DIY Blast Gates - for Sheet Metal Duct

[Anthony Whitesell]

A new twist on the question. I have seen any posts regarding DIY blast gates for sheet metal ducts. Has anyone done it? Any pics available?

I am hoping to pony the $$$ for 7" sheet metal main duct with 5 and 6" drops, but 6" metal gates are $$$$.

[Darin Higginbotham]

Do a search for BLAST GATE PLANS, search thread of same name and scroll to thread number ten, that might help. The part that you need is a HVAC starter boot, then use any old plan for a blast gate to your liking.

[Thomas Hotchkin]

If you want the sheet metal kind check out, http://www.gallery2.clearvuecyclones.com/v/DIY+Cyclones/Als-Cyclone-project/?g2_page=5 from Clear Vue's Community page. Tom

[Anthony Whitesell]

It looks like some of the pieces were soldered together. Can you solder HVAC duct?

[Greg Portland]

I think you'd need a welding torch (butane, etc.) in order to get the metal hot enough. IMO epoxy putty would work pretty well (assuming the metal is cleaned 1st).

[Thomas Hotchkin]

It looks like some of the pieces were soldered together. Can you solder HVAC duct?

If it's clean you can easily solder sheet metal with a little practice. With just a large soldering iron. Tom

[Thom Porterfield]

You can solder zinc plated sheet steel. I don't think it's possible to solder uncoated steel. You can NOT solder aluminum.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Check out the photos in Thomas' link above. They look soldered to me. Do they look solder to you?

[Thom Porterfield]

They do. The metal also appears to be galvanized sheet (zink plated). :)

[Steve Leverich]

Have you looked here?

http://www.blastgateco.com/Cast-Aluminum-Full-Blast-Gates.htm

HTH... Steve

[Anthony Whitesell]

Wow. At that price, it kind of rules out DIY. I hadn't found them for less than $23 each for 7". (I was looking for the wrong size)

[Dave MacArthur]

Great link, very good prices! Was reading this thread considering DIY gates myself where needed, not anymore!

[Joe Wiliams]

The self cleaning ones are quite a bit more...

http://www.blastgateco.com/Cast-Aluminum-Self-Cleaning-Blast-Gates.htm

[Anthony Whitesell]

I think most of us would make the self-cleaning as the design is slightly easier. I'm going to guess the self-cleaning 6" is about what it would cost for DIY (buying the non-self cleaning would probably come out ahead)

[Alan Schaffter]

You can make easy-sliding, self-cleaning, DIY blast gates for metal duct the same way and from the same material (MDF and laminate scraps) as ones for PVC duct- just change the inlet and outlet. The inlets and outlets can be any size and sized differently- I made my gates with a male and female side. My article and full instructions are in the last issue of American Woodworker, but here is the artwork:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/1759/medium/Blast_Gate-exploded.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/1759/medium/Blast_Gate_Article1.jpg

If you have a lot to make, doing it production style makes the work go quickly:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/1759/medium/P10100438.JPG

[Alan Bienlein]

Another example. All made from scraps lying around the shop that other wise would have been thrown out.
153859153860

[Anthony Whitesell]

I have that article but it didn't fit the bill. The few pieces of 6 and 7" sheet metal duct I have didn't fit the pipe and fittings at Lowe's well enough to go with. I'm planning to use sheet metal duct as I received a bunch of random pieces when I procured the DC.

[Alan Schaffter]

I have that article but it didn't fit the bill. The few pieces of 6 and 7" sheet metal duct I have didn't fit the pipe and fittings at Lowe's well enough to go with. I'm planning to use sheet metal duct as I received a bunch of random pieces when I procured the DC.

You are missing the point, you select/make the blast gate inlet and outlet that fit your pipe, hose, etc.- if you can't find metal fittings, roll up a piece of sheet metal that your duct, hose, etc. will fit inside or outside (you decide) and use that for the inlets and outlets when you build the blast gate. You don't need to find plastic fittings that the metal will fit exactly. Glue the metal in the MDF gate body just like you would PVC.