3d Printed Transition 100 mm flex to 150 mm PVC

**bitingmidge** · 15th December 2020, 07:08 PM

I've had some semblance of a 150mm duct system in place for around twenty years. For the sake of expedience there are a few things that could be done better, and now seems like a good time to start working through them bit by bit. I have 150 to 100flex transitions to the tablesaw, router table and one point that serves jointer, thicknesser and anything else that's movable. They look a lot like this, and seriously they've worked well enough in the context of a space which is not constantly used for woodwork, however that doesn't mean they can't be improved:

20-12- 15 at 17-31-03.jpg

But, because I can, I've printed a transition which has a screw thread for the flexi on one end, and push fits over a 145 gate, or into a standard pvc junction. This setup gives close to 20% more area than the old plastic blast gates, and should provide a measurable benefit over the old stepped transition. Even if it doesn't - it looks good! BTW the printed Bellmouths have made a noticeable difference above the sanders!

Print details: - about $8.00 worth of filament - 7mm total wall thickness (two perimeters with 15% infill for a rigid lightweight part). Before you ask @BobL print time was 25 hours!

I could have knocked that down to about 16 with a less pretty finish, but the smoother I can get it the better.

20-12- 15 at 16-35-26.jpg 20-12- 15 at 16-42-03.jpg 20-12- 15 at 16-53-33.jpg

In "glutton for punishment" mode - I will slowly work through all machine fittings, converting some to 150 on the way through, but in the context of my last great dust collection documentation thread commenced in 2007 and not quite finished, don't hold your breath between updates!

Cheers,

P

**BobL** · 15th December 2020, 08:29 PM

Good job. This is one junction that I reckon is worth 3D printing - there's not too many of these in use most DC systems and the commercially available "100 - 150 mm Level Inverts" are actual quite restrictive.

Would you like me to change the 10mm to 100 mm in thread title?

**bitingmidge** · 15th December 2020, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by BobL

Good job. This is one junction that I reckon is worth 3D printing - there's not too many of these in use most DC systems and the commercially available "100 - 150 mm Level Inverts" are actual quite restrictive.

Would you like me to change the 10mm to 100 mm in thread title?

Thanks Bob, (and thanks for the pick-up on the title- I got to it in time!

This has been bugging me for years - at one point I mucked around making a cone out of a bit of 6" pvc pipe - but it wasn't at all attractive! I think most of the bits for the next little while will be pretty straight forward, although I hope to do custom vacuum points for the disk sanders that are a development of your PVC ones. The exciting stuff won't happen until well into next year I imagine, after my cad skills have had a chance to mature. I have some weird stuff in mind for 6" adapters for jointer, thicknesser and thickness sander, which will either be fabulous or fail spectacularly. But that's to come!

**BobL** · 15th December 2020, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

Thanks Bob, (and thanks for the pick-up on the title- I got to it in time!

I see the first post title got changed but the thread title is still the same (10mm).

[FIXED]

**dmorse** · 16th December 2020, 02:30 AM

Nicely done. I also prefer threaded fittings for hose connections. What design software are you using? I use the coil tool in Fusion 360 for mine.

I move my DC from machine to machine so I put the transition at the machine port. That way I can use 150mm flex.

3d Printed Transition 100 mm flex to 150 mm PVC-quickconnect-jpg

3d Printed Transition 100 mm flex to 150 mm PVC-quickconnect-jpg

**bitingmidge** · 16th December 2020, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by dmorse

Nicely done. I also prefer threaded fittings for hose connections. What design software are you using? I use the coil tool in Fusion 360 for mine.

I move my DC from machine to machine so I put the transition at the machine port. That way I can use 150mm flex.

thanks, I'm eusing Onshape and the helical tool I presume is similar to F360's coil too - the larger diameter hoses are easy enough to measure - I'll let you know how I get on with the vacuum accessories!

Both TS and Router bench (built in to the TS) have about a meter of 4" flex. This is to allow a reasonable amount of movement of the TS for cleaning or just to cut awkward sizes. Both have (will have) 80mm overhead fittings as well so there's a balance in play here.

Stay tuned!

**dmorse** · 16th December 2020, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

thanks, I'm using Onshape ...

Onshape looks interesting. Do you know if it can do a constant area loft? That's something F360 won't do.

**bitingmidge** · 16th December 2020, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by dmorse

Onshape looks interesting. Do you know if it can do a constant area loft? That's something F360 won't do.

I'm sorry Dave, I don't know! I have an interesting loft problem that I'm trying to solve at the moment - given that I can barely draw a square I'm poking in the dark really - but I'm trying to draw a transition from a rectangular jointer opening @45° downwards to a 150 pipe which is offset and vertical. I'm half way there I think. Once I figure it out I'll then have to split it into two or three printable parts.
Screen Shot 2020-12-16 at 11.46.56 am.jpg

**Aussiephil** · 16th December 2020, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

I'm sorry Dave, I don't know! I have an interesting loft problem that I'm trying to solve at the moment - given that I can barely draw a square I'm poking in the dark really - but I'm trying to draw a transition from a rectangular jointer opening @45° downwards to a 150 pipe which is offset and vertical. I'm half way there I think. Once I figure it out I'll then have to split it into two or three printable parts.
Screen Shot 2020-12-16 at 11.46.56 am.jpg

My nagging thought is why does the 150 pipe need to be offset. is it to clear an obstruction?
I'd be tempted to transition that loft via a number of planes and hence sketches in F360
I've found that it is often easier to do that despite the multiple sketches you end up with

**bitingmidge** · 16th December 2020, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Aussiephil

My nagging thought is why does the 150 pipe need to be offset. is it to clear an obstruction?
I'd be tempted to transition that loft via a number of planes and hence sketches in F360
I've found that it is often easier to do that despite the multiple sketches you end up with

I can't believe I've hijacked my own thread!

The grey rectangle in the drawing is the jointer table top, so the riser has to clear it!

The vertical bit will be 150 pipe and a 45° bend on the bottom will be the first part of the transition - at the moment I'm just working out how to do it.

I will also loft it in two or perhaps three printer-sized pieces. I made a male mould a few years ago when I got all keen to build in fibreglass, then believe it or not I did a bit of mucking round with Papier Maché (which could actually work very well)

The end product might look a bit like this:

2018_03_07 at 14-19-00.jpg 2018_03_10 at 08-11-42.jpg

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