Suggestions for tearing up my Delta single stage

[Jerico]

I am planning on redoing my dust collection system in general. I currently have a Delta AP400 1 HP single stage collector with a 9" impeller, 4" hose and aftermarket 1 micron bag. I want to DIY something up closer to what you guys with your fancy 2HP and above collectors use, but with existing parts I can swap out later as cash becomes available. I consider myself a skilled DIYer and junior engineer used to experimenting and tweaking until I like things.

I was planning with my collector the other day (I've owned for 10 years and not used for 6 since downscaling shops when we moved, then having kids, etc) and threw a cheapie energy meter on it to find it pulling between 4.8 and 5.7 amps for a 12 amp rated collector. So of course I popped the motor off and fired it up free air (motor in hand with impeller spinning just in the air) and it drew 11.7 amps and damn near sucked me in.

So I obviously need to open up the port into the machine... I'd like to just build my own structure that I could swap in a larger motor and impeller on later. Could I put on a 6" port and larger impeller to get my little motor drawing more power and increasing airflow?

A little lost in the woods here and looking for an insight you guys may have. Whatever I do needs to have a top hat built in as well. I should mention my shop is for diy purposes and completely uses our 2 car attached heated garage. I have mid level tools which have been mostly modified to 4" ports from shop vac ports if they came that way.

[jgt1942]

Take a look at the image of my current unit at http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php?topic=1089.msg5905#msg5905 let me know if you are interested in more details.