Dust Collector bit the dust!!

[Steven Alford]

I can not really complain. I have not had that much go wrong with my machine for over 150 hours now.
The bit plate stopped working a long time ago, and I just recently was getting the "back roller stuck" error message. I took care of that and did the first carve after blowing the dust out of the switch and did not notice that the Styrofoam I was using to hold the bit plate in the out position came loose. I heard this familiar "clack", "clack" and realized that the bit plate is now working properly!!

I'm telling you, dust is the reason for most of our problems!!

Then, before the carve was finished, I thought, gee this machine is extra quiet for some reason. I turned to look at the machine and the dust collector had quit. At first I thought I forgot to turn it on, but after flipping the switch a few times realized that it had "bit the dust". I think it is probably bad brushes. I have one of those Steel City Mini-Dust Collectors. It works awesome for just the downdraft, but I think it would have problems doing more (like a top vacuum system like Floyd's).
So off to the want ads I went (craigslist) and found a Jet Dust collector for $75. Tomorrow I will get it installed. My work shed is not that big so I think I will have to put it in the adjoining garage by putting a 4" hole in the cinder block wall and passing the hose through, should be a lot quieter that way.

[fwharris]

I can not really complain. I have not had that much go wrong with my machine for over 150 hours now.
The bit plate stopped working a long time ago, and I just recently was getting the "back roller stuck" error message. I took care of that and did the first carve after blowing the dust out of the switch and did not notice that the Styrofoam I was using to hold the bit plate in the out position came loose. I heard this familiar "clack", "clack" and realized that the bit plate is now working properly!!

I'm telling you, dust is the reason for most of our problems!!

Then, before the carve was finished, I thought, gee this machine is extra quiet for some reason. I turned to look at the machine and the dust collector had quit. At first I thought I forgot to turn it on, but after flipping the switch a few times realized that it had "bit the dust". I think it is probably bad brushes. I have one of those Steel City Mini-Dust Collectors. It works awesome for just the downdraft, but I think it would have problems doing more (like a top vacuum system like Floyd's).
So off to the want ads I went (craigslist) and found a Jet Dust collector for $75. Tomorrow I will get it installed. My work shed is not that big so I think I will have to put it in the adjoining garage by putting a 4" hole in the cinder block wall and passing the hose through, should be a lot quieter that way.

Steve,

I believe that has to be first for this forum! Hope your Jet is a step up for you with more CFMs. Ya got to keep that dust out of the CW..:)

[lawrence]

man, that sucks ;)

One thing to consider.. if your rooms are not connected you will create a negative pressure situation between them (one room literally sucks the air out of another) This is not a big deal in most cases, but it can create problems if you have a gas furnace/water heater in the room/heat or air condition the room (it will remove the conditioned/heated air)

Good luck and nice score on the Jet-- I LOVE my jet 1100CFM canister collector

Lawrence

[Steven Alford]

I wish it was 1100 CFM!!!
This one is only 650 CFM but I do not plan on using it on more than one tool at a time. I would like to hook it up to the bottom downdraft plus I would like to eventually get Floyd's top vacuum hook up and see if it will do the two. If things go right with the garage, the hose should only be 5 to 8 feet to the CW.

I would love to have spent $400 on a larger DC, but being out of work for the last 6 months, money has more important things to be spent on.

I don't have AC in the shed, so no problem there. There is an electric space heater for this winter. So I don't think I have to worry about running out of air, unless I do!! GASP!!

[fwharris]

I wish it was 1100 CFM!!!
This one is only 650 CFM but I do not plan on using it on more than one tool at a time. I would like to hook it up to the bottom downdraft plus I would like to eventually get Floyd's top vacuum hook up and see if it will do the two. If things go right with the garage, the hose should only be 5 to 8 feet to the CW.

I would love to have spent $400 on a larger DC, but being out of work for the last 6 months, money has more important things to be spent on.

I don't have AC in the shed, so no problem there. There is an electric space heater for this winter. So I don't think I have to worry about running out of air, unless I do!! GASP!!

Steve,

My DC is 650 CFM and does very well with running both the down draft and top draft at the same time. I have tried using it on my table saw and planner while carving and did find it did not have enough cfms to do both.

Let me know when you are ready for my top mount insert!!

[Steven Alford]

Thanks Floyd, that is what I wanted to hear!!

[Steven Alford]

Well I finally got the new (used) dust collector installed. It was not as hard as I feared getting the hole in the garage wall for the hose. I ran the black plastic hose up in the rafters of the work shed and connected it to a 4" dryer vent hose that I already had (save some money!!) then ran it down to the machine. I ran a copper wire inside the tubing as I put it together and grounded both ends, with one end going to a ground rod outside the shed.

I had to build a new box under the CW so that the duct work could come into the side of the machine instead of directly underneath the way it was before. Just under the slot that is cut in the top is a length of plastic gutter glued to the underside of the board. Then I drilled a 4" hole in the side of the box that lines up with the end of the gutter. The "Y" connection that is covered with duct tape is for Floyd's front vac system that should be here any day!!!!

Once I got it all hooked up and turned on, the pressure was a lot more then my old system, and there was less dust in the machine. I hope with the front vac there will be hardly any dust at all.

[Steven Alford]

More pics of the ducting

[dbfletcher]

Can I ask what you are using to seal the pvc to the metal ducting. is that just silicone rubber?

Doug Fletcher

[Steven Alford]

The stuff that you see that has a light blue color is adhesive in a caulking tube. Is is meant for foam and specifies on the tube that it is good for metal and plastic. It was the only one that I could find that was. I had to redo two of the joints in these pictures and I did not re-glue them, I just wrapped duct tape around the joints because I have a feeling I will be pulling this apart for cleaning sometime in the future.

[fwharris]

Steve,

Looks like you have the plumbing all done :p! Nice set up. You also might look into adding a gate valve into your design in the future.

Your DC-Insert should be there tomorrow

[Steven Alford]

I got it first thing this morning Floyd. It is awesome!! Got it all hooked up and there is hardly any dust inside at all. Not even enough to fill the cap on a tube of toothpaste!! I will add pictures in few minutes.

[dbfletcher]

Floyd,

Is there as problem with the pictures on your website? When I went to look at the dust collector page, none of the picture are showing? Or is it just me?

Doug Fletcher

[Steven Alford]

Some pictures of ringneckblues dust collector insert.
This thing is well worth the money. I believe it to be second to the Rock. After putting it in, I had very little dust.

[fwharris]

Some pictures of ringneckblues dust collector insert.
This thing is well worth the money. I believe it to be second to the Rock. After putting it in, I had very little dust.

Steve,

Thanks for the great feedback and great pictures! Glad to hear you got it early to today so you could give a good test with your new DC system. Looks and sounds like your new set up is working great for you.

Thanks again and may there be no more dust!

[fwharris]

Floyd,

Is there as problem with the pictures on your website? When I went to look at the dust collector page, none of the picture are showing? Or is it just me?

Doug Fletcher

Doug,

Thanks for letting me know you had problems with the page. The pictures are sized large so the page might load slow sometimes.

I will take a look and see.

Did anyone else have problems?

[dbfletcher]

I just tried again and they all loaded. The pics on your main page where fine when i first went there.. it was just with the dc page. But all is well now. Internet gremlins.....

[Icutone2]

Do I need to cut off some of the plastic cover door to install the dust collector attachment?
Thanks
Lee

[fwharris]

Do I need to cut off some of the plastic cover door to install the dust collector attachment?
Thanks
Lee

Lee,

Yes you will need to cut the door down about 1 1/4" to allow for the insert.

[fwharris]

I just tried again and they all loaded. The pics on your main page where fine when i first went there.. it was just with the dc page. But all is well now. Internet gremlins.....

Just to let you know, I did update the site with smaller image sizes so the page loads faster now.

[Icutone2]

Thank you, It will be awhile before making that mod..
Lee