downdraft table question

[Martin Lutz]

Hello to all again. I have a quick question concerning downdraft tables. Has anyone built the Rockler version from the kit? Were you pleased? I have been working on some small writing desks and have reached the sanding phase. The dust is killin' me. Are there any recommendations for DD tables.

Thanks for your help. I know I dont post as often as others but -- wife, two jobs, project house, shop time, etc. you know the story.

[Jamie Buxton]

Martin -
Rather than building (and storing) a downdraft sanding table, put a vacuum on your sander. I've got a vacuum connnection on my ROS, and it collects lots more dust than a sanding table does.

Jamie

[Shawn Battagler]

I am currently building one roughly based on the plan from the book "Controlling dust in the workshop". It's a box with a "V" shaped baffle, a peg board top and a hole in one end to connect to DC. It has a 1/8" rabbet around the top edge so the pegboard will sit flush. It has a small cleat along the length (inside) for the baffle. I may need to add a cross brace for support - we'll see.

[Martin Lutz]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately most of my sanders are not dust collection compatible. I am thinking it may be cheaper to build a DD Table than to replace all my sanders. i like the idea of connecting to my dust collector however it is a small Delta unit and I am not sure it moves enough air. I searched this forum and found some ideas for using squirrel cage blowers. I may go that route if the Rockler kit is questionable.

[Jamie Buxton]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately most of my sanders are not dust collection compatible. I am thinking it may be cheaper to build a DD Table than to replace all my sanders. i like the idea of connecting to my dust collector however it is a small Delta unit and I am not sure it moves enough air. I searched this forum and found some ideas for using squirrel cage blowers. I may go that route if the Rockler kit is questionable.


Martin --
I understand your reluctance to replace sanders that are still operating. Perhaps it makes sense to only upgrade only your primary sander. You can buy a 5" ROS for $60-$75 from DeWalt, Rigid, and the like. Most of them are easily adaptable to a vacuum. I've been able to find adapters from the sander to the vacuum's hose for $5 or so. I'll bet you'll spend more on a DD table, and it won't work as well.
Any small vacuum cleaner will suck enough air to handle a sander's dust. Actually, the primary requirement on the vacuum cleaner is that the hose be flexible enough so that it doesn't hinder your sanding. Hose diameters in the area of 1 1/2" work well. 3" ones are clumsy.

Jamie

[Garry Smith]

This is a link to the one I made for my shop. I could not do without it now. Besides sanding on it I leave it on when ever I am doing alot of sawing or routing because it draws the dust from the air in the room and filters it also.

http://www.superwoodworks.com/Projects/SandingBench.htm

Let me know if you need any othrer information on it.
Garry

[Thomas Canfield]

Martin,

Glad to see you are still working wood out there We miss you in Tyler.

Here is a picture of a sanding unit I built to be portable. It uses 1/4" pegboard and connects to a shop vac currently, but I hope to be go to a cyclone dust collector in the future and increase the hose connection. It does a reasonable job, but you can still see dust accumulation on the surface. The picture shows one of the many internal supports I glued to the bottom with gap filling CA glue to add strength to the top. Chamfer strips were installed inside and shellac applied and sanded smooth to help eliminate dust settling and reduce friction air loss. The 3/4 strips were added external to clamp the unit down, and 2 small feet added to stand it up for storage.

It works better sanding directly on the surface, but does fair with a router pad.

[Martin Lutz]

Garry, thanks for the link. Its got some great ideas on building a custom cabinet. I have squirrel cage blower and I think I will give up on the rockler cabinet. It will be more fun to build and design my own.

Tom, great to hear from you. I hope all is well in Tyler. Please let the guys at the club know I said HI. I like your version of the DD table. I am planning on getting a cyclone also so maybe that is the route to go.

take care,