DC hoses

Dec 31, 2010 27 Replies

Any suggestions where I can find the best prices on 4" dust collection hoses? Has anyone used an alternative such as metal flex hoses or water drain hoses?



Thanks



I'm sure you've already thought of PVC.

This is the best price I have found.

formatting link
just reminded me that I need another length. :-)

Deb

SBH wrote:

But if you then cut oak, won't that rust ... or explode ... or something??

:-J

Maybe you have to soak the oak in lacquer thinner first. Of course, I think the "magical ingredient" is a piece of buckshot embedded in the wood long ago... Of course, as you know, most buckshot is lead--but you can also get steel--which is supposedly better for the waterfowl that you miss and is required in some locals, IIRC (I used to sell the stuff--no ducks to my name).

Bill

Duct grounding thread reengaged...

-- Most people assume the fights are going to be the right versus the left, but it always is the reasonable versus the jerks. -- Jimmy Wales

I got some when it was $30. It works just fine, but it has a life of its own when you play with gates. I had to air out the piece before bringing it into the shop (strong plasticky smell) since my shop is keyed to my house HVAC.

-- Most people assume the fights are going to be the right versus the left, but it always is the reasonable versus the jerks. -- Jimmy Wales

What is this thing about Oak? I use lots of it and am planning to get a DC sometime. Need to get the electric hook up first. WW

I got a short length of this when I bought my Grizzly collector to see what it was like:

formatting link
just purchased another 10 and a 20 foot length after I had a chance to check out the original purchase. It looks like it is going to be durable; and the interior surface is smoother than some of the more bellows-like hoses.

BTW -- Bill Pentz is well respected for his research and design of dust collection systems. He seems to support the use of hard PVC plumbing components, especially for home shops, if reasonable grounding and cleanliness measures are taken. Read down into the body of this:

formatting link

found. DC parts are bad enough (I'm told there are only one or two makers and all their tooling is shot) but the normal PVC conversion parts are really bad. There is about a 1/4" gap between schedule-20 pipe and common (outside) PVC-hose fitting.

I did find one adapter from Rockler that works by fitting inside the pipe, but it's sorta expensive (for what it is) and I'd rather not restrict the airflow.

formatting link
do others fit this stuff together so it works?

Maybe the sawdust will turn into Koa?

Let us know when you save up a 2"x4'x8' slab of it, will ya? How's the grain?

-- Not merely an absence of noise, Real Silence begins when a reasonable being withdraws from the noise in order to find peace and order in his inner sanctuary. -- Peter Minard

It all started in the "Motor Reversing" thread back in October:

formatting link
post #250 by Josepi (one of the resident dumbasses) and my response in post #253. Ever since then we've all been very keen to point out the incredible dangers in messing around with "oak rust"... :-)

formatting link
> See post #250 by Josepi (one of the resident dumbasses) and my response in

Thanks Steve. Got it. WW

The devil is probably making me do this =;^}

But apparently things have changed over the past 3-5 years. With 14 posts on dust collection plumbing, and mention of the term "PVC", you would expect to get at least one "Yur gonna blow yurself all to hell" comment.

We must be smarter or just mellowing. :)

RonB

If the part is too big to fit the PVC, I cut slits in the end of it and put a hose clamp around it.

PVC can be made to stretch larger (or even smaller) by heating (say with a heat gun) it until it gets flexible, but do it in a well ventilated area because it gives off toxic fumes.

By the way, if you go to a carpet outlet, you may be able to get 8' x

4" cardboard tubes for free.

The only problem with all this is that 4" is really too narrow for efficient collection of the fine stuff that causes health problems - like lung damage and cancer. You want to maximize airflow to suck that up before it floats away from the source.

But most of the ports on the equipment is 4", and 4" is the most common size used by most people. And since filter bags on dust collectors tend to let the real fine stuff go right through them, you really should get a good respirator and use it all the time. Or get a cyclone with fine filters.

I mentioned in another post on this thread, I've been using the cardboard cores that flooring and carpeting are rolled around. I get it from free from a flooring outlet. It is mostly 4", sometimes 5".

I've even made 90 degree bends by making 2-45 degree corners with a short straight section in between, by cutting the pipe on my miter saw, and glue together with construction glue. That is probably too much work, but it does work well enough if you are careful.

Still, I am planning to replace with 6" S&D PVC eventually.

Right. Wouldn't want the ducks to die of lead poisoning.

The hazard of lead shot in the environment has been pretty-much debunked.

(slaps forehead)...damn, I could've had a V8, er, I mean, that's a good idea. I had to pick up some carpet tubes for a project at work and it didn't even dawn on me. Even if for straight runs, which I have several of, it's a good idea. Thanks

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required