I have a 2 bag powermatic dust collection system and recently the bags are splitting and busting within a day of replacing them I checked bags for splinters or debris that could cause this but after inspecting the machine i noticed that the dust bags are under lot more pressure than usual and this is causing my problem. Can I turn down the pressure. And has anyone else had this problem. Thanks lads

Shake and beat on the filtration bags to knock the dust off them.

Adam the bags underneath are plastic the cones on top are pleated filters. I take them off every 2 weeks and clean and blow them out with compressed air I just can't figure out what has happened here it seems like there is far more pressure on bags now than when I first got it. And it is literally splitting bags open I am going through 2 bags a day which I can't keep doing as they are not cheap let me know your thoughts. Thanks tadhg

Are these Jet brand clear bags you are using? Iv never had one blow open on me.

The homie dopie contractor bags are dirt cheap and work well on those smaller collectors. I used to use them on a two bagger and then in my cyclone twin 55 gallon drum system.

Its a strange thing that's happening. If you've got pleated filters then you have something like 3 times the surface area of cloth bags. It should put less pressure on the collection bags.

You shouldn't have to take the filters off the unit to clean them. Leave them on and turn down the compressor to 50 psi and blow the dust into the collection bags. Its great that you realize the importance of cleaning them.

I'm a bit stumped. Please have the moderator move this over to the Dust Collection Forum. You will get better answers.

The pleated filters will load up over time with tiny particles that you can't clean out of the pores. Replace the pleated filters or get yourself some oversized felt or Beane fabric bags and you won't have this problem.

This is like watching people talk about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin! Let's move on beyond the problem.

Look at the time you spend fiddling with those damn bags and step it up. The money your spend, and the hassles you have. How much is it costing you in lost productivity? In mental anguish? In hassle factor?

I had a Powermatic single bagger for a week before I built a central system with a drop box for shavings. I inhaled more dust changing bags than I ever did when I ran without collection. I sold it and it is still in use 25 yrs later.

I rigged up a tightly sealed plywood box and put the Powermatic fan on top, and ducted the cloth filter bag off the side. Had a tightly sealed door to the plywood box and I could hold 3-4 times as much dust. That alone was a huge time savings. It was on wheels so I could move it to a better place to dump it.

I soon stepped up to central dust collection and built a phone booth (remember those?) sized room off the side with a well sealed door and put a cyclone and fan above it, and dropped all the shavings into the room. The floor was the height of my truck, so open the door and let it flow into the back of the truck, or trailer, or whatever.

Add up the time you fool with those bags, multiply by your shop rate out for 5 years, and that is about how much you could budget for improving the situation.

A dust collection should be like the framing to your building - it works, and needs almost no thought - it just works.

Thanks for all the replys lads first of all I am getting bags from powermatic , second when you turn handle on top of filter some of fine dust collects on bottom ledge of machine. Only air will blow it out lastly. I agree that it is a lot of time wasting but to install a proper duct system would only work for me if I owned the property, but I am renting. Hopefully all going well it will happen some day but what I have now will just have to do I am only a small 2 man shop and will try other options. Thanks for all replys. Lads. I really appreciate it tadhg

Innovation or Gimmick

Back in the early 80's I represented a dust collector product line. Their parent company was a leader in cartridge filters for various applications, such as engine and vehicle exhaust. After several years of research and development, the filter cartridge dust collector was introduced for fine dust filtration. The principle was to have the dust exposed to the outer pleats of cartridge where the maximum amount of surface area was located. Air was drawn through the core of the cartridge. Compared to bag filters, the cartridge provided a substantial amount of filter area in a confined space. The units provided as much filter area as a bag house and required a substantially smaller foot print. They were primarily designed for fine, dry dust. A shaker mechanism or air pulse was used to knock off any cake build up. Used properly, the cartridge filter was a major innovation to the dust collection industry. Today, there are many types of filter material and outside wrappers that can prevent cling, cake build up, and even collect mist. I applied several units to toner dust, graphite dust, glass bead dust, and lead dust, just to name a few.

Then, a few years ago, I noticed an ad for a woodworking dust collector company promoting the cartridge filter as an after filter for a cyclone. My immediate thought was, this is a misapplication. A couple months later, I noticed more ads for single stage dust collectors promoting them as a viable replacement for the upper filter bag. To my dismay, it seemed everyone jumped on the band wagon, right or wrong. At first, they were sold without a method for cleaning. I received feedback from customers that had purchased these collectors. Most said the filters were quickly getting clogged due to cake and cling. Within a short period of time, they were sold with an internal brush for cleaning. Then, came the feedback about the brushes. It appeared the cake was forced into the core filter material and clogging the pores. The replacement cost for the cartridges averaged from $200 - $300 a piece.
Some only lasted weeks and the best case I heard of was six months. These were woodworkers that used the collectors on a daily basis. Some guys were using compressed air to blow out the inside in order to use them. In some cases, this was done every other day.

Bag filter material offered today is substantially improved. There are 10 oz and 16 oz polyester felts with singe to avoid cling (1-5 micron range filtration), fabrics that control electrostatic build up, special surface treatments that improve performance, fabrics that extinguish sparks, and so on. The filter bag longevity with today's fabrics can be at least 5 years or more. If the air to cloth ratio and fabric is correct, I am convinced that the filter bag is substantially better than the reverse use of a filter cartridge. Certainly, those hundreds of dollars and hours of labor can be well spent elsewhere.

Curt Corum
Sales Manager
Air Handling Systems