Connecting PC ROS to shop-vac?

[Phil Thien]

My Porter Cable random orbit sander has what appears to be a 1" dust port. Any good ideas for getting a solid connection between this and my Shop-Vac? I know PC makes a hose, but if anyone knows of a method to make a good DIY alternative I'd like to know about it.

TIA!
Phil

[Bill White]

I wrap the stem for the on-board collector w/ a short piece of duct tape. The small hose to the vac slides right over the tape to form a pretty good seal.
Bill

[Bill White]

Wrap the stem to the on-board dust cannister w/ duct tape. The small hose to the vac will slip right over the tape. Do it all the time with my PC ROS.
Bill

[Jim Becker]

Yup...duct tape. There is also a rubber "universal" adapter available at the 'borg which may help with adapting between your vac's hose and the tool.

[Hoa Dinh]

Hey Phil,

I know you want to save money (who doesn't?), but IMHO, the PC hose (about $20 I think) is worth every single penny.

Besides fitting the PC ROS perfectly, it is long and flexible. You can drop it down from the ceiling (also the power cord), making sanding with it much easier than with a rigid 2" hose.

It also fits other PC tools (biscuit joiner, circular saw, ...) and can be made to fit other brands (Festool, Dewalt, ...), if it doesn't fit perfectly already.

[Phil Thien]

Hey Phil,

I know you want to save money (who doesn't?), but IMHO, the PC hose (about $20 I think) is worth every single penny.

Besides fitting the PC ROS perfectly, it is long and flexible. You can drop it down from the ceiling (also the power cord), making sanding with it much easier than with a rigid 2" hose.

It also fits other PC tools (biscuit joiner, circular saw, ...) and can be made to fit other brands (Festool, Dewalt, ...), if it doesn't fit perfectly already.

You are probably right. I'll get the real McCoy. Just being cheap.

[JayStPeter]

Another alternative is the Festool hose. It fits to most vacs and besides Festool also fits my PC ROS, PC buzz sander, and DW biscuit joiner perfectly. A little more expensive at @$35 IIRC, but it's also somewhere around 11' long and very flexible.
Prior to that, I had a kit that I bought from the Borg for drywall. It was a sanding block with a handle that hooked to a shop vac. It had a piece of hose that came with it that fit the PC ROS perfectly. It was also very cheap ... $7 I think. Unfortunately, I've also used it a number of times for its intended purpose :rolleyes: .

[Keith Outten]

Phil,

The PC ROS has a dust bag that is solid plastic. Remove the plastic canister, a standard shop vac hose will slide onto the cannister threads and you can wrap the joint with a piece of tape to seal it.

Works for me.

.

[Phil Thien]

Phil,

The PC ROS has a dust bag that is solid plastic. Remove the plastic canister, a standard shop vac hose will slide onto the cannister threads and you can wrap the joint with a piece of tape to seal it.

Works for me.

.

I've tried solutions like this but it gets irritating to have the hose fall off a few times while I'm sanding.

[Phil Thien]

Another alternative is the Festool hose. It fits to most vacs and besides Festool also fits my PC ROS, PC buzz sander, and DW biscuit joiner perfectly. A little more expensive at @$35 IIRC, but it's also somewhere around 11' long and very flexible.
Prior to that, I had a kit that I bought from the Borg for drywall. It was a sanding block with a handle that hooked to a shop vac. It had a piece of hose that came with it that fit the PC ROS perfectly. It was also very cheap ... $7 I think. Unfortunately, I've also used it a number of times for its intended purpose :rolleyes: .

I'm afraid to purchase anything from Festool. Slippery slope, you know.

I checked the HD web site for the $7 sanding block w/ hose but couldn't find anything. Lowes, either. Both of those stores are a shorter drive than the PC dealer. Happen to know how to find the $7 hose/block you are talking about?

[Phil Thien]

Hey Phil,

I know you want to save money (who doesn't?), but IMHO, the PC hose (about $20 I think) is worth every single penny.

Besides fitting the PC ROS perfectly, it is long and flexible. You can drop it down from the ceiling (also the power cord), making sanding with it much easier than with a rigid 2" hose.

It also fits other PC tools (biscuit joiner, circular saw, ...) and can be made to fit other brands (Festool, Dewalt, ...), if it doesn't fit perfectly already.

Thinking about this more, the complaint I kept seeing at Amazon is that the ShopVac end of the hose is 1.5" instead of 2.25". So it fits the PC shop vac but not units w/ a standard 2.25" Yes, I could adapt it, but it sure would be nice if someone made a hose that would fit a standard ShopVac 2.25" port.

But I'll probably still get the PC. Someone mentioned a Festool, too, so I may as well look at it. $35 for a piece of hose. I'm such a sucker.

[Travis Porter]

Get some velcro cable ties to tie the hose to the cord. That way the hose is supported by the power cord and doesn't come off near as easily.

[Tom Henry]

Duct tape is a wonderful thing...

[Brad Townsend]

Check out this page:

http://eagleamerica.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_802-0333_A_c2p_E_cs_A_Porter+Cable+Random+Orbit+Finish +Sanders

Item 489-7300 at $4.89.

[Tyler Howell]

Not sure if it was mentioned but PC sells a light weight hose for it's sanders. There is nothing wrong with cable ties and hose camps for a solid fit.;)
I try to avoid the hose adapters at the tool because they get really cumbersom.