# From empty kitty litter tub, to router table dust shroud.



## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

My router table / table saw extension wing was coming along very nicely, I finished up the router table fence, which has a 4" DC port right on top that works great for keeping the top side of the cut clear..









I also got the new router table power switch installed...









As you can see, there really isn't anything to capture or control dust under the table, that just had to change...

Looking around my shop I had an old 40 lb kitty litter tub, the kind NEW UNUSED litter comes in just sitting in the corner. A total of 30 seconds design work in my head, and it was off to the races for this thing...
A simple door was cut into the plastic with a utility knife. A hinge needed to be fabricated so that we had a way to swing the door open and closed. Duct tape it is! Some small scraps and a dowel pin make up the latch... No this won't be a permanent rig unless I get super lazy... 

Next a hole was cut to fit 4" S&D pipe section as a port, and the pipe was cut to length, and glued in using Alex Plus latex adhesive caulk. I had a tube open...







(Yeah, following a line with a box knife in a kitty litter tub was never my strong suit!)

Some make up air holes were drilled into the tub to allow the thing to breathe and actually move the dust toward the port...









It gets mounted up and connected to the ductwork...









A pass through hole for the router power cable was cut through the door. Who cares if it leaks? Make up air remember?









A quick & easy mitered door frame was slapped together with glue and pins, and will be installed if this thing works as I hope it will...









I still have to finish up the real door frame, make a door (cut a plywood panel to size) install hinges, and a latch, and paint this thing so folks will stop giving me grief over the fact that it originally held cat litter... Hey it's a free box ish sort of thing and it's the right size. Cat's never did their business in it, and I pity any that try now!

The great thing is, I bet folks have a bunch of these laying around. The sad part is, they no longer ship this brand of cat litter in these tubs. They switched to a big bag. More environmentally friendly, MUCH harder to carry, and less useful for dust collection projects!


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## johnnyb (Dec 22, 2010)

Very creative! Perhaps down the line you can add a ply carcass under the router wing... Add in some drawers and dc connecter.

JB


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Nice work. I'm always amazed at the ideas some of you guys come up with. Way to use the old noodle to come up with a new d/c improvement. Here's hoping that it works perfectly. Great job.


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Very neat!

Then this image keeps running through my head........ power up, rout, power down, scratch like mad all over the shop!


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

johnnyb said:


> Very creative! Perhaps down the line you can add a ply carcass under the router wing... Add in some drawers and dc connecter.
> 
> JB


Not sure that is going to happen. I use the space below this for vac / separator storage. My router bits are immediately behind this wing wall mounted. Simply turn, fetch bit, turn install work... No big deal. Now mind you, a thought has nagged me about building a work center for the whole saw / extension wing sometime down the road that would include storage for the vac and separator, but that is down the road quite a bit. I don't want to take the time or materials yet to do that...


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Kenbo said:


> Nice work. I'm always amazed at the ideas some of you guys come up with. Way to use the old noodle to come up with a new d/c improvement. Here's hoping that it works perfectly. Great job.


I am not sure if I saw someone else do this before or not. I doubt this was a unique idea, I just don't recall who to give credit to... If this is a unique idea chalk one up for me! I just doubt that I though of this on my own as I seem to recall seeing it on one of the forums somewhere... Oh well, not all that important I guess.


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

Nice post Ghost

I've got a plastic tub from ice melt....and it's almost empty


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## mwhals (Apr 13, 2010)

Great job with the Kitty Litter Tub! I still get those kind of tubs from Sam's, which package a kitty litter that clumps. So far they still supply it in the tubs.


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

It must be regional. About a year ago, Tidy Cat started showing up at the Houston Sams Clubs in big plastic bags that are a real pain to lug around... Probably cheaper for the MFG, but a real pain in the butt for me...


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