[Cherryville Chuck]

I was actually referring to Hank's router(s), Mike, not the vacuum m/c on the Hz issue.
If the vacuum is being used to pull air from the dust collector, volume rather than pressure will be paramount will it not? Wouldn't the design be such as to permit the maximum airflow the vacuum can pull, resistance from pipe diameter and corrugations being limiting factors?
I've been dithering over whether to use permanently fixed 4" or 6" PVC for my 1 1/2HP DC. I keep thinking the 6" is overkill, until I hear contrary opinions.
Maybe the 4" is 'good enough' (?).

Going to 6" can increase volume but cause a velocity drop. Going smaller can create more velocity but less volume. It does depend somewhat on air volume to float the particles but too little velocity and the particles will drop out of the airstream. Some guys have mentioned that their intake is 6" split into two 4" (which is close to the same cross sectional area) and they took the splitter off and ran a single 6". For my equipment the 4" lines work for everything but the TS and I don't think going 6" will help with it.

 

[DaninVan]

So, that's a vote for the 4". Thanks, Charles.

 

[DaninVan]

" ...Especially with electronic components like speed control and soft start?"
Dick, as I mentioned in my last post (ships that pass in the night) I was speaking to the electronics aspect of some power tools, not the vacuum cleaner.

 

[hankh]

I don't really know the electronics, but have been told by several sources that the 50-60 HZ difference is not an issue. In theory, I understand the volume/velocity issue - but don't understand how to use it to make a decision on what I should do. Sounds like a powerful, quiet vac with a 4" tubing would be ideal. Now back to reality and trade-offs. Some more guidance please.

 

[Mike]

Hank, one of the worst dust producing products is solid surface counter tops. In the US the pro's have been using the Betterley Stacc-Vac for about 20 years. I have had conversations at length with Tom at Betterley on what works best; they use standard vacuum hoses about 1-1/2" in diameter.

 

[Dmeadows]

Hank, one of the worst dust producing products is solid surface counter tops. In the US the pro's have been using the Betterley Stacc-Vac for about 20 years. I have had conversations at length with Tom at Betterley on what works best; they use standard vacuum hoses about 1-1/2" in diameter.

That is due in no small part to the problems associated with dragging a 4 - 6" dust hose behind your hand held router? I was using the 1 1/2 stuff on a hand held router yesterday.. that is about all I would want to have to deal with! Cutting dadoes for 5mm(1/4") plywood and the DC was marginal at best. For edge routeing it is a bit better.

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

I don't really know the electronics, but have been told by several sources that the 50-60 HZ difference is not an issue. In theory, I understand the volume/velocity issue - but don't understand how to use it to make a decision on what I should do. Sounds like a powerful, quiet vac with a 4" tubing would be ideal. Now back to reality and trade-offs. Some more guidance please.

Hank, my router table and fence I made just used a 1 1/4" (about 32mm) vac hose from a small, probably about 1000W, shop vac and it works just fine. It is also the right size to hook up to a sander or biscuit joiner. If you have several pieces of equipment and larger, like a jointer, you would want a stationary dust collector and it would probably use 4" hose. You can roll the big DCs around but that would be a pain in the butt, they are kinda big and awkward.

Fine Woodworking magazine recently had an article about building a portable workbench that had a cyclone and a shop vac under and inside of it. If you use a shop vac and a cyclone you might want to consider something like this if you need to move around. It would be much handier if it were all together. And if you have your router attached to an insert plate, you could use the same table for sanding and finishing by just popping the router and insert out of the table.

 

[Willway]

" ...Especially with electronic components like speed control and soft start?"
Dick, as I mentioned in my last post (ships that pass in the night) I was speaking to the electronics aspect of some power tools, not the vacuum cleaner.

Dan at the point of the electronics (soft start and speed control) the AC is converted to DC, so the frequency of the supply has nothing to do with it. I was speaking to all motors that use brushes.

 

[DaninVan]

Ah! Thanks for the explanation, Dick.
(if I'd thought about it for two minutes, I'd have realized that *embarrassed*)

 

[hankh]

Thanks for all the info. Now I have a direction. I'll let you know how I work it out.