dust collection gripe

Once again I'm fitting another device for dust collection. And once again I'm irritated by the fact that nothing fits without an adaptor. Seems to me all that should be needed is:

4" male connection 4" female connection 2.5" male connection 2.5" female connection

All hoses should come with female on one end and male on the other.

All dust collection devices should accept a male connector.

All dust producing devices should accept a female connector.

Add the following adapters:

2.5" male to 4" male adapter 2.5" male to 4" female adapter 2.5" female to 4" male adapter 2.5" female to 4" female adapter 4 more adapters, but elbows instead of straight.

Wouldn't that make life a lot simpler?

Maybe I'll send this post to a couple of the woodworking magazines :-).

Reply to
Larry Blanchard
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I'd be really happy if all 4" male pieces even fit 4" female pieces. I'd give big bonus points if they'd fit 4" PVC pieces.

Reply to
krw

Then you'd have the same problem when using (better if more expensive) metal ducting.

Reply to
dpb

How is it better than PVC?

Reply to
krw

On 02/28/2016 4:10 PM, krw wrote: ...

Lower friction, no static buildup...

Reply to
dpb

Do you have a reference for friction? Not doubting you but I'd like to understand how big an issue it is. I've never worried much about static (in the woodworking context).

Reply to
krw

It would, but where would the challenge be? ;-)

Seriously, you are absolutely correct, there should be a standard for all dust fittings.

Deb

Reply to
Dr. Deb

On 02/29/2016 4:44 PM, Dr. Deb wrote: ...

Is...biggest problem is folks are using non-dust-collection stuff for the purpose (PVC, primarily).

Reply to
dpb

Hadn't seen the reply, sorry...

Not huge altho my experience has been that the static buildup tends to cause small stuff to stick to the surface which can't help.

The static buildup in small shop settings at least is mostly just a nuisance factor that I dislike simply for the effect. It is virtually impossible to ignite a wood dust cloud with it as the ignition source; while pretty high voltage and zap when you're the target, it has very low actual energy. After the other thread I did a little looking but wasn't able to find in a short period the paper I'd seen a number of years ago where a guy at T A&M did some discharge measurements, unfortunately.

Reply to
dpb

they are trying to be gender neutral it is a fad now

Reply to
Electric Comet

You obviously haven't looked through the racks of adapters at Rockler, Woodcraft, et al. Most have nothing to do with PCV and the like.

For example, what prompted this gripe was one of those little cyclones that fit on a 5 gallon bucket. They are designed to use with a shop vacuum and therefore 2.5" connectors for both in and out. But they're the exact same size as the fitting on the end of my vac hose, so I have to get either an inside or outside coupler to hook the two together.

I used to work part time at Woodcraft. Time and time again a customer would bring in a connector/adapter/coupler because it wouldn't fit his new machine "but it fit my old one".

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

No problem. It's not like it's an emergency. ;-)

I was wondering more about the airflow resistance increase, though I can see where dust sticking to joints wouldn't help. Is there a significant air resistance difference between "clean" metal and "clean" PVC?

Yeah, though others may disagree, I think this horse has been beaten near enough to death.

Reply to
krw

That's one problem (why can't dust collection stuff use one of the other standards anyway) but DC stuff doesn't even fit DC stuff. Not even close.

Reply to
krw

My gripe (besides the lack of standards) is that all the research I can find says that 4" pipe is too small for more than a single machine, but that is the most common size available. Collection for small home shop garage with 3-4 machines seems to need a system based on 5" pipe. Finding fittings that work properly with that are very difficult to find.

Reply to
Larry Kraus

While I've always heard that 5" or 6" pipe is better than 4" for dust collection.

Your qualifier (> 1 machine) raises a good point. How many of us run several dusty machines simultaneously? It would be great if I could get SWMBO out in the shop to surface plane some wood while I cut some sheet goods down to size, but that ain't gonna happen

So... 4" seems like it will fit the bill just fine when combined with a good enough dust collector.

Reply to
Unquestionably Confused

Outside the box stores, yeah, but it's there...

There are others as well but as noted, prices become pretty dear pretty quickly when you get out of the smaller hobby stuff. But, one could go to simply a main 5" trunk line system which is where I'm headed eventually when (finally!!! after "only" 15 yr or so) get the barn setup operational. I've got the old blower from the silo unloader I'm repurposing as the fan and an old cyclone separator from the feed mill/grinder that helps some on components albeit with more time/effort on fitting and construction...

Reply to
dpb

On 03/01/2016 2:55 PM, Unquestionably Confused wrote: ...

+1 as far as application...sizing is only limited by total _simultaneous_ capacity.

And, of course, if one steps up in duct size, have to have the commensurate air handler to keep adequate velocity and pressure drop as well.

I only addressed the actual concern of availability earlier...

Reply to
dpb

99.99% of the time a single man shop is only going to use one machine at a time. 4" is plenty.
Reply to
Leon

AGree.

I have found that to be true even when I am working in an occupied house as well to manage the dust problem. I hook up the machine to my sanders, have a helper hold the hose for my sawzalll and oscillator tool cuts, and let t he machine run all day in the work area with enough hose to get the actual machine/bag outside or in the garage. Putting the machine outside of the l iving area I can use a 3 mil bag for good air flow. My machine gets too ho t after a couple of hours with the 1 mil bag on it, and since the collector will pull all the dust it needs to by sheer volume of air moved, 4" works fine.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

Doesn't the length matter, also? A larger diameter will have less friction losses. Of course this all assumes a large enough DC to keep the air moving in the pipe.

Reply to
krw

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