Thread: Dust Extraction - Cyclone

Exhibit 5: Duct and 6 Inch Blast Gate for Table Saw and Belt Sander. I did not have time to make another Gate nor did I have another 6" Wye so the one Gate does both. This will do for the time being as the Belt Sander only has a 2.5" inlet so it does not drop the flow to the Table Saw. I will use the Belt Sander collection pipe for the Chisel Mortiser when I use it which sadly is not often. Just have to disconnect it which is easy as it is on the side.

Exhibit 6: Router Table (right) and Bandsaw duct and 4" plastic blast gates. Sorry about the pic but the branch is behind the machines and is very hard to get a good pic off.

One day I will get the 6" all the way to the tools but 6" flex cost a bit ($33 meter) so I will have to save my pennies.

Exhibit 7: Router Table intake. This draws the chips from the fence and also through the bit opening. The small pipe goes to the Triton routers dust hood which also helps. I did some routing this afternoon and not one single chip left the table - fan-flucking-tastic - woo woo.

You can also see my router bit draw. The trays are plastic breadboards which are cheap and work great - No rusty shanks and the bits go in and out nice and easy.

Exhibit 8: Forgot the Mitre Saw which is actually the first cab of the duct. The hood is not working real well unfortunately. The inlet needs to be behind the saw or further down on the side as it is not level with the base due to space/fitting problems. I will rework it soon (very soon).

Exhibit 9: Drill Press inlet and 6" Blast Gate. Now this works really goodly Drilled out 6 25mm holes with a forstner bit which usually causes a pile of shaving in seconds. With the Cyclone on and only that duct open - not one single shaving could I find!

Exhibit 10: My home made Wall Saw. Unfortunately I ran out of 45 degree elbows as well as flex pipe so it is not connected yet. You can see its duct connection to the left which is just blanked off at the moment. I have a 6" blast gate glueing up as I type.

I did cut some 18mm Ply on it this afternoon and I hooked up some flex drain pipe which is not good as it is not smooth on the inside and is under 100mm but it sucked up most of the saw dust anyway. Cannot wait to get it hooked up properly.

Exhibit 11: How to make a 6" blast Gate
This pic shows the 6" blast gate components as well as a 4" plastic one for comparison. To make one:

Get some 18mm ply (or there abouts) and cut two pieces about 210mm x 260mm. Cut a 150mm hole in the center of each and glue/screw a short length of 6 inch PVC into it. From 6mm ply, cut two side gate supports 20mm x 260mm and the actually gate (170mm x about 300mm). Drill a finger hole in the gate - assemble and install.

Exhibit 12: Finished 6" blast Gate
One 6" blast gate completed and that 4" plastic one for comparison

Exhibit 13: Installed 6" blast Gate
This is the one that connects to the Mitre Saw. The gates work just fine and will not clog up like the plastic ones as the bottom of the gate is open. This does mean a very, very small air leak but it does not affect anything worth a bugger.

Exhibit 14: Well no actually pic - I just did not want to finish on 13

Summary: The Cyclone and Ducting work as well and even better than I thought it would. I have a few problems to sort out (i.e. Mitre Saw) but in the main it works fine. Over time I will make the connections all 6" to the big machines and it will get even better (not that it is not good now).

One of the nice things is not dragging around the old 1hp units and pluging in the pipe. I just open the gate and make sawdust - well I think I do but I don't see any.

I have only cut up a few things to test it and, after it has been in use for a while, I will post a follow up.

Hope this info is helpful and interesting and I have not bored anyone with my obsession.

Cheers,

Outstanding work Wayne. I suspect you have kept a duct tape factory in business for another 6 months. I was very interested in your blast gates - you have inspired me to make my own tomorrow!
I would like more info on that wall saw too. That looks like another nifty piece of work.

Ken,

The wall saw is one of my favorites. I made it after seeing one at Bunnings. Well, first I went to Gregory Machinery site and got a price THEN, after picking myself up of the floor, I decided to make one. You can buy plans of the Web but after looking at them I thought it would not be that hard. So, Reader Digest condensed version:

Get some aluminium thick walled pipe for the rails and some alum. plate and square pipe for the Saw Holder/Traveller. The saw table (???) is just melamine sheet with an A frame support. The saw is my old Ryobi 7 1/4" which should get some new bearings and brushes real soon. Anyway, a couple of things are also needed, the Saw needs a counter-balance which hangs down the back of the unit. I found an old sash window weight (the old cast iron ones) as the salvage yard. I actually got two but found that one was just right. The Saw is perfectly balanced and will sit at any position.

For the Saw Traveller, I just used some alum plate with square alum cleats top and bottom. The Traveller is connected to the rails via four pieces of plastic obtained from - dont laugh frown etc - two very, very thick old Breadboards. I forget the name of the plastic but it is very strong when it is thick and this is the cheapest way to get it. Anyway, these pieces have holes cut in them exactly the same size as the Rails. As the plastic is slippery but not flexible, the saw moves up and down very well and accurately. Just for safety, I have four U-Bolts around the rails as well. I put these on as insurance but the saw has been in use for over two years now and I check it regularly and the plastic has not worn at all.

The top support that holds the Rails is designed to be moved left or right and then locked in by two big screws. This is to align the saw. To align it initially, I used a new sheet of melamine that I check with a framing square and then placed on the saw. I ran the Saw Traveller down with the Blade retracted so that it did not cut into the Saw Table but was just above it and I could see it travel along the edge of the melamine sheet. A little adjustment at the top and then lock it down when the saw travelled along the test sheets edge perfectly. Once that is done, its time to cut the saw slot in the table. Move the saw to the top, turn it on and slowly lower it into the Table. When it is fully lowered lock it in and pull the saw all the way down the rails. Result, one zero clearance slot

Last couple of things, my saw is mounted on casters so I can move it around nice and easily however, when I do, I recheck the alignment. This is actually recommended for the commecial units as well. The other thing is that behind the saw table (i.e. in the A Frame) I store my Sheet goods. This saves lots of space, keeps them of the ground and upright which are all really good things.

Any questions?

Wayne,

Excellent. I spotted the bread boards. As a matter of fact I am considering making a couple of table saw inserts (zero clearance & dado) out of them.
One last question before I hit the sack, what have you done about static electricity on your ducting ?

Saw Traveller up close.