Dust Collectors Again

Re: Dust Collectors Again

Dale Bonertz

Seems like a lot of money for something that is simple to rig up for a lot less. Dust likes to fall because of gravity so a collector located down more will help more, gravity plus suction. It will become air borne but gravity starts it in a downward motion, somewhat depending on where you are sanding and the direction your spinning the lathe.

Re: Dust Collectors Again *LINK*

john Lucas

That's a rediculous amount of money. They have much nicer systems in the Rockler catalog for a whole lot less. In my opinion bigger doesn't make it better. You just loose the suction. Smaller and easily positionable works much better because you have more suction. I have a hood that is about 12x 16. When you create a big cloud of dust like I do when power sanding large carvings you can barely see the dust moving out toward the edges. I switched to a smaller hood that is about 6x12 and you can really see the difference in how much dust is being pulled in. They have a smaller system on the cover of the catalog. I didn't look for it but the one below I have used at John C Campbell and it works well.


http://www.rockler.com/universal-dust-collection-port

Re: Dust Collectors Again

Justin Stephen

Replied over on SMC as well, but I have this:

http://www.amazon.com/WoodRiver-Dust-Hood-With-Stand/dp/B0035Y97DO/

Half the price and what appears to be a substantially larger hood. The downside is that it is probably not as easily adjustable as you have to lean over the ways or step behind the lathe to move the stand around in the pile of shavings that usually over the bottom of it in no time. That said, I have had it for at least a couple of years and am happy with it. I can see it grabbing huge quantities of dust when sanding or turning dry wood (which for me is about 100% of the time).

Re: Dust Collectors Again

john Lucas

I haven't had time to build mine yet but what I'm looking at doing is building a sort of articulated arm similar to the Elbow tool used for hollowing. I will attach it to my Powermatic using the existing arm that is supposed to holed spindles to be copied. I'll put an adjusting knob in that so the whole articulated arm can be rotated. Then I'll have locking knobs on the articulated arm. This should allow me to put whatever dust hood I want exactly where I want it. That way I can use a smaller hood that will have stronger suction and have it where it's needed.

Re: Dust Collectors Again

Stuart Johnson

I wear a 3M dust mask. If I had to listen to my dust collector the whole time my sanding would probably be cut in half. With that said, a large box (cardboard or built) and a simple stand from a few bucks worth of pvc with different joints would work just as well as a $100 plus hood.

Re: Dust Collectors Again

Tom Albrecht

Okay John, get going on that soon please. And be sure to post some photos.

From what I can see here I agree that the $200 contraption from Craft Supplies is overpriced, but that's why I asked if anybody has one-- no positive replies to that yet.

Thanks.

Tom

Re: Dust Collectors Again

John K Jordan

I'm finally hooking up my shop DC to my lathe today.

I looked at the video in the link you provided. It is pricey but I have to admit the sliding rail and telescoping adjustment system looks like a nice design and the quick rotation would be handy. There is no room behind my lathe for a floor stand and the big overhead arm system would also be a problem.

For today I'm holding a Mini Gulp hood with chewing gum and string but need a better method. I'm first going to try a strong magnetic base and adjustable arm made for the machine shop to see if it's strong enough. I hope I don't have a week moment and order the expensive one from Craft Supplies.

JKJ

Re: Dust Collectors Again

Gbalock

I have a much simpler setup for mine. From the blast gate, I have 4" flexible hose. Attached to that I have 3" to 4" PVC reducer held inside the flexible hose with a hose clamp. I also have a bent piece of flat steel stock attached to the flex hose by the hose clamp to attach it to the ways. In the reducer I have a very short length of PVC and in that, I have a short length of flexible dryer vent hose. If I could figure out how to post a picture I would.

It works great, I get good velocity from the DC and it is very adjustable. If the dryer vent touches the wor, it's not a big deal as it is pretty soft. Just my two cents.

Re: Dust Collectors Again

Barry Irby

I gave up on trying to collect the shavings coming off the tools. Mostly big chunks heavy enough to fall to the floor and hard to pluck out of the air. Especially since they seem to fly in many directions.

For sanding I bring the DC 4" hose up and clamp it to the tool rest and move it around. I make a "game" out of trying to direct the dust into the hose while power sanding.

The area of the 4" hose end is about 12 sq In. If you put a 6 by 12 end on it, the area is 72 square inches or 6 times as much. The air speed could be slowed to on sixth the speed entering the round hose. Its the speed of the air flow that gives it the ability to redirect the particles into the hose.

Another thing you could do is if have a fan or fans behind you and another in front of, maybe pointing out of a window. The fans woudl set up an air flow away form your face so that the smallest particles would fly out the window and you woudl not breath them. The big pieces that fall out of the air quickly are fairly harmless to you. Its the really fine stuff that kills you in the end. Wear a good mask.