Here's an update on my search for a new cyclone dust collector:
Oneida still is the "premium" choice for me, but
Grizzly is really attractive in the 1 1/2 HP range ... which I think would certainly be enough for my small, "one tool at a time" shop. Then again, their 2 HP unit is just $60 more ...
I'm finding quite a few differences in the prices quoted once you calculate the shipping, add-ons needed, etc. into the equation.
Oneida's 2 HP Dust Gorilla is $1,102 delivered, with a stand. It ships via UPS, and the "zone 8" shipping to my house or office is a whopping $188. Oneida doesn't publish the shipping costs on their website; you have to call for them. I found this pretty inconvenient; they are nice on the phone, but press you for your name, email and physical address to send literature. Then they quote the standard UPS costs ... c'mon folks, there are only 8 zones in the lower 48 states, and you could easily list them on your website. They do not include a switch or metal dust bin, so there are some future costs. I would have to add another $100 or so at a minimum with this system.
Grizzly's 2 HP G0440 Cyclone is $1,019 with stand, delivered to my office (it ships by truck, so you have a hard time taking delivery at home). They include a magnetic starter with remote, the dust bin is on casters and powder coated metal, and I like the cleaning feature they have built into the cartridge filter. The appearance is certainly much better than the Oneida unit, and they both test as "Editor's Picks" in the January issue of American Woodworker.
Grizzly's 1 1/2 HP G0443 Cyclone is $949.45 with stand, delivered. It looks like the one above, but is just a bit shorter. It uses the same dust bin, switch, filter, etc.; only the cyclone body, motor and impeller are changed. Its a viable candidate for me if the air curve is correct ... still at about 850 CFM at 6" w.c. pressure. It would give me the air flow I need at each machine, used one at a time.
I called Grizzly to see if there were any owners local to where I'm staying in upstate NY, or at my home in California, and they didn't have any for either unit.
JDS 2 HP #14042 Cyclone is $899.94 right now at Amazon.com, and it includes a stand and has free shipping. But its not available yet, with shipping "coming soon" ... and I'm not sure I want to risk being a guinea pig for a new product. The review of the 3 HP unit in American Woodworker didn't garner an "Editor's Pick" but the performance curve was good. Still, they didn't test this one, and it could be a relative dog.
The
Woodsucker,
ClearVue and
Penn State's S-Series Cyclone are out of the running for various reasons, including lack of response to my inquiries (to be fair, these folks might be closed down for the holidays) and / or features that aren't compatible with my installation. In Penn State's case, I've heard from several of their customers on their prior series that the customer service just isn't up to par, and these are new units ... so I don't want to risk the combination of new units and sub-standard service.
January 22, 2003, 04:43:05 AM
