6" Plastic Dust Collection Gates??

[Patrick Montag]

I am installing 6" S&D pipe for my dust collection system. I was going to build my own gates, then saw the 6" plastic gate from Grizzly (G1845). I measured the inside diameter of the gate and it is approx 5 3/4 inches. Would this cause any major air flow problems in my pipe? The outside diameter of the gate would fit into the 6" pipe without a problem. Thanks for any comments or advice!

[Jim Dunn]

No great air flow problems but I wouldn't recommend them! They are really not very well made. I, if I had a 6" system, would opt to build them myself using Terry Hatfield's design. He is a member here and has his own web site, where in he shows you how to build them.

[Jim Becker]

Ditto to what Jim said. And because the material has thickness, when you slip them into your duct you are reducing your inside diameter by about 1/4"...not a huge amount, but significant when you consider "area", not to mention the drag you produce from the projection into the pipe. The metal gates I have are even worse...and if I were doing it over again, I'd make my own in a second.

[Ted Shrader]

Patrick -

Another ditto to Jim²'s comments. See Terry Hatfield's site.

Ted

[Brad Olson]

www.terryhatfield.com for the record

[Jim O'Dell]

Another possibility are the gate's that Ed Morgano sells on his Clear Vue Cyclone web site: http://clearvuecyclones.com/
You get 6 - 6" blastgates that are designed for 6" S&D pipe, plus they are clear to see any clogs that may happen. Shipped price is 87.70. For those interesed, Ed and Bill Pentz designed their own impeller that is now available from Clear Vue. The specs are on the Clear View site above, both impeller and blast gates are at the bottom of the page. Jim

I have no affiliation with Clear Vue, and receive nothing for making this information available. I do, though, plan to order a cyclone package from Ed by the end of the month.

I need to correct an above statement of mine, The blast gate tubing is NOT clear, the plate is. Probably can not see any clogging. I'll let you know in about a month!!

[Dave Harker]

they work well, and the main advantage is you can use 6" PVC adapter's on your blastgates, thus getting easy compatibility with the pipe you are using.

I have numerous pics of the home-built blastgates I made on the dust collection pages of my shop home page (link below). Another advantage of making your own is that you can integrate them into fittings, etc, that you make to catch dust - like I did under my miter saw (see miter saw DC page off the link below).

my dust collection page (http://webpages.charter.net/harkerhome/WWShop/dustcolloverview.html)

good luck!
Dave