If you have a dust collector, I need some input.

[Alan Malmstrom]

I built my own rectagle box out of wood and a lot of caulk with two seporate compartments in it and screwed on a set of 4" intake and output fixtures that I bought at Rockler. Here is the link to the component parts: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=25225 If you have a 4" collector then you probably should try to stay with 4" the whole way.

Alan

[jaroot]

Unfortunately if you need to find parts on cheap the only size PVC pipe that 4" ducting will fit on is 3" I.d. Pipe.

I built my own rectagle box out of wood and a lot of caulk with two seporate compartments in it and screwed on a set of 4" intake and output fixtures that I bought at Rockler. Here is the link to the component parts: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=25225 If you have a 4" collector then you probably should try to stay with 4" the whole way.

Alan

[DurhamDev]

I built my own rectagle box out of wood and a lot of caulk with two seporate compartments in it and screwed on a set of 4" intake and output fixtures that I bought at Rockler. Here is the link to the component parts: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=25225 If you have a 4" collector then you probably should try to stay with 4" the whole way.

Good plan - I like this idea.

As for my night, it was positive and negative. I found that the DC wouldn't start up once again, so I had no way of completing what I wanted to do. I removed the brushes (one of which is noticeably dead) and hope that a local engine repair shop might have something I could use.

[DurhamDev]

AUGH. It... NEVER... ENDS...

So, today I figured I wanted to get a couple of signs completed that were commissioned to me a few nights ago, so I hooked everything up. Over the past week, I found out that the brushes were totally gone on the motor for my DC, so I tried finding them locally. No dice. (As it turns out, I can order them from Harbor Freight, and after calling three numbers, getting bad information from each one, and finally sending off two E-Mails, I'm ready to order them.) Well, a kind guy at a local business gave me a couple of brushes that 'could work' based upon the charred mess I showed him, but he also warned me that if they weren't the right size, "bad things would happen."

He couldn't have been more right. The springs on the new brushes were much too long, but they 'fit' into the sides of the motor, and stayed held in place by the plastic screw-in caps. I carved up the two signs I had to, and moved on to a third for a friend, when I noticed the DC was rotating a lot slower than it had, which resulted in the Ringneck Blues only sucking in very minimal amounts of dust. When I finally finished, I looked closer at the engine, and noticed that one of the springs was actually protruding THROUGH the plastic cap securing it! Yes, it had run so hot, I guess, that it pressed through the cap. Not only that, but upon attempting to remove the caps, they crumbled into dust in my fingers!!!

So, when Harbor Freight finally gets back to me on my 'brush' order, it looks like I'll also be ordering myself a whole new DC. Damn. (What makes it even worse, is that I bought the original DC for $80, and I am ordering a new one for $89.99. They're not available locally, although, I have found a couple of larger units for ~$149.99. I'm tempted, but that's another large thing that I'll have to find room for, if I go with it.)

/sigh...

[Digitalwoodshop]

/sign,

Count yourself lucky you did not burn your shop down.....

Were you the one who used the dust something designed for a Shop Vac? Restricting the flow on your Dust Collector.

AL

[DurhamDev]

Count yourself lucky you did not burn your shop down.....

True, but the 'good news' (kinda) is that I don't presently have a shop. I have a rolling cart I built, with my CW on top and my DC beneath. I also roll it outside, and stay with it as it carves. I'm never too far away to use the fire extinguisher, don't you worry.

Were you the one who used the dust something designed for a Shop Vac? Restricting the flow on your Dust Collector.

I was/am, however, it was not connected in this instance. I'm working on a 4" interim dust bucket as we speak, as well.