components) so I am doing ok - just want it to be the best setup.

Has anyone used both and have a comparison (sorry Erwin!)? PM me so we don't start any Insert Wars :)

Thanks,
Dian

PS - for any newbies out there - When I was first shopping for DC options, I was shocked at how much the systems cost from places like Woodcraft or Grizzly - that's why I went with the Ridged- pretty effective and cost efficient. Don't know why I didn't think to check Harbor Freight - as we shop there often. In the end, it would have been about the same cost to install the real DC unit w/hose accessories after buying all of the adapters and hoses to get the Ridged to work. Just food for thought.

CNC Carver
01-27-2015, 11:33 AM
Sorry not really answering your question. Just agree to Harbor Freight dust collect is a great start rather than going thru shop vacs!

SteveNelson46
01-27-2015, 11:56 AM
I have both. They both work well and each of them have features that are good. I like the low-profile of the Dust Devil but, the hose attachment gets in the way of the lid. You can sort of bend it out of the way without having to remove the hose but, it gets in the way a little when trying to change the bits. I have also made some improvements to increase the airflow slightly like plugging up the ends with custom-made wooden plugs. The Ring Neck Blues DC has a side mount that doesn't get in the way as often and seems to work a little more efficiently right out of the box. It's also easier to mount.

I also have a Harbor Freight DC that I have modified similarly to the way Michael Tyler modified his. It works really great and has more than enough airflow to do the job. If you watch the ads and use the coupons you can get it for as little as $130 as I did.

DianMayfield
01-27-2015, 06:39 PM
Thanks Steve, that's exactly the information I was looking for. I did have more saw dust left in the carve than the their video showed, but presumed it was due to using a vac. I will stay with what I have as I hook up the DC. :)

DonCP
01-27-2015, 07:21 PM
I have the Dust Devil and Harbor Freight 13 gal dc. I use quick connect dc connector to remove hose if you have to. Do not have a problem changing bits.
Only thing I did not like was having to cut the lid.

rickroy
03-04-2015, 05:48 AM
Two years ago, I made my own wooden dust collector insert with the plans found here on the forum. A steel 4" duct suspended overhead and dropped right down to a Harbour Freight 2 HP collector. As pointed out, the Harbour Freight collector is very inexpensive ... however, I found that I needed to modify it to make it work well by adding a custom made filter bag made by American Fabric Filter Company, http://www.americanfabricfilter.com/bags_woodworking.php. At $200, the bag cost more than the collector but what a difference it made! The difference was night and day. The old bag allowed fine particles to escape and I had a real mess in the corner where the collector sat. Now the machine moves a much bigger volume of air through and I see no evidence of particles escaping. At the same time I installed the new bag, I switched to the Ringneck insert and it works much better than my homebuilt model. It really gets the air on the piece and keeps the machine very clean. Both units are a good investment, well worth the money. If you purchase the Harbour Freight 2 HP collector, you will soon learn that they don't sell the clear plastic bags that collect the saw dust. Heavy duty contractor's bags will work nicely. They are opaque and you can't see the accumulated sawdust but you can easily feel the weight as it fills. A great hint found recently in a woodworking journal concerning how to install the bags is to use spring clamps to hold the bag and strap in place while tightening. So much easier!