Router dust collection

Gentlemen, (you too, -MIKE-) May I call upon your vast woodworking experience and knowledge? Is there any such thing as effective dust collection for a router? I have 3 Craftsman, 3 Hitachi, 3 Milwaukee, 2 Bosch and 2 DeWalt routers. Of those, 9 are plunge routers. I have purchased the dust collection devices for those for which such devices were/are available. If I'm doing a "closed" operation (such as the groove for installing shelf brackets/standards/strips, I have no problem collecting the sawdust but any other operation results in clouds of dust. (I may exaggerate just a bit but...) I have the big Milwaukee, and 2 Hitachi M12Vs dedicated to router table use and the collection isn't too bad. But whenever I do a dado, etc...bad news. So...is there any solution?

Reply to
Max
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HA!!! :-p

When I have that problem, I try to use the built-in dust port PLUS another flanged dust port or hood or nozzle that is either attached to a separate shop vac, or coming off a "Y" splitter in the dust collector hose.

It usually takes some experimentation with positioning and possibly a way to make it "travel" with the router, but using an extra collection port somewhere can really improve things.

Reply to
-MIKE-

----------------------------------------- Take a look at this,

Dust-Free Routing: This easy-to-make hood captures dust right at the source.

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Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I feel your pain!

Just this weekend I took my routing task out into the cold outdoors so I di dn't have to worry about the ridiculous amounts of sawdust that a router cr eates.

I had to remove the 3/8" raised panel from the backs of 5 drawer fronts so that I could mount them on new drawer boxes. I'd say it was just under 1 bo ard foot of material in total. The snow on and around my picnic table is no w covered by a thick layer of sawdust.

I'll be paying close attention to this thread.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

"This easy-to-make hood captures dust right at the source" assuming you are using a router table. Not exactly useful for the types of handheld operations (e.g. dados) that Max was asking about.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

This is one of the things I use for doing this....

Reply to
-MIKE-

I do about 75% of routing (other than at the router table) outside. I live in El Paso and weather usually permits that. But it's those unusual days of inclement weather that pith me off. I have an Oneida "Super Gorilla" dust collector for the router table (and other power tools) I'm well pleased with my Festool track saw and it's dust collecting ability. (Festool haters, save it.) ;-) I just wish I could find a way to "rout" without all the dust.

Reply to
Max

Looks good but I don't have too much dust trouble using the table.

Reply to
Max

:-( I'm hoping that someone somewhere makes such an accessory 'cause I've been experimenting without much success.

Reply to
Max

A couple of options...

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Reply to
DerbyDad03

I saw that. Interesting.

Looks a little awkward but I'm beginning to get ideas. Thanks.

Reply to
Max

I'm going to order that and see what I can do. Thanks.

Reply to
Max

--------------------------------------------------- That's why table saws have stacked dado sets available.

Does a faster, cleaner way of doing the job.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I agree that it's "cleaner" but,for me, it ain't faster. If I could remember which spacers to use to get a true 23/32" it might be faster but putting a 23/32" bit in a plunge router and running it along a purpose made straight edge is pretty quick. I can do it a lot faster than I can change blades on the saw never mind figuring out which spacers to use. ;-) 'course cleaning up the dust afterwards takes a little time too. :-(

Reply to
Max

I've never found two sheets, particularly purchased at separate times, that are close enough to the same thickness to bother remembering which spacers to use. I'm luck if all the edges are the same thickness. ;-)

Maybe you should get one of those metal lathe things? ;-)

Reply to
krw

Lew Hodgett wrote:

------------------------------------------ "Max" wrote:

------------------------------------------- Sounds like you are making a lot of extra work.

If I were to do a 23/32" dado, I'd set the stacked dado to 1/2"-5/8" (it's not critical as long as it is greater than 1/2 of the 23/32" final size.)

Set the fence so that the final cut edge of the dado on the right edge is closest to the fence.

Run the dado thru then reset fence so that the dado will cut the final edge on the left side.

Since the stack dado is less than 23/32", the 2nd cut removes only the exact amount of material req'd.

Run the piece again to complete the dado.

You're done, time for a beer.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I'm not that good of a fence resetter. And I do have home made straight edges for all the thicknesses I've encountered for dadoes. I cut a piece of 1X2 and run it through the jointer to make sure it's straight then fasten it in the center of a piece of masonite. Run the router over one side for one size dado (bit) and the other side for a different size. I have several "straight edges" made thataway.

I do that for the grooves in a frame and panel door. Set the blade height for however deep I want the panel in the frame. No blade changes.

But, but, you're making two cuts. And you have to reset the fence. I only make one and it's precise. I use a caliper to measure the board thickness and use a bit of the size I need.

Reply to
Max

------------------------------------- "Max" wrote:

------------------------------------------- What ever floats your boat. Using a dado set does not require blade changes.

Sounds like a high quality fence might be in order.

A good fence made a major change in the way I approach a job.

The dado set solves the dust collection problem which was what started this thread in the first place.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

They have a 4" version, too, in case you're using it on the dust collector.

Reply to
-MIKE-

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