I have a couple of these Woodriver blast gates in my shop:
They tend to get clogged in the back corners such that they don't close completely. More often than I'd like I have to get out the air hose and blast the dust out of the innards to get them to seal. Once they are clean they work great...for a while.
Is this common with blast gates or are there better ones that don't clog? I need 2 1/2" gates.
Thanks!
I use the all metal gates and do not have any problem with them not closing completely. They have been in service for years. I believe I bought them at Rockler. Mine are for 4" hose. I don't know if that makes a difference.
Bob
From my recent reading, these plastic gates are prone to clogging, especially in systems with relatively weak air flow.
Some people modify them by clipping off the back corners so the debris is pushed out. Yes, you lose some air flow at the open gate, but less than when you are losing air at a gate that is supposed to be closed but isn't due to the clog.
I'm going to try that. If it doesn't work, I may try these, although it seems like the open slot would mean even more leakage.
I think larger hose would help. Probably less pressure involved so particles wouldn't be so inclined to fill up the cracks around the gates.
I don't use nor will I probably ever use blast gates. I do not have a multi man shop so I only need to use my DC for ONE tool at a time. I have a 30' long flex hose that comes directly from the DC to any of the
6 machines that use the 4" connection. The ends are flared so hood up is instant.My set up is just toooooo easy and efficient for me to consider complicating with Y's or blast gates.
Oh one more thing, no clogs at all, ever.
My set-up is far from "complicated" One Y, two blast gates, right next to each other.
One gate is dedicated to the miter saw, the other is for basically the same hose set as you describe. It takes nothing more than a quick push-pull to swap the air flow.
I found that I use the miter saw so frequently for quick, one or 2 cuts, even for non-shop related tasks, that it deserved a dedicated DC connection. In addition, the miter saw's DC connection is on the left of the saw and the entire rest of my shop on the right. The dedicated connection for the miter saw is more efficient than just a single hose, even with the clogs.
Well, complicated enough that you are asking for solutions to problems.
And to unclog jams.
Then you should not have any complaints,,,,, or do you? About those blast gates.... ;~)
Solution to problem. Singular.
On occasion, yes. But the air line I ran to the shop last winter sure helps with that task.
The set-up is still more efficient, even with the occasional need to clean the gates. If I had to do it before every use, then, no, it wouldn't be more efficient.
Has every improvement you've made in your shop/house/etc. been 100% perfect the first time or did some require a bit of tweaking?
If you never have any issues whatsoever, then I bow to your greatness. ;-)
Blast gates are not for multi man shops, they are for multi tool shops. Most larger shops with lots of large tools have a central dust collector permanently hooked up. Many not only have blast gates, but gates that open automatically and systems that turn on when each machine is used.
Derby seems to have a problem probably aggravated by the Rockler gate that doesn't open fully, and by the gate recess getting clogged, not the hose getting clogged. Jointers and planers can clog hose, not so much saws and sanders.
I would hate to walk around connecting all my tools to hose each time I used them. It's aggravating just having to move a gate. I already have a Long Ranger so I can turn on the collector from anywhere, and that's aggravating enough that I understand why guys like their machines to do all that for them automatically.
I made my own gates and they never get clogged, ever, but I still have to open and close gates manually...ugh. Well, I did have one clog and it was a t-shirt stuck in the middle of my table saw hose... Still no clue as to how that thing got in there. I'd have a hard time getting it past my saw blade and into the chute...
I
I could read my OP 100 times, upside down, sideways and inside out and not figure out how you came to that conclusion.
I never mentioned Rockler gates and I never said anything about them not opening fully. In fact, I said the exact opposite.
Wasn't it you that just commented on another member's "reading ability"? (see the Forstner bit thread) Pot, kettle, etc.
Nooooo. I finally went to the single 30' hose to cure issues with clogs. ;~)
Actually your issue is a long documented problem with blast gates and complicated runs. I decided to simply run the flex hose with the flared ends to start with.
I was watching a YouTube video a few weeks ago, OMG, me too. The guy had a Very complex DC system and had no suction. Probably 6~8 gates and as many Y's. All sent from the tool to the ceiling and the system could not pick up debris from his DeWalt planer. He thought it was because the DeWalt planer blew out the chips vs. simply being sucked out of the planer. He clearly did not have an understanding of how all of this works.
On Friday, August 9, 2019 at 8:31:46 AM UTC-4, Jack wrote: ...snip...
...snip...
I have a remote control receptacle that controls the wet-dry vac that acts as my DC. The vac is in the cabinet under my miter saw.
The remote is typically velcro'd to the side of my miter saw, but travels with me when I'll be turning the vac on and off multiple times at a another tool.
I tried a Smart Plug with my Echo Dot, but the results were too intermittent for my liking. "Alexa, vacuum on" works perfectly. However, "Alexa, vacuum off" either works immediately or results in responses like:
"Did you mean vacuum?" "Sorry, I can't find a device named cuum" "Sorry, I can't find a device named vac" or no response at all.
It all depends on which way I'm facing, how loud the music is, how loud I speak, etc. If my choice is to sometimes have to repeat myself multiple times or turn and face the Dot or always yell at the top of my lungs, I'll stick with the remote.
Maybe I should try some other names for the plug. Perhaps one syllable will work better.
Well I would speculate that the blast gates were first used in larger multi man shops where every thing is anchored. I could be wrong.
All of my equipment is mobile and I almost never use a machine where it is stored. Attaching the hose is simply one more step to positioning the tool and and plugging in the power cord. My DC hose hangs down from about the center of my garage. Needless to say blast gates would not work for me nor do I need a complicated network of pipe for each tool.
The remote for the DC is very handy, mine came with it built in to start with.
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Well in Jack's defense the WoodCraft and Rockler gates probably come from the same factory in China. ;~)
I wonder if this will work...
But the Chinese symbol for closed ?? doesn't look anything like the Chinese symbol for open ??.
;-)
I expect the noise with the vacuum running clogs the echo dot hearing. Maybe you should try Alexa app on your phone and use a headset.
I use Apple home app and talk to my apple watch all the time to control lighting and door in my shop.
What are the characteristics of a "complicated network of pipe"? ;-)
Bob
Something like this, perhaps?
Yeah, that must really suck.
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