Don’t forget to duct

OK, a slight play on words.  A trip to the south of Perth this morning to visit Timbecon.  It’s MY type of store with lots of lovely products to drool over.  The plan was to buy the blast gates for the workshop dust extraction ducting system but while I was there I checked out loads of other interesting items.  I’m sure Jan was astute enough to ensure there was very little cash on the card!

Today I fitted the bulk of the dust extraction ducting.  Most of it is made from 100mm pvc sewer pipe.  Only the blast gates and pipe reducers have been purchased.  The former are a simple push/pull valve.

Open

closed

They fit snuggly inside the 100mm pvc pipe.  My long bench wall now looks like this

From the right.  The black end cap on the pipe provides access should there be a blockage.  The first ‘Y’ junction goes down to the mitre saw shroud.  the next ‘Y’ goes up to the apex of the ceiling (yet to be completed).  The third ‘Y’ has a 4” to 1½ inch reducer.  A flexible hose will fit onto this.  The hose will be able to be connected to portable power tools (eg, sander) or used to clean the bench.  Each ‘Y’ has a blast gate.  Everything is dry fitted (no glue) just in case it has to be pulled apart.There’s only one ‘Y’ on the back wall.  This will go down to a floor hood enabling me to sweep shavings on the floor to the hood where it will be sucked into the extraction system.

I’ve experimented with the extractor pipe inside the mitre saw shroud.

A series of 6mm holes has been drilled around the top of the pipe.  I’m hoping they will catch most of the airborne sawdust.  The base of the pipe is also open.  The pipe can’t go to all the way down to the bench top inside the shroud as it would foul on the back of the saw.  Hopefully there will be sufficient suction to catch all the sawdust.  If it’s not effective more modifications will be required.

Next step is to complete the ceiling ducting and purchase the dust extractor.  It will have to be temporarily installed inside the workshop whilst I design the cabinet that will go outside.