# Harbor Freight 2 HP DC on Sale



## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

Just received an email from HF. 2 HP DC coupon $169.99.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

JIMMIEM said:


> Just received an email from HF. 2 HP DC coupon $169.99.


Good buy that is for sure!!!


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Get it! A great mahine at twice that price. If you don't have dust collection now, set aside your tool purchases to get this. Use a bit of the savings to make a chip collector, a barrel with an in and out port (Rockler has the parts). This is the very lowest price I've seen on this unit.


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

JIMMIEM said:


> Just received an email from HF. 2 HP DC coupon $169.99.


How long is this sale going on. My son gave me an 80 dollar gift card for my birthday from HF. I have been in there a couple of times since and have not seen anything that either I needed or don't already have.
Besides my shop vac connected to my router table, I have two other small vacuums that come on when I switch on my sander and my bandsaw. Maybe I will look into this.
David


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

DesertRatTom said:


> Get it! A great mahine at twice that price. If you don't have dust collection now, set aside your tool purchases to get this. Use a bit of the savings to make a chip collector, a barrel with an in and out port (Rockler has the parts). This is the very lowest price I've seen on this unit.


Tell me more about this "chip collector" Tom.
David


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## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

Bushwhacker said:


> How long is this sale going on. My son gave me an 80 dollar gift card for my birthday from HF. I have been in there a couple of times since and have not seen anything that either I needed or don't already have.
> Besides my shop vac connected to my router table, I have two other small vacuums that come on when I switch on my sander and my bandsaw. Maybe I will look into this.
> David


Coupon says valid until 7/31/17.
The coupon is also in the INVENTORY CLOSEOUT booklet that HF sent out via U.S. Mail.
If you didn't receive one or can't pick one up in their store PM me and I will email the coupon to you.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Bushwhacker said:


> Tell me more about this "chip collector" Tom.
> David


 @Bushwhacker The attached second picture is of the chip collector I use on both my HF dust collection units as shown in the first picture. (Sorry the pictures loaded out of order.) Its purpose is to have heavier pieces (chips, stray screws, nails and other bits and pieces) fall out before they reach and hit the impeller in the DC unit. Yes, you don't want the chips to hit the fan. :wink:

The HF unit has two input connectors, each is four inches. You block one with the supplied cover, the other connects to one hose on the chip collector. This supplies the air flow. 

The second hose in my setup is 27 feet long and attaches to my machines. Several of my machines have 2.5 inch ports, so I've attached 2.5 inch hoses to them, and then added a 2.5 to 4 inch adapter to the other end of the small hose. This drops into the connector at the end of the long hose. You already have the smaller hoses so you'd need to add the 2.5--4 inch adapter. 

I also have a short piece of 1 inch pvc pipe attached to a small diameter hose with the 4 inch adapter that is used to clean out the table saw and a couple of other small tools.

The third picture shows the handle and extension used for cleaning up the floor. This fits over the dust collection ports on your tools. It fits on the end of the long flex hose. http://www.rockler.com/rockler-dust-right-4-quick-change-handle 

Finally, another option is a cyclone type unit (cone shaped), which many people have and some prefer. Either way, you will find nearly all sawdust will wind up in the chip collector, which in my case is a 30 gallon fiber drum I ordered from Uline.

The first picture of the DC with the Wynn drum filter is what I have in my small shop. It filters down to 1 micron, so a simple dust mask is all I need to breathe in clean air. It cost as much as the HF unit, but I'm a throat cancer survivor, so I take toxic dust collection seriously.

The unit in the garage just has the supplied bag on it for now, but will eventually have a Wynn canister filter.

The fourth picture of the small black box is a WEN hanging dust filtration unit, which you turn on for a couple of hours after you leave the shop and it removes all the fine particles suspended in the air. It costs about $130 on Amazon, but I got the second WEN on sale through WalMart online for $90 delivered to the store.


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## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

DesertRatTom said:


> @Bushwhacker The attached second picture is of the chip collector I use on both my HF dust collection units as shown in the first picture. (Sorry the pictures loaded out of order.) Its purpose is to have heavier pieces (chips, stray screws, nails and other bits and pieces) fall out before they reach and hit the impeller in the DC unit. Yes, you don't want the chips to hit the fan. :wink:
> 
> The HF unit has two input connectors, each is four inches. You block one with the supplied cover, the other connects to one hose on the chip collector. This supplies the air flow.
> 
> ...


Does your separator have a plate directly below the elbows? I made one from the Thein directions and it has this plate. Just curious. Thank You.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

JIMMIEM said:


> Does your separator have a plate directly below the elbows? I made one from the Thein directions and it has this plate. Just curious. Thank You.


No. Made it years ago before learning of the Thein setup. The cyclone action comes from positioning the openings of the in-out fixtures on top. Set to swirl counterclockwise. The separator gets at least 95 percent of all sawdust as is.


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## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

DesertRatTom said:


> No. Made it years ago before learning of the Thein setup. The cyclone action comes from positioning the openings of the in-out fixtures on top. Set to swirl counterclockwise. The separator gets at least 95 percent of all sawdust as is.


Thank You.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Sure looks like they unloaded the ships.
Herb


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

DesertRatTom said:


> @Bushwhacker The attached second picture is of the chip collector I use on both my HF dust collection units as shown in the first picture. (Sorry the pictures loaded out of order.) Its purpose is to have heavier pieces (chips, stray screws, nails and other bits and pieces) fall out before they reach and hit the impeller in the DC unit. Yes, you don't want the chips to hit the fan. :wink:
> 
> The HF unit has two input connectors, each is four inches. You block one with the supplied cover, the other connects to one hose on the chip collector. This supplies the air flow.
> 
> ...


Thanks Tom, I will be looking into building one of those.
I believe I will get that HF DC they are advertising on sale.
I need to use that gift card my son gave me, and this would be a good and healthy thing to do.
Right now, I open my garage door and run a box fan to blow dust outside. Not very efficient.
Thanks for the help.
Now if you have an idea how I steady my dremel while carving????
But, that will be for tomorrow.
David
Next, you will need to explain how you gather the dust from your TS. Mine has a large wooden box across the legs of the frame infer the saw.
The heavy stuff drops down and the small dust floats.
The worst thing about this set up is that I bought the saw from my daughter after her husband died from pneumoconiosis.
And I continue to use it just like he did.


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

JIMMIEM said:


> Coupon says valid until 7/31/17.
> The coupon is also in the INVENTORY CLOSEOUT booklet that HF sent out via U.S. Mail.
> If you didn't receive one or can't pick one up in their store PM me and I will email the coupon to you.


Thanks Jim. I can get in there, besides they are suppose to mail me stuff too.
David


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Bushwhacker said:


> Thanks Tom, I will be looking into building one of those.
> I believe I will get that HF DC they are advertising on sale.
> I need to use that gift card my son gave me, and this would be a good and healthy thing to do.
> Right now, I open my garage door and run a box fan to blow dust outside. Not very efficient.
> ...


Surprise! There is a plunge base for the Dremel. https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-335-0...5414&sr=8-1&keywords=dremel+router+attachment

Dust collection on a contractor saw is problematic. Lots of openings for the sawdust to fly out and try to pierce your lungs. About all you can do is put a piece of ply under the saw, and put a 4 inch dust port in it. The other openings are harder to plug up, but you can try. You could also try fitting a dust collection shroud over the blade. They are about $200 and hook up with a 2.5 inch hose. I have one in my shop, but haven't gotten around to fitting it, kind of low on the priority list right now.


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## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

DesertRatTom said:


> Surprise! There is a plunge base for the Dremel. https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-335-0...5414&sr=8-1&keywords=dremel+router+attachment
> 
> Dust collection on a contractor saw is problematic. Lots of openings for the sawdust to fly out and try to pierce your lungs. About all you can do is put a piece of ply under the saw, and put a 4 inch dust port in it. The other openings are harder to plug up, but you can try. You could also try fitting a dust collection shroud over the blade. They are about $200 and hook up with a 2.5 inch hose. I have one in my shop, but haven't gotten around to fitting it, kind of low on the priority list right now.


There was an article in a magazine on dust proofing a contactor table saw. I've done most of it including pulling dust from beneath and also from above via a homemade over the blade collector. I got the ideas for the over the blade part from some postings on this forum and it was very inexpensive to do. The whole setup isn't perfect but does a decent job.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Oops, forgot to answer your question about DC on my saw. The Laguna has a sheath that surrounds the blade below the table and leads down into the dust extraction port. A small amount of dust falls into the saw's works and mainly in the cabinet. Many modern saws have this setup. I clean the sawdust out of the base occasionally.


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## Flipsaw (Mar 11, 2016)

Can you use the 25% off coupon they have for July 4th also on that Dust collector?


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Flipsaw said:


> Can you use the 25% off coupon they have for July 4th also on that Dust collector?


In the past, I used the 25% holiday only coupon, but could not use it with another coupon. But for both purchases, the discount applied to the sale price, not just the normal price.


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## Tonto1 (Nov 10, 2016)

When I bought mine, they allowed the 25% off coupon. Got it for $150. Great price.

The next time I'm in HF I will ask them to start stocking a 12" replacement impellor. Don't know if they will but if we all start asking they might! They are in business to make money. Might tweak their interest if enough of us ask for it.


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## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

Tonto1 said:


> When I bought mine, they allowed the 25% off coupon. Got it for $150. Great price.
> 
> The next time I'm in HF I will ask them to start stocking a 12" replacement impellor. Don't know if they will but if we all start asking they might! They are in business to make money. Might tweak their interest if enough of us ask for it.


How about sending an email to the owner and asking him directly. He sends out emails occasionally.


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## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

Just received the latest issue of WOOD Magazine. There is a HF coupon valid until Nov 2017 for the 2 HP DC for $169.99.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Thought about it- some reviews were very good but the negative ones are what caused me to rethink the issue. HF is about 30 miles from home and don't want to spend a fortune in gas getting any problems solved. Compared to me, Murphy was an optimist.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Knothead47 said:


> Thought about it- some reviews were very good but the negative ones are what caused me to rethink the issue. HF is about 30 miles from home and don't want to spend a fortune in gas getting any problems solved. Compared to me, Murphy was an optimist.


I think this thing is like a lot of other gear. If something is wrong with it, you'll know immediately, so return it. By far the best DC choice for under $500. Yes, I'd like the $1500 Laguna unit, but it's above my pay grade.

I think some negative reviews are because someone is comparing their unit to something that IS superior--probably a bigger impeller, but it's not much of a project to improve the HF unit with a new impeller.

The DC is really well packaged so repacking it will be pretty easy and HF is really good about return and replace, particularly if you repack it. Not much is perfect.


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

DesertRatTom said:


> Surprise! There is a plunge base for the Dremel. https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-335-0...5414&sr=8-1&keywords=dremel+router+attachment
> 
> Dust collection on a contractor saw is problematic. Lots of openings for the sawdust to fly out and try to pierce your lungs. About all you can do is put a piece of ply under the saw, and put a 4 inch dust port in it. The other openings are harder to plug up, but you can try. You could also try fitting a dust collection shroud over the blade. They are about $200 and hook up with a 2.5 inch hose. I have one in my shop, but haven't gotten around to fitting it, kind of low on the priority list right now.


I went ahead and ordered one of those plunge bases for my Dremel. Thanks for the tip Tom.
David


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I agree with Tom about issues with the DC. Because it's just a fan blade in a housing the only issues it would have would be immediate in items such as a bad switch, defective motor, or bad bearings.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I have been using one of the HF dust collectors for a long time and it has been trouble free. Since I only use it outdoors I never changed the filter bag to a canister filter. I think this is a very good value for the price.

You do not need to spend a ton of money to remove the dust fines from the air in your shop. It is easy to build a frame around a 20" box fan and use a 20x20" pleated filter which works very well. Mine is screwed to a 2x4" over my table saw.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

For an air filter, search for best price on a WEN filter. My last one went on sale at WalMart for $90, delivered to my local store (no shipping). Have one for each shop area and they work great. Advantage over the box fan is it has a timer (yes, you can put a timer switch on the fan box--1, 2, 4 and 8 hours.) You hang your filter near a wall so it creates a circular air flow. I retired my box fan unit and now use it only to circulate warm or cool air.


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