Router table dust collection advice

[Jim Bailey]

I've almost finished a new router table and I' thinking about dust collection for it. I don't plan to pipe my shop and I have a 4" quick disconnect on my DC host that i use on my planer, jointer, and another router table, at the cutter/fence only.

I'd like to come up with a plan to have a collection point under (at) the router itself (it's boxed in), then somehow 'T' off that externally to another that goes up to the fence (Woodpecker with 2 1/2" fitting), so that I can simply hook my quick disconnect into a single point and draw from both areas.

I'm thinking that 2 1/2" hose on each area would be fine for this purpose - am I wrong ? Then adapt it out for the 4" disconnect.

I also see though that the most available (selection) fittings/hose are 4", so I don't know if I can come up with an appropriate setup anyway.

Has anyone else done this ? Ideas ? Is my explanation clear ?

jim

[Steven and Gail Peterson]

I am a few years ahead of you, both in building a router table, and in frustration at dust collection. I have made and remade a few fences trying to get something acceptable. Don't even think of anything smaller than 2.5 in, and you still have to find the smallest area for air to move through. I have used "through the fence" systems, but there is always sawdust escaping, and some always goes through the hole for the bit and collects down there. And there is always dust falling down into the rotating router. I think I will have to add dust collection under the table. If you find the ideal system, let me know.

Steve

[Jim Behning]

Jim B.

[BillyBob]

Check out:

are some good ideas there. BillyB

[arw01]

Working on the same problems, but trying how to duplicate this from the maker of most of the router workshop jigs:

site is aweful, but the plate is interesting...

[Patriarch]

"Jim Bailey" wrote in news:Flxge.21941$ [e-mail]:

I did a similar thing, using 2 1/2 off of the fence, and 2 1/2 out of the (Woodpecker) box underneath. These both run into a wye sweep 60 degree fitting that I found at the hardware store (sewer & drain). It hooks up to the most convenient of the dust collection sources, depending on how the shop is arranged at the moment - shop vac, rollabout small DC, or big Delta DC with a seperator. The table is on wheels, and where it sits depends a lot on what size the job is, and how nice the weather is.

Air velocity at the fence seems to be a major factor in chip clearance and quality of cut.

Patriarch

[toller]

I have a 4" port in the base of my router table to the DC, and a 2.5" pipe goes from the base to the back of the fence. It is pretty much dust free when I use the fence. Without the fence it is still pretty dusty.

[Jim Bailey]

Thanks Patriarch. This sounds like exactly what I'm talking about. I can get some 2 1/2 hose to run down from the fence to the sweep 'Y'. The 'Y' is

2 1/2 " ? Or were you at 4" there ? So these plumbing/sewer fittings fit OK with DC parts ? What did you use to connect into the box ? You wouldn't happen to have a picture around would you ?

jim

[Jim Bailey]

Toller - with 4" at the bottom, you don't see any problem with the larger line 'stealing' efficiency from the top, smaller line ? Or vice versa (I don't know a lot about the velocity changes etc that would occur) ?

jim

[Jim Bailey]

All great info folks - thanks for al the input !

jim

[toller]

Actually the balance seems just about right. The hole in the top of the router plate is about 2", so about half the airflow is from the plate and about half from the fence.

[very_dirty_dave]

I have the same set-up as toller (4" base and 2.5" fence). I was afraid of too much pull from the base, so I joined the 2.5 and 4 with a T connection the 2.5 is a the straight shot to the dust collector, the

4" is joined at 90 degrees. Seemed like a good idea, don't really know if it works or not, seems to. 2.5 fence-------------------dust collector | | 4" to base

Dave

[Pat Barber]

[Patriarch]

"Jim Bailey" wrote in news:BeHge.15919$ [e-mail]:

A picture would be way too ugly for posting on Usenet. ;-)

The bottom of the box has an outlet made by jigsawing a hole in the plywood bottom to fit a floor tool from an old shopvac. The leaks are sealed with caulk and duct tape, and the hose is clamped with a screw clamp. The hose on the back of the fence fits the fitting supplied. The plumbing parts are those which fit the hose I took to my local, well-supplied, independent hardware store (there's a gloat, BTW) 5 blocks from my house.

(2.5 * 2) in, 2.5 out. I convert to 4" at the trash can seperator only if I connect there. Often, this goes directly into one of the shopvacs.

It's nothing fancy. Bill Pentz would likely cringe at the sight of it. But the chips are cleared, don't build up much in the router box, when I remember to close the door, and I can move stuff around when I need to change how the table works.

Hope that helped some.

Patriarch