# Some dust collection jigs/modifications.....



## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Hey guys,

I read that someone posted that they would like to see some of the different dust collection modifications or jigs that everyone has done around their shops, so I figured I would start this thread with a few of my own. Feel free to add some pics of yours too.... After all, dust collection is vital to our healthy lungs, and a safe shop too, right?

The first is my trusty bandsaw. I love this little benchtop unit. Anyway, the main thing that I didn't like about it was that it didn't have any dust collection whatsoever, so I decided to do something about it. I first started by finding a good spot to drill a hole big enough on the backside for a 2.5" dust port that was close enough to the area wihere the blade would be on the down stroke with the sawdust. Once I found a good spot, I proceded to drill the hole. Then I took an elbow and glued it to a square piece of plywood. I used polyeurathane glue, since it sticks to everything, and seals up all cavities. I then drilled out holes in the four corners of the plywood square, and transferred those hole to the housing of the bandsaw. After drilling and tapping those holes in housing, I mounted the elbow and the hard part was done. I just had to make sure my bolts that I used weren't too long, so as not to interfere with the pulley that is in front of it. I think you will notice that I did add some riser blocks to my base as well, so that I can wrap my DC around the backside and have the connection come out the front on the lower left side of the saw.

























Next was just a little add on to my drill press. I just bought this and mounted one end to my shelf, and wrap the other end around the back side of the drill press and just position it where I need to vac up some drillings. This keeps is shape pretty good, and "bends" out of the way as the drill gets farther down.









So.... Anyone else have some examples how you made your dust collection any better? Lets see them.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

One other one that I made was this one below. 

















I got sick and tired of my router spitting all sorts of dust everywhere when I would use a pattern making bit on my router. I made the base a little bigger so that I could clamp the piece in place, but after using a few times, I found that clamps don't reach everywhere I want them to. I have some rare earth magnets on order that I will mount on the bottom of the vertical parts of the plywood, so that I can "stick" it anywhere on my cast iron wing router top. When I finally get around to making an actual router table, I will probably drill a few holes in the base of this jig, so that I could mount it on the miter gauge slot of the the table top.

Oh yeah.... I forgot to mention that it is a 4" port on the back of that.... Sucks up 97% of the dust if I am careful how I am routing, and make sure to try to aim the cuttings towards the collection jig. The 4" port is just this, cut in half, and glued into the plywood with polyeurathane glue. My 4" clear flex hose clamps onto this quite well then.


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

Wow, great ideas you have there! I like your idea of putting all the connections for the DC at the front of the tool. Not everyone has an 8", hard-piped DC setup in their shop. I have to move my single 4" hose around too. Cutting that hole in the BS must've been difficult. But it came out really clean! Last time I tried to use a metal holesaw bad things happened. When the saw binds and the steel plate you're working on spins b/c it wasnt' clamped down properly, the end result is painful.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Lookin good Fabian........


Wanna try somthing neat?Test how the shape of the pickup(the one on your shaper)....specifically at the perimter,out at the edges,performs.With system runnin,sprinkle dust out at the edges of pickup.The better you can shape the perimeter the more the efficiency as a whole,goes up.All too often a pre-fab unit dosn't have the wide-mouth suckage that they're marketed as.They look good,but if its only utilizing 60% of its total opening....whats the point.By testing a cpl,very easy to make,different shape pickups you can get insight to what the requirements are WRT that particular pc of equip.


More pics,need more pics,haha.Cheers BW


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

thegrgyle said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I read that someone posted that they would like to see some of the different dust collection modifications or jigs that everyone has done around their shops, so I figured I would start this thread with a few of my own.


That would be ME and I certainly appreciate it! I have an old Delta/Milwaukee bandsaw with no DC and I use forstner bits a lot in my DP, so those two are the primary ones that I was interested in... or so I thought! Now I wanna see everything, ha!

I currently have a DC with 25' of 4" PVC, and about 60' of 4" and 2.5" hose laying in a huge bundle right now in the shop because I can't figure out how I want to lay everything out. Frustrating to say the least. Thanks for sharing!


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

mikeintexas said:


> Wow, great ideas you have there! I like your idea of putting all the connections for the DC at the front of the tool. Not everyone has an 8", hard-piped DC setup in their shop. I have to move my single 4" hose around too. Cutting that hole in the BS must've been difficult. But it came out really clean! Last time I tried to use a metal holesaw bad things happened. When the saw binds and the steel plate you're working on spins b/c it wasnt' clamped down properly, the end result is painful.


I hear you there Mike.... The bandsaw housing was made of aluminum, so the cut wasn't too bad. You hit the nail on the head though, when using large holesaws, or any holes for that matter.... The piece you are drilling needs to be clamped very well in order to avoid injuries, like jumping on the drill when it decides to grab you like a wet noodle when it bites. Also, a good rule of thumb I use, is the larger the hole, the SLOWER that I drill.... that way, if it does bite, the jerk is not as bad. I have used a hole saw on 1/4" steel plate, with some lubrication, and it worked out just fine.



BWSmith said:


> Lookin good Fabian........
> 
> 
> Wanna try somthing neat?Test how the shape of the pickup(the one on your shaper)....specifically at the perimter,out at the edges,performs.With system runnin,sprinkle dust out at the edges of pickup.The better you can shape the perimeter the more the efficiency as a whole,goes up.All too often a pre-fab unit dosn't have the wide-mouth suckage that they're marketed as.They look good,but if its only utilizing 60% of its total opening....whats the point.By testing a cpl,very easy to make,different shape pickups you can get insight to what the requirements are WRT that particular pc of equip.
> ...


This one seems to do a pretty good job for now, but next time I have it set up, I will definitely do your suggested "test." I will admit that I do sometimes tape some cardboard on it reduce the size of the opening though.



Taylormade said:


> That would be ME and I certainly appreciate it! I have an old Delta/Milwaukee bandsaw with no DC and I use forstner bits a lot in my DP, so those two are the primary ones that I was interested in... or so I thought! Now I wanna see everything, ha!
> 
> I currently have a DC with 25' of 4" PVC, and about 60' of 4" and 2.5" hose laying in a huge bundle right now in the shop because I can't figure out how I want to lay everything out. Frustrating to say the least. Thanks for sharing!


Taylormade, you and are basically in the same boat. I also have a bunch of 4" drain pipe waiting for me to hang and install. My current set up is a wye with blastgates right after my thein separator, and 2 4" hoses spreading out in opposite directions to various machines. After Christmas, I am hoping on working on some "permanent" DC runs, so as to have a little better efficientcy.

Fabian


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Fabian, how's that permanent set up coming? I started mine tonight and wanted to throw things all over the shop before it was over, ha. 

I have schedule 35 pipe and schedule 40 fittings... which means I have to return everything and find a place that sells sewage fittings. I also am having a helluva time trying to join the 4" hose to the 4" pipe. I need to bring some to the store tomorrow morning to try and rig something. I hope to have it finished tomorrow by lunchtime so I can get started on some projects that have been getting put off for the last few weeks.


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## dmh (Sep 18, 2010)

Taylormade said:


> I also am having a helluva time trying to join the 4" hose to the 4" pipe. I need to bring some to the store tomorrow morning to try and rig something.


Don't know if you've seen this or not but rrbrown describes how he does it in post #2. Sounds like a pretty good idea.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

dmh said:


> Don't know if you've seen this or not but rrbrown describes how he does it in post #2. Sounds like a pretty good idea.


Yeah, I actually DID see that last night as I was perusing around the DC subforum, thanks! I've got a lot of stuff to return to HD this morning and I'll see if they have a coupler that will work first, and, if not, I'll hit the HF later on. 

Thanks!


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

I also am having a helluva time trying to join the 4" hose to the 4" pipe. I need to bring some to the store tomorrow morning to try and rig something. I hope to have it finished tomorrow by lunchtime so I can get started on some projects that have been getting put off for the last few weeks.[/QUOTE said:


> i actually put my hose up into the fittings then put short screws below the ribs of the hose and so far its working great


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

im anxious to see pics of your setup too


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Taylormade said:


> Fabian, how's that permanent set up coming? I started mine tonight and wanted to throw things all over the shop before it was over, ha.
> 
> I have schedule 35 pipe and schedule 40 fittings... which means I have to return everything and find a place that sells sewage fittings. I also am having a helluva time trying to join the 4" hose to the 4" pipe. I need to bring some to the store tomorrow morning to try and rig something. I hope to have it finished tomorrow by lunchtime so I can get started on some projects that have been getting put off for the last few weeks.


Taylormade, I still haven't done much with my permanent setup.... I was BUSY all December working on this for my parents, and every time I went to sand stuff, or when I used my router wing on my TS, I keep telling myself that right after I was done with THIS project, I would get to the DC, but then Mama has other ideas. :yes: We went to Menards yesterday to plan out a whole wall of cabinets that she wants to put in the kitchen. (they wanted $5000  just for the cabinets.... HA!) I use them to plan them out, then I make them myself, using their plans, and altering as I go.:icon_smile:

As far as your dust hose collection dilemma..... Rockler makes this adaptor for Schedule 40 pipe, and I am not too sure if it works with the dwv pipe though. This might work for you if you dont' want to mess with heating/forming the pipe.... that can get interesting if you heat it up too much.:huh:

Hope it helps.... 

I will keep you guys posted when I finally get to doing my DC, whenever that happens.

Fabian


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

I just ordered some of those adapters from Woodcraft yesterday, should be in next week and they are a dollar less each. I will post how they fit.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Ok, well I can add something to this finally as I completed my set up (or darn near completed it) today. I ended up using schedule 35 pvc and fittings along with HF blast gates and it came out pretty nice. I used wyes when I could and 45s when possible instead of 90s. I put two 1/2" screws in each joint and then filled around the joint with silicone. I need to get a few more blast gates (I foolishly thought my measly 7 would be enough) to finish it but I'm 80% done.

As for joining the 4" hose to the 4" PVC, I used couplers and shoved the hose inside the coupler, screwed it in place and backfilled it with silicone.


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