Looking for CamVac advice

[DavidR8]

I recently bought a CamVac 336-4 (2000W, twin motor) to replace my 1.5 hp conventional dust collector. Part of the reason was the old collector was huge and I have a very narrow shop so the small size of the CamVac is a plus.
I plan to use the CamVac with a Super Dust Deputy and pipe it all in to my stationary tools.
Planning to use 100mm PVC drain pipe.
I fired up the CamVac the other night and was a bit underwhelmed by the power even with both motors on.
I'm really hoping I haven't made a colossal mistake with this purchase.
Is anyone here using a CamVac and a cyclone?

 

[gcusick]

I’m using a twin-motor Camvac, admittedly without a separate cyclone. Mine is connected to a number of points around my small workshop with 63mm plastic ducting, blast gates etc. Plenty of suck everywhere, even using the planer-thicknesser at the very end of the most tortuous duct run.

Bear in mind that the Camvac is essentially a LVHP extractor; it probably draws a smaller volume/time than your old extractor, which I assume was a HVLP unit.

hth

Geoff

 

[DavidR8]

I’m using a twin-motor Camvac, admittedly without a separate cyclone. Mine is connected to a number of points around my small workshop with 63mm plastic ducting, blast gates etc. Plenty of suck everywhere, even using the planer-thicknesser at the very end of the most tortuous duct run.

Bear in mind that the Camvac is essentially a LVHP extractor; it probably draws a smaller volume/time than your old extractor, which I assume was a HVLP unit.

hth

Geoff

Thanks Geoff.
I think the difference between HVLP and LVHP is what’s messing with my head. I’m so accustomed to feeling the massive airflow from my HVLP unit that I was sort of expecting something similar from the CamVac.

 

[Roberto Flintofski]

With mine, I have twin motor camvac, cyclone and collector bin, I was underwhelmed too. Using 100mm solid pipe and 100mm flexi but in reality it copes even with the thicknesser, I will post some photos when I get home

 

[DavidR8]

With mine, I have twin motor camvac, cyclone and collector bin, I was underwhelmed too. Using 100mm solid pipe and 100mm flexi but in reality it copes even with the thicknesser, I will post some photos when I get home

Thank you Roberto, photos would be terrific.
Just hearing if another person with a similar setup that works is putting my mind to rest.

 

[Inspector]

Just curious if the CamVac you have is 110V or 220V? If the difference isn't reflected in higher amperage then it might be in effect underpowered to our British cousins.

Pete

 

[DavidR8]

Just curious if the CamVac you have is 110V or 220V? If the difference isn't reflected in higher amperage then it might be in effect underpowered to our British cousins.

Pete

It’s a 220v unit, 2000w.

 

[Sachakins]

Is it new are used, if used have you cleaned it out, new paper filter, even washing both cloth bags can make a huge difference.

If new, run it on one motor, then the other to check they're both working.

Are you running a 100mm dust deputy or 50mm one.
If running 50mm then going up to 100mm that will kill suction.

 

[DavidR8]

Is it new are used, if used have you cleaned it out, new paper filter, even washing both cloth bags can make a huge difference.

If new, run it on one motor, then the other to check they're both working.

Are you running a 100mm dust deputy or 50mm one.
If running 50mm then going up to 100mm that will kill suction.

It’s brand new so completely clean filters etc. It’s a 100mm Dust Deputy, which is the same size as the Camvac inlet.

 

[Sachakins]

It’s brand new so completely clean filters etc. It’s a 100mm Dust Deputy, which is the same size as the Camvac inlet.

Sorry, out of ideas then.

 

[DavidR8]

Sorry, out of ideas then.

Not to worry. I think the biggest thing I need to get used to is less volume, more static pressure.

 

[Tony_A]

Not to worry. I think the biggest thing I need to get used to is less volume, more static pressure.

If you want information on effective dust extraction for the home shop check out Bill Penze's site
https://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.php

 

[Roberto Flintofski]

With mine, it 'works' no idea if it is as it should but it does the job and keeps up with my portable Thicknesser - doesn't feel like it has much suck but then wood shavings are lightweight so it copes, its not like using a vacuum cleaner to suck up metal nuts and bolts - however I do use it to clean the floor with reducers onto an old Hendy pipe and it then works a treat

 

[Roberto Flintofski]

Its been altered a bit since those photos as I had to move things about and have got the big band saw next to the tool chest - so shortened overhead pipe and took it right next to the band saw as its now permanently connected to that unless I need to connect elsewhere so I just swap hoses with a longer one to take into the middle of the garage to connect to the thicknesser or saw

 

[DavidR8]

That's really great. I think I'll be fine. Appreciate the photos @Roberto Flintofski .
Here's where I got to today.
I need to get a reducer for the top to go from 6" to 4". I am a bit concerned that the cyclone is too big but looking at the Oneida site, except for the Super Dust Deputy XL they all have 5" inlets and 6" outlets and they are just reduced down to 4" so it should be OK

 

[Roberto Flintofski]

I still need to fit some kind of PRV to the top of the waste collector as if I inadvertently block the inlet the camvac almost eats the waste bin !

 

[Sideways]

I’m so accustomed to feeling the massive airflow from my HVLP unit that I was sort of expecting something similar from the CamVac.

It's a totally different beast.
Even with 2 motors a 50mm hose is a far better match to the airflow of a camvac.

You would use a 35mm hose with a single motor shop vac, Often less (eg 27mm), rarely more.
Your camvac contains 2 of the same type of motor as a shop vac so might reasonably move twice as much air.
Twice as much air needs twice the cross sectional area of hose.
A 50mm hose has twice as much area as a 35mm one..... that's the better match.
A 63mm hose is very close to 3x the area of a 35mm hose so that's the obvious choice for a 3 motor camvac.

A 100mm hose has 8x the area of a 35mm hose - it's far too big. Airflow (speed and volume) inside the hose will be lousy but if you close it down at the far end of course you will still feel the full airspeed and high suction at the constriction.

 

[ivan]

You need at least the volume of air moved by your old extractor to get enough velocity in a 100mm pipe to carry sawdust, (espcially upwards!) The camvac would struggle here. Bigger stuff from a PT which partly blocks the pipe could be moved by the Camvac because to generates a higher vaccuum. Don't forget that 45 and 90 deg. bends reduce airflow significantly, and a cyclone introduces several bends of 360deg. as the air whirls round and round before exiting.

 

[DavidR8]

Here's a video which got me thinking that my plan would work.

At 6:53'ish he talks about two motors on the CamVac providing "excellent dust control on the jointer and the planer" which are at the end of a run that goes up and over all of the machines.
The is the same cyclone that I have.

 

[DavidR8]

Made some progress piping in the CamVac.

Found a metal 6"-4" reducer for the cyclone to CamVac connection. Had to use my heat gun to soften the ABS of the cyclone to get the reducer to fit. Connected it with a bit of the supplied flex.
Picked up a 6 ft length of 4" PVC DWV for $10 and connected it to the CamVac with the flexible sleeve and another short bit of flex.
Went to Lee Valley and picked up a bunch of fittings. Cut in a 4" to 2-1/2" wye for the Sharkguard over the blade.

Discovered that you can jam 4" flex into the female end of 4" PVC fitting. So I connected some flex to the 4" port on the bottom of the Unisaw. Using both motors it had no problem quickly emptying the base of the saw.

Then I hooked up the ShopVac floor wand and with two motors on that thing made quick work of a huge pile of shavings under my lathe. But it was on the edge of collapsing the steel garbage can as I could hear the sides pop in a few times when I sucked up a big blob of shavings. The thing has serious static pressure.
With one motor it was also fine but had a bit of a hard time moving the shavings up the long length of 4" flex.

I also ran a pair of Shop Vac hoses out the exhausts and that made a huge difference in sound level. I will build a sound box for them to run into.
So far I'm impressed.