# Router Table Dust Bucket



## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

Rockler has a router table dust bucket with a dual port attachment and a hose . A video demo of the unit is 




The dual port attaches to the back of the router table about half way down. It has a port
for a 2 1/2" hose and a port for a 4" hose.

A hose connects from the fence port to the 2 1/2" port on the dual port. A 4" DC hose connects to the other port fitting. 

The bucket attaches inside the table and the router goes inside the bucket.

I have a Bench Dog Pro Top bench top router table and was wondering if this dust bucket would make a dramatic difference in the DC. 

I wasn't even aware of this dust bucket until I noticed it while browsing Rocklers latest catalog. 

Any of you have the Pro Top . If so how is the dust collection using just the fence 2 1/2 inch port ?

Any of you have the dust bucket ? Is it worth the 100 bucks ?


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

I'm not one to spend money on Rockler or other gizmos. I whittled an ordinary wet dry vac attachment to fit my router base, made a simple tin cover for the opposite side and used a little foam on the sides of the vac attachment to seal it up. It allows access to the router, changing speeds or removing it and keeps the router motor out of the dust. It works quite well and captures the dust at the source, along with another attachment mounted to my fence above.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I considered them but....*

Since the router's cooling fan blows upward, it carries the chips upward also. I didn't think sealing the whole unit in a box was a good idea as far as cooling it effectively. I just use a fence mounted dust attachment, which when used with a strong shop vac pretty much gets most of the dust. The soft 90 Ell is from the plumbing supply at HD.


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

Yeah, my fence has a port behind it also. Guess I'll probably wait and see how well that works before I dish out more on my
setup.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

I made a dust collection enclosure when I made my router table.

I only pull air through the router bit opening in the table top, not through the fence.

The left and right sides in the picture are vertical. The back and front slope from the top to meet the edge of the dust collection port for a contractor style table saw.

The front attaches by two small magnet hinges just above the plastic collection port. The grey strip is weatherstripping used to seal.

I normally have zero dust on the table. Now and again when cutting a dado, I may get a large chip thrown out, but no dust.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Both of my routers blow air away from the bit, so they are in effect trying to push the dust up and out of the table. If I were to put a hose below the router, that would appear to be at cross-purposes to the fan in the router.

But there are cases (eg-dados) where the dust can't really escape up and out because that exit is essentially blocked. In those cases, I would think vacuum above the table doesn't help, so the dust would stay below the surface.

My table is completely open under the table, so there is nowhere to put a vacuum. So for my table, Hammer's setup looks like it would work best.

I would think that, without the above table vacuum, dust would get out above the table when it can, and without the below table vacuum, you would get dust when it can't easily exit out the top.

I guess I have a habit of stating the obvious ...

Am I missing something?


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

Our shop router table has both, one in fence and one in bottom enclosure. door has screen on it so incoming air cools router. all this still does not get 100%, since cutter is spinning and throwing material wherever. but if only have one dc hookup, the fence (above table) would be best imho.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

When I built my router table, I did essentially what Dave did. I used a piece of 4" DC right angle in the floor of the router cavity. From the door of the router cavity I ran a shop vacuum hose to the fence. Is the set up perfect? No, but it works rather well.


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

Chris Curl said:


> Both of my routers blow air away from the bit, so they are in effect trying to push the dust up and out of the table. If I were to put a hose below the router, that would appear to be at cross-purposes to the fan in the router.
> 
> But there are cases (eg-dados) where the dust can't really escape up and out because that exit is essentially blocked. In those cases, I would think vacuum above the table doesn't help, so the dust would stay below the surface.
> 
> ...


I'm not an expert on HVAC or DC, but in the dust bucket setup ,you retain the 2 1/2 " hose and port on top behind the fence, that doesn't change. You still have above the table DC, it works in tandem with the 4" port connected to the enclosure from below the table.

As I said , I'm far from an expert, but I would think the enclosure around the router from below with the 4" port would capture most of what fell below obviously.And the stuff the router blows out would still get captured by the DC port on the fence. 

*"My table is completely open under the table, so there is nowhere to put a vacuum. So for my table, Hammer's setup looks like it would work best."*

The dust bucket screws into the bottom of the router table and encloses the router and lift if equipped with a lift. Then you plug in a 4 inch DC hose. No shop vac needed.

Someone else mentioned heat being a potential problem. I think the cyclone of air thats created inside the router enclosure would probaby keep things cooler than normal during operation. 

Most run the DC for a a minute or so after the tool is shut off.This would dissipate quite a bit heat. I don't see heat being an issue with this setup for most hobby shop purposes.Its still vented from below and the top. The enclosure is metal so it would rapidly dissipate heat.


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## Sawdustguy (Dec 30, 2008)

I have the Rockler Dust Bucket and love it. When I do raised panels without the dust bucket I would have a lot of waste on the floor. Now the dust bucket is almost empty when done. Much improved dust collection. I even got my Woodpecker Side Winder router lift to work with it.

I am pleased with the addition of the Rockler Dust Bucket.

George


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## Bob Willing (Jul 4, 2008)

against_the_grain said:


> I'm not an expert on HVAC or DC, but in the dust bucket setup ,you retain the 2 1/2 " hose and port on top behind the fence, that doesn't change. You still have above the table DC, it works in tandem with the 4" port connected to the enclosure from below the table.
> 
> As I said , I'm far from an expert, but I would think the enclosure around the router from below with the 4" port would capture most of what fell below obviously.And the stuff the router blows out would still get captured by the DC port on the fence.
> 
> ...


I would not worry about overheating, if you look at the left side of the bucket it has an air intake to make the air flow better.
You may want to use the Dave Paine approach using Rocklers "T" coupling as shown in the photo. This would be the least expensive approach and you could make your own vent opening.The video also explains the vent.


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