DC for "Norm" style router cabinet

rprice54

I'm almost done with my router setup, I just need to finish laminating the top and putting in the T tracks, and I need tp cut the holes for the DC and electrical hookup. I building my version of the very typical "Norm" router station, made for taller people like myself.

I wanted to see what you guys think about the DC setup. The typical setup I see for this style of station is one large opening at the bottom of the router area and then a Y fitting connected to 2" hose at the top, so you get above/below DC at the same time, which I want.

What I've noticed, though, is that my porter cable router pulls air in the top and out the bottom (towards the bit), I'm guessing it's some built in heat reduction to blow air across the motor. If I put the 4" port at the bottom, I'm fighting against that built in air flow.

So I'm thinking of putting the DC at the top of the router area, with a blast gate/fence with an opening at the very top, maybe even a sloped piece starting at the bottom and leaning back towards the opening at the top, that way, the air flows in through the door, up towards the top, and then out the back, it should still pull air down through the router plate, but hopefully compliment the natural airflow of the router and not fight it.

I mention all this because with my last setup, I had my router in the extension wing of my TS with a simple box around it. I used a shopvac at the bottom trying to pull air down the hole, but I noticed my router always got very hot when I did this, as oppossed to when I had no box on it.

Comments?

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Cassandra

Hi rprice54:

I agree with you that putting the dust collection port at the bottom of the router compartment is detrimental. The air that is flowing down from the table top to the dc port will be loaded with sawdust. The router will suck it in and blow it through the router motor and back out at the table top.

IMHO, it's better to put the dc port at the top of the router compartment, sucking the dust in before it gets into the router compartment. One needs to deflect the air flow coming out of the router. This can be done by using a bit aluminum flashing to direct the router's exhaust sideways.

Of course, to do all of this requires an air inlet near the top of the router compartment to allow the router fresh "cool" air.

HTH,
Cassandra

dutchman 46

Great! Looking forward to a few pics of your new table, Also, if you took pics of the build
in progress, thanks

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rprice54

I've got some pics, I'll try to get an album up over at my Picasa account. I did the torsion box for the table top yesterday, it's overkill, but I needed some practice making a T-box and this seemed the way to go. I think I could stand on it and it wouldn't flex- much.

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AxlMyk

2 thoughts.
I have a 2.5" hole in my cabinet to plug the fence hose into.
Another hose bringing outside air to a shroud around the bottom of the router will provide clean air for the router body.

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Ghidrah

Your DC system isn't strong enough to create a vacuum great enough to suffocate your router unless you close off "ALL" air ports leading to the router chamber. Your vacuum also draws air from the throat of the RT base plate even though the router blows air toward the throat.

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levon

i cant think of why anyone would close all of the ports leading to the router chamber? if you do you couldnt even insert a bit. you wouldnt be routing at all. also, if you want a dustproof shop that you can use for other purposes, ive learned that youre just dreaming and will always be afraid to use your tools because you just dont want dust that day. ive seen shops that are painted and pretty, but dont see much work come from them.

it seems very smart to me to put your dc on the fence or top and forget the chamber that starves the router. im not that experienced, but got my information from someone from this forum that in my opinion is the best on this forum, experience and knowledgewise. just my humble opinion.

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levon

rprice54

Dustproof shop, are you kidding me? I'm just trying to be sure I don't cook my router. The more dust I collect with the system though, and the less I breath in and the less I have to clean up- and I hate cleaning up.

I'll have to post pics later, but I basically built a shelf where the DC will go and then dropped a wall straight down from the shelf. I created a port with some angled pieces to help with laminar flow. So the air will [loosely] come in through ports in the door, up the chamber (across the router motor) and out the DC. Hopefully some will come through the plate as well.

In my experience, for most operations, most of the chips come through the fence off the bit, I really don't need draft down through the hole except when I'm doing grooves, dados, etc- which I usually do on the TS. It's all about not cooking the router.

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xplorx4

Boy Lavon you sure know how to hurt a guy and to think you pick a day when a guy gets his eye operated on to boot.

Kidding aside I agree, if you are going to use a shop it will get dusty, if you just try to fix it up it gets dusty!!! That is why we use equipment that helps control dust. My router is positioned outside the cabinet and I did that for cooling it. I have a dust port at the fence and it gets most of the dust. The rest I will get with a shop vac and the Jet 1000B for now.

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levon

hey Jerry,

it sounds to me like you got it covered. and im glad to see youre router is like mine , not inside a cabinet.

i think youre shop looks great and i had no intentions to sound negative. you have done a great job!

i am just glad my shop is a place that i can use without worrying about dust. see im lazy by nature and dont like cleaning ,lol!

honestly, your shop looks great and after a few months when you say i will repaint and the heck with the dust, you will really enjoy it, lol!

i think the air filter will help with the small stuff, but think you may need a dc to make a big difference. thats my opinion and with my little woodworking experience know i might be wrong.

anyway dont worry about anything i say, im just learning

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levon