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Router cabinet dust collection size???

8.4K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  Stick486  
#1 ·
I am building a new Router table based on NYW plans and am trying to decide between doing a 4" dust port or a 2" dust port in the main cabinet. I am going to do a 2" port on the fence dust collector.
What say the community?
 
#8 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by twmv86 View Post
i'd think 4" if you got it. im closing in an old open wood frame table soon but only have a shopvac and am stuck with a smaller hose for both for now
Have you got 2 shop vacs?

nah just got one a 9 gal rigid. maybe the best thing to do is hook up to the fence and let the floor have the rest until I can get a HF collector and a big filter before I close the stand in.


Stick486
Quote:
he's really gonna need to vent the motor...


I was gonna use a round vent from an old weber grill or make something like it but that snorkel stuff looks great
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by twmv86 View Post
i'd think 4" if you got it. im closing in an old open wood frame table soon but only have a shopvac and am stuck with a smaller hose for both for now
Have you got 2 shop vacs?

nah just got one a 9 gal rigid. maybe the best thing to do is hook up to the fence and let the floor have the rest until I can get a HF collector and a big filter before I close the stand in.


Stick486
Quote:
he's really gonna need to vent the motor...



I was gonna use a round vent from an old weber grill or make something like it but that snorkel stuff looks great
Tim as explained in another similar thread about a week ago, a vac works by floating the dust particles in an air stream. The dust you get under the table is mostly random particles. There is usually very little room between the bit and the table insert (by design as we change inserts to closely match bit diameter). Remember that all the dust (as in 100%) gets created above the table, it's just that a few collisions among the particles cause a few to head downward past the bit, through the narrow insert opening. So obviously the most effective location for a DC pickup is as close to the bit as you can get above the table. You can also put a pickup under the table to try and catch those random particles that head down too if you want. Also keep in mind that you need an opening leading to the DC hose that is at least equal to the cross sectional area of the hose or you won't have a sufficient air stream to float the particles in. So for a 2" hose you need 3.15 square inches of opening and for a 4" hose you'd need about 13 square inches of opening.
 
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#10 ·
I have the Rockler DC box, which collects from the back through a 4 inch port, with a variable air intake on one side. There's a Y splitter with 4 and 2.5 inc on it, with the small port going to the dust intake on the fence. I'm thinking Stick's idea of running a 4 inch fresh air port up to the bottom of the Triton is a great idea. I'd have to remove the box and put in some half inch ply to contain any dust that falls through. The 4 inch DC port can remain in place through the ply at the back of the stand.
 
#13 ·
I have a 5” hose to the cabinet (from my 2hp DE) that draws fresh air from the front across the underneath of the cabinet top and the router head. I also gave a 2” on the fence to a separate ShopVac.
No dust at all in the cabinet.
no cooling fresh to the motor either...
 
#15 ·
I put the latch on the door on the inside and that opened the door about 1/2". I have a 4" hose connected to my big DC and a 2.5" hose connected to my fence connected to my shop vac. I pulled my router Monday to clean it out but there was nothing to clean. If all my tools were as easy to control the dust as my RT I would be in hog heaven. :wink:

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#17 ·
This concept of almost closing off the cabinet is a mystery to me. Obviously there has to be replacement air into the cabinet (and a lot of it!) or the suction is drastically hampered.
I think folks are concerned about dust escaping into the room unless the cabinet is essentially sealed up(?)...
This is basically the same issue that affected condos and homes in the '80s. Homes were so tightly sealed up that kitchen and bath fans were almost useless. Same thing applies in reverse in a heating system; if you close the door to an area and there's no cold air return, the forced air furnace will heat wherever there is lower pressure and the sealed area will get little or none.
if you're worried about dust getting out, cut a big vent and install a furnace filter. Maybe low down on the back or side?
 
#21 ·
I just made a tunnel down the top center of my stand Tim with banks of drawers on either side and all the way across the bottom. My plate is offset closer to one side so that I can work close or have a wide side for panel support. A tunnel open on either end allows me access from either side of the table.