Brian_B
Tue 28 November 2006, 06:06
I wasn't quite sure where to put this post ....
In trying to plan out a dust collection system to handle both my ShobBot as well as my non-CNC tools, I was shocked at the prices of preformed steel tubes and fittings. Accordingly, I went web-searching for other options.
The first URL I found was Bill Pentz's excellent site on dust collector theory and design:
http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm
In addition to an in depth discussion of the theory of airflow and such, he has Excel spreadsheets to calculate the size and power of cyclone separators for a given purpose (i.e., to collect wood chips vs fine MDF dust) - very enlightening stuff. He even has several very extensive pages on how to build your own cyclone with plans, etc.
I already have a cyclone, and I was looking for a way to build a duct system using readily available PVC pipe - unfortunately, fittings for such a system would be limited to those for typical water plumbing systems. So a 5" feeder line coming from a 15" surface planer and going into a 6" trunk line at a 53 degree angle would be impossible to find.
However, I found an amazing piece of online software that allows you to create virtually any "T" or "Y" fitting. You enter the parameters of the particular fitting you need and it generates templates to be taped to the two sizes of pipe. You then follow the templates with a saw, tweak the cuts a bit with sandpaper and glue the two pieces together.
It even has an online tutorial. It is located at:
http://harderwoods.com/pipe.html
Brian
Walpole, MA
In trying to plan out a dust collection system to handle both my ShobBot as well as my non-CNC tools, I was shocked at the prices of preformed steel tubes and fittings. Accordingly, I went web-searching for other options.
The first URL I found was Bill Pentz's excellent site on dust collector theory and design:
http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm
In addition to an in depth discussion of the theory of airflow and such, he has Excel spreadsheets to calculate the size and power of cyclone separators for a given purpose (i.e., to collect wood chips vs fine MDF dust) - very enlightening stuff. He even has several very extensive pages on how to build your own cyclone with plans, etc.
I already have a cyclone, and I was looking for a way to build a duct system using readily available PVC pipe - unfortunately, fittings for such a system would be limited to those for typical water plumbing systems. So a 5" feeder line coming from a 15" surface planer and going into a 6" trunk line at a 53 degree angle would be impossible to find.
However, I found an amazing piece of online software that allows you to create virtually any "T" or "Y" fitting. You enter the parameters of the particular fitting you need and it generates templates to be taped to the two sizes of pipe. You then follow the templates with a saw, tweak the cuts a bit with sandpaper and glue the two pieces together.
It even has an online tutorial. It is located at:
http://harderwoods.com/pipe.html
Brian
Walpole, MA