Router table Dust Collection Question

[Paul F Franklin]

I've just about finished my router table build; a slightly modified version of Norm's design.

I'll be running a 4" line from my cyclone to the router mounting area under the top. I also have a 2 1/2 inch line to the fence. I purchased and had planned to use a 4x4x2.5 wye to split off the line to the fence behind the table. In other words, 4" to the cyclone, 4" to the router dust box, and 2 1/2" to the fence. Problem is the wye is nearly a foot long and will kind of be in the way sticking out of the back of the table. I can live with it, but wondered if I can just run the 2 1/2 line from the fence to another hole in the router mounting box and still get decent suction. The area has a door and is totally enclosed except for space around the bit insert and the makeup air holes. I've sized the makeup air supply holes so the total area--including the area of the 2 1/2 line from the fence-- is about the same as the area of the 4" line.

It seems to me the line to the fence should see roughly the same suction if I just run it into the dust box compared to running it to the wye.

Another option would be to actually run the 2 1/2 hose through the hole in the dust box and position the end right by opening for the 4" line to the cyclone.

Anybody done something similar or just have any better ideas or thoughts about the best approach?

[ChrisA Edwards]

I did something similar and it seems to work, but I have a Wye with a 4" and 2.5" ports and connect both of those to my router table depending upon the type of cut.

Here is my router table rear port.

https://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/RouterTableRear_zpsxxqe8s51.jpg

This is the box, I have a door on the front that I made a sliding port to suck air across.

https://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/RouterCabinet1_zpsoxwrz9dl.jpg

I also put the collection area on the left end, so when cutting a Dado, this catches what get split out. I connect the 2.5" hose to this.

https://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/RouterTable3_zpsi035bu7y.jpg


The two feedstock the router table.
https://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/Jet%20Dust%20Collector/DustPort2_zpsttwl6tzt.jpg

[Tom Dixon]

I used the black ABS 4" with 2.5" wye until I ran permanent pipe to my cyclone. This is what it looks like now.

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I hardly see a speck of dust these days. The 6" to 4"- 4" lateral wye and and then reducing to 2 1/2" is the way to go if you can.

[johnny means]

I did exactly that. Dust collection was as close to 100% as one could hope for.425646

[Dominik Dudkiewicz]

Two branches, up to the junction, will always be in balance in terms of pressure drop. So running 4" to a wye and splitting to a 2.5" and a 4" from there, versus running the 4" to the router box and then a 2.5" from the box should be pretty much the same thing; provided that the lengths of ducting used are the same. There will be a difference but I doubt it would be much and would be very dependent on the details.

I'm just in the process of building a router table and have run a 6" duct to the dust box and a 4" from that (as you suggest) to the fence. I modified the fence to connect a 4" hose directly. I'm running a 5hp Clearvue cyclone. Intial tests have been very good, but I haven't tried really choking down the fence gap and insert gap yet.


Cheers,

Dom

[Jim Becker]

I connect to the "box" under my router table setup with a 4" port and connect the fence to the back of the cabinet via a 2.5" port. No "wye" on the drop itself. The area of the 2.5" port plus the "makeup air" slots plus the opening in the insert remains generally constant, whether or not I'm using a fence or not.

[Ole Anderson]

A wye is not necessary, just use the box as a plenum. Note the slotted inlet on the right side of the cabinet which sweeps dust along the bottom of the cab to the 4" inlet to the dust collector. As a bonus, the 4" DustRite quick connect and the slinky allows use as a general cleanup tool for anything within eight feet.

[Paul F Franklin]

Thanks all for suggestions and pics!

Tom, your router table is a beaut, and the shop could be the lobby of a fine hotel! My table will be out away from the wall, so I'm trying to avoid running two hoses over to the table like Tom and Chris did, but that's always an option.

Chris, I have incorporated a little side chamber for catching dado dust as well, although I stole the idea of using a brush that sticks up a bit over the top from Rockler.

Johnny and Jim, seems like you are doing exactly what I was suggesting; thanks for confirmation that it works.

Dominik, I hadn't considered running 6" to the table, although I could. Fortunately, that would be an easy change later if the 4" doesn't seem to cut it. And thanks for confirming that what I want to do should be roughly equal to an external wye.

Thanks again all!

[Mike Goetzke]

My router cabinet design is Normish - somewhat like ChrisA's (think photobucket destroyed the photos - https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?202983-Finally-Finished-My-Router-Cabinet&highlight=cabinet ). I don't have space to have hoses hang off the back of the cabinet when stored. I messed with dust collection quite a bit on this. If you use a DC make sure you have inlet vents - like many have done above. For a DC air movement is key. I found using a DC 4" port for the router box and a shop vac for the fence port works best. Over time I still accumulate some dust in the bottom of the router box.

Once again I'm trying something out soon to improve DC once again. Milescraft has somewhat redesigned a system called DustRouter. I tried this years ago but didn't work for me for a few reasons that are corrected on the new one. This design has a silicone molded piece that fits around the router collet and has a dust port - it seals against the router plate or insert rings. So suction is concentrated at the source. The system comes with a "T" to connect a hose to the fence port.

Mike

[Dominik Dudkiewicz]

Thanks all for suggestions and pics!

Tom, your router table is a beaut, and the shop could be the lobby of a fine hotel! My table will be out away from the wall, so I'm trying to avoid running two hoses over to the table like Tom and Chris did, but that's always an option.

Chris, I have incorporated a little side chamber for catching dado dust as well, although I stole the idea of using a brush that sticks up a bit over the top from Rockler.

Johnny and Jim, seems like you are doing exactly what I was suggesting; thanks for confirmation that it works.

Dominik, I hadn't considered running 6" to the table, although I could. Fortunately, that would be an easy change later if the 4" doesn't seem to cut it. And thanks for confirming that what I want to do should be roughly equal to an external wye.

Thanks again all!

It's maybe overkill but I ran a 6" through the side of the cabinet and then to the bottom of the box that has a bell mouth opening to maximise airflow. Here are some pics -

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I'm not sure how much benefit there is running larger ducting to the router table as the intakes at the fence and around the bit can get quite small and would be the main area of constriction/loss but it certainly wouldn't hurt and would maximise whatever airflow is possible.

Cheers, Dom

[michael dilday]

I connect to the "box" under my router table setup with a 4" port and connect the fence to the back of the cabinet via a 2.5" port. No "wye" on the drop itself. The area of the 2.5" port plus the "makeup air" slots plus the opening in the insert remains generally constant, whether or not I'm using a fence or not.

I was considering that setup Jim. I currently have a WYE with a 4" to the cabinet and a 2.5" to the fence. I was wondering if your setup would be an advantage?