[ttait]

I have been thinking about how I want to build my router table and I came up with: I would like to enclose the motor of my PC 890 series in a box under the table with a foam sealed door and power cable. The box would have a 2 1/2" hole to recieve my shop vac hose in the lower corner, thus insureing air flow down past the bit (and sucking the dust as well.)
Any one have any comments? Good idea? Bad idea? why.
BTW, thought about routing a 'manifold' around the router body, but it seems the box idea would be just as good. I can change the bit exposure from above the table.

Tony

 

[ejant]

Go to woodpecker's website. They have boxes that enclose table mounted routers.
Pricey but will give you some ideas.

 

[ttait]

Has anyone used a box like this? Does it work well? Seems like it wouldn't be too hard to build a functional equivalent.
Wookpeck.com doesn't recomment using a shop-vac and that's what I have. Seems to me that it moves a lot of air (5.5 HP 14 Gal.) and I use bags in it to prevent filter clog.

Tony

 

[reible]

I have been thinking about how I want to build my router table and I came up with: I would like to enclose the motor of my PC 890 series in a box under the table with a foam sealed door and power cable. The box would have a 2 1/2" hole to recieve my shop vac hose in the lower corner, thus insureing air flow down past the bit (and sucking the dust as well.)
Any one have any comments? Good idea? Bad idea? why.
BTW, thought about routing a 'manifold' around the router body, but it seems the box idea would be just as good. I can change the bit exposure from above the table.

Tony

I have a couple of concerns with this system and trying to do it yourself. First the air that you pull down into the router is going to be dusty and it might get pulled through places on the router that it normal wouldn't go, that could be bad.

Second the router gets hot and needs air to cool it so if the enclosure is not big enought or the flow is to fast or to slow you could get some heat build up in "dead" areas which also might not be good. Any bump or knob on the router will cause a backflow or disruption of the flow.

The other issue is that a lot of the dust and wood chips are spun away from the router and "intake" so how much of the actual "mess" will get picked up anyway....

Just a few thoughts,

Ed

 

[ttait]

Well, I looked at the one at Wookpeckers site, and it has a bottom mounted intake at the bottom of a funnel. This would seem to me to cause exactly the problems you state because the air flow would be straight down. I plan on putting my vacuum attachment on one of the bottom corners, thus generating a swirling action. The airflow down thru the hole on the plate should be quite strong, taking most of the dust with it. The swirling action should move the dust down and out. I don't believe the 890 has any openings on the bottom. But I'm in the airport right now so I can't look to be sure.

Tony

 

[g-man]

under table Vac accessory

I have designed my own system. You must leave enough room for air to cool the router motor. My table is enclosed on 3 sides with a door at the front. To make sure the motor doesn't heat up, I added 4 aluminum soffit vents to the door or you can add these vents to the sides of the box .On one side I bored a 3 inch hole for my ShopVac hose. I can e-mail you my design for the vac accessory.

g-man


[email protected]

 

[reible]

I stopped by the Farm and Fleet store yesterday and looked at the router in question, and like the other PC's in takes in cool fresh clean air on the top and exits on the base.

I don't know how much progress you have made on this project but I would sugjest a fresh air feed at an inclinded angle from below directed at the top (now bottom of the router).

Please keep us informed as to what you decide to do and how well it works.

Ed