Leveling Up the Shop: Dust Collection
With a new and larger shop, it was time to upgrade the dust collection. The little Laguna B|Flux served me well in my small shop and now has moved on to serve a friend and new woodworker in his shop.
A quick side by side size comparison.
The new (2021 model) C|Flux 2 next to my trusty B|Flux and its creative two-stage setup using a trash can — this actually worked extremely well.
Granted, I am not what someone would call tall but this thing is still a big machine for a home shop, and I love it.
Likes
There are a lot of things I like about this thing, and there are not really any complaints I can think of. The mobile base is great and I never get the feeling its going to topple over as I roll it around the shop. The footprint of the C|Flux 2 is slightly smaller than the B|Flux when you count the trashcan stage two upgrade I did to it. The 46 gallon drum is easily removed and put back using the lever in front of it and the drum itself has wheels too.
By far my favorite feature is the remote control that came with it. It is small enough that it fits perfectly in the tiny pocket on the right side of my jeans allowing me to turn it on and off wherever I am in the shop.
Current Setup
Currently I am using a giant flex hose from Rockler that stretches from 4’ to 28’ with a quick change handle on the end.
Giant flex hose is the least efficient route you can do. However, I am still in the process of figuring out exactly where I want all of the machines.
As soon as I think I have it figured out, I change my mind. Until I get it fairly well nailed down, I will be sticking with the flex hose, its not like I don’t have the CFM’s to spare.
Future Plans
Once I get the big machines into their final home and I stop changing my mind, I plan on switching out to the proper ducts. Luckily I have a friend that is an architectural engineer that has spec’d out similar setups for school woodshops and has a pretty good idea of what I need to get when the time comes. When I do make the jump, I will make a follow up article on the process.
Quick Stats
Some quick stats for the C Flux 2 from Laguna’s website. More information can be found here.
Motor: 2HP
Electrical: Single Phase 220V
Amps: 14; Recommended Breaker Size: 20A
Inlet CFM: 1740
Inlet Size: 8” OR 6” with included adapter OR dual 4” with included adapter
Decibel Rating: 88 dBA @ 9.8ft
Filter: 1 Micron
Drum Capacity: 46 Gal
Links
Laguna B|Flux 1 - This dust collector is perfect for small shop spaces, especially when paired with the trashcan setup to make it two-stage.
Laguna C|Flux 2 - This is the big one.