Hey - it works!

[Shelley Bolster]

Yesterday my "under a year old" Shop Vac burnt up while I had it hooked to my PC ROS.......to say the least - I was choked so when I did a little ranting to Tod Evans, he asked me if I had a DC.

"Yup - but the hose is too big"

"Then make something to reduce the size of the hose to fit your Vacuum hose"

"Hey - I am not a guy......I don't do engineering"

"Take a piece of plywood and duck tape - cut a hole in the ply for the vac hose and duct tape it do the DC hose" (or something along those lines)

"You mean similar to a ballast gate thingy"

"You got it girl"

So this is what I came up with. Pretty simple and it wasn't for the fact that I cut out the threaded part that belonged to the shop vac tank and glued and screwed it to the plywood so I could use the hose for other things (eventually, a floor sweep connected to the DC), I wouldn't bother showing it. Thanks Tod for the idea.....hope this meets your approval.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v99/shelleybolster/small1.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v99/shelleybolster/103_32792.jpg

[Steve Clardy]

Yes. Whatever works for ya. Good idea!

[Michael Stafford]

A very creative solution to an infuriating problem. Nicely done!!! You sure are not an engineer... Are there Eskimo engineers? LOL LOL:p :p :D

[Bob Noles]

Shelley,


Quick.... slap a patent on that thing :D

Good job!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Looks like a mighty fine job Shelley. Looks like it will work fine.

[Mark Rios]

WAY TO GO SHELLEY!!!!! YOU DA MAN.........UHHHHMMMMM.........WO-MAN!:D :D :D


Nice job. Nice and clean looking.

[Joe Blankshain]

Now that is creative thinking (engineering). Nice job

[tod evans]

that sucks, (i hope) when you`re 80 miles and 100 bucks short ya improvise. so why aint you sanding? looks like it oughta work...02 tod

[Rob Blaustein]

Nice bit of engineering, Shelley. But a technical question for the dust collection experts: I recall reading here on SMC that a DC and a shop vac are very different in that the DC is designed to clear dust by moving a high volume of air rather than by creating lots of suction, whereas the shop vac is meant to pull a high static pressure. Does this mean that using the DC hooked to a sander is not quite the way to go (no offense Shelley). Could it also hurt the DC by starving it for air?

[tod evans]

Nice bit of engineering, Shelley. But a technical question for the dust collection experts: I recall reading here on SMC that a DC and a shop vac are very different in that the DC is designed to clear dust by moving a high volume of air rather than by creating lots of suction, whereas the shop vac is meant to pull a high static pressure. Does this mean that using the DC hooked to a sander is not quite the way to go (no offense Shelley). Could it also hurt the DC by starving it for air?

rob, it may not suck enough, but as for hurting the d/c not likely they`re maxing out on amps when they`re wide open not restricted....02 tod

[Shelley Bolster]

Hey Rob...no offense what so ever........great question. I really don't want to be blowing my DC up so I am real interested in the answers. Thanks all for the kudos on the little thingy (what do you call it - a ballast - a reducer?) I have been sanding and it seems to be working just fine.....honestly - as well as the shop vac. The sun is shining through the windows right above my sanding station and I see no visible dust particles in the air .......unlike yesterday when I was sanding with just the canister attached to the sander. :eek:

[Jason Tuinstra]

Shelley, way to go! Nothing like problem solving to get ya' going for the day.

[Ken Shoemaker]

With regard to Rob's question,

I hooked mine up to the DC and found it did a fine job.

I tried an experiment and opened another blast gate close to the one that I have the sander hooked to. It worked a little bit better.

Then I opened another gate and found that it moved enough air that my tiny 14X16 shop has a negative air pressure and keep suspended particulates out of the air as well as picking up the sanding dust.

By the way, Good job Shelly... I think your gonna' love it.

[Robert Waddell]

I do a similar thing all the time connecting my disc, belt and spindle sander. Haven't done anything to the DC yet. The suction appears to be weak but it works. No noticeble dust when using the above machines.
Rob


Some days I get plane board with woodworking. Other days I want to walk the plank. Most days better than the corporate board room!

[Jim Becker]

The DC will be fine...tod is correct that maximum air flow is when the DC motor is drawing the highest amperage. Your setup has minimum air flow. This isn't the best application for the DC due to its nature, but if it's working...no problem!

[Frank Pellow]

Tod, good idea.

Shelly, very nice implementation of the idea.

Rob, thanks for asking my question.

Ken and Jim, thanks for answering the question.

[Shelley Bolster]

Well - I just finished a little over three hours of straight sanding :( and just thought I would drop by and let those of you interested know that the DC handled it just fine........I periodically checked the motor and I was surprised that it was as cool as it was. Top bag was not as hard as it usually is, but far from being collapsed. I am going to try to "open some more air" up on the other line and see if it helps a bit. As it is right now, this does a reasonable job of keeping the dust at bay. Oh yeah, Tod - it does suck! Thanks again for your help. ;)

[Joe Chritz]

I use a dust collector for sanding similar to you set up. Although I don't have the hose properly connected yet. (the sander hose is just sticking inside the 3")

I do almost all my sanding on top of my downdraft table. A 5" line to the table and a 3" to the sander hose. I find the collection from the sander works better with the 5" open and it has the advantage of sucking up anything that doesn't go into the hose.

They are really simple to build and I have been very happy with mine. I have some photos on http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=29795 about half way down.

By the way I like that idea to connect them. I may have to do that tommorrow. No real excuse for draggin my feet anymore I guess.


Joe

[Dev Emch]

Here is a way to get a final answer as to whether your going to fry the DC.

Put a clamp on amp meter on one of the input electrical lines going into your DC. Then turn on your DC and run something like the tablesaw. Write down your amps. Then repeat the experiment using your restrictor plate/adaptor. Again, write down your amps. Now compare these two amp readings with your DC motors full load, name plate amps. If your close to full load or over full load, you have issues. If you nicely below full load, dont worry. Your home free.

[Shelley Bolster]

Hey Dev.........now that sounds like a heck of a good idea and would take the guessing right out of the equation. Thanks for suggesting that.....now I just have to find a amp meter. :rolleyes:

[Dev Emch]

Hey Dev.........now that sounds like a heck of a good idea and would take the guessing right out of the equation. Thanks for suggesting that.....now I just have to find a amp meter. :rolleyes:

You can possibly rent one. Try radio shack if you have one of these stores up there. Electrical guys all have these also as do the power company guys. Lastly, there is always ebay. You want a CLAMP ON amp meter because you dont want to cut into your supply wires going to the DC. The clamp on just snaps over the wire and hangs there. I find having one necessary because it helps working out problems with machines and machine hook ups.