Shop built downdraft table connected to central DC

[Dave Cohen]

Any good advice on how to set this up to get the best results?

I have a Delta 50-760 DC and am running mostly 4" hoses out to machines. I'd like to build a down draft table and run a 4" hose out to it and get effective dust colletion for sanding.

Will this work well? Has anyone done this? Are there pics or plans that I could look at?

Thanks in advance

[Rob Will]

No, but I want to do the same thing.

I'm thinking the surface of the table needs to be some sort of neoprene or rubber mesh. You know, like the stuff they use in toolbox drawers or under oriental rugs........tired of things vibrating around while I'm working on em.

Rob

[Rob Will]

Grizzly sells something that might work.
model # H6397
Would have to build some legs under it.
Wish it was a bit larger.

Rob

[dave rollins]

Rob
I don't know if this is what you are looking for but it is an anti-slip coating that is sold by Rockler.http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=6580&filter=rubberized%20coating. Hope this helps
Dave

[Lewis Cobb]

Rob
I don't know if this is what you are looking for but it is an anti-slip coating that is sold by Rockler.http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=6580&filter=rubberized%20coating. Hope this helps
Dave

Interesting product - I didn't know such thing existed - have you used it or know anyone that has? I'd be curious to know if it wears off over time..... depending on the application of course.

[t ladd]

I use a perferated polyethylene panel sold for suspended ceilings. Came from the blue box. I provided support beneath the panel to make ~1 foot squares.

[Dave Cohen]

sounds good what does the rest of the design look like ?

[Steve knight]

the problem is getting even airflow. You really need slots as they will give you far better airflow. the front needs to be shallower then the back for even airflow. you can can't go very big or you won't have enough airflow to do good.

[Rick Thom]

Dave, I built one @ 5 years ago based on a set of plans in one of the major mags. Sorry, I can not find the source.
Visualize a shallow box @ 24"x 30", 4 shallow sides made of 3/4" ply @ 6" high. Bottom is 1/4" ply or hardboard ramp let into the sides and ends which slopes from @ 2" from the top on one end to 1/2" from the bottom on the other. The top is a sheet of peg board which is merely screwed onto the 6" high 3/4" ply sides. Add 2 or 3 shallow braces (side to side) to support the peg board top.. The holes in the underside of the peg board are slightly opened using a counter sink (to aid in directional airflow). On the one end I cut a 4" dia hole through the 3/4" ply box (just above the ramp) and installed a plumbing fitting to connect my 4" dc hose.
The principle is that the sloping ramp to some degree compensates for the reduced airflow the further the distance from the suction.
Although there certainly is science involved in determining optimum sizing, air flow etc, this works quite well.
The greater the airflow you can deliver, the better, so if you have access to a 5" line to your dc, that would be even better. but you would have to adjust the box depth another inch or so deeper to accommodate .
The plan also suggested wall-hanging it. Just a couple of simple hinges and a folding leg on the outboard side.

[Don Kondra]

Greetings,

I started designing a new workbench and realized I could use a downdraft sanding table for the winter months. It just makes more sense to capture the dust at the source.

I also decided to make it the right height to be used as an off feed table for the sled on my tablesaw. It's also small enough I can drag it around to where I need it :)

Construction is 2" x 2" frame with 1/4" pegboard. Size is 4' long x 16" wide and the "box" is 12" deep. The bottom of the "box" is plywood and the hose connects to a coffee can, the 1 lb size happens to be perfect for a 4" hose.....

After completion I hooked up my King 2 hp collector and found it would only draw smoke from a cigarette from about 3" away.

I enlarged all the top holes to 3/8" and noticed some improvement. Then I enlarged all the holes in a row along the top of the sides. At this point it would draw the smoke from about 6" away. Enlarged another row and did not notice much improvement. At this point the air flow will hold a sheet of paper to the side.

Once in a while I give the shop a cleaning with an air hose and the sanding table has the air clear in less than five minutes.

I also installed a Record #53 quick release vise and bench dogs.

Very happy with the results.

Cheers, Don.

http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/29791/2770591530039430568S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2770591530039430568YvPZcR)

[Rick Thom]

Don, if you reduce the box volume by installing ramps it should increase air velocity into the holes and more quickly trap fine dust particles.. The plan I used also recommended easing the inside of the peg board holes with a counter sink to further improve air flow. A bit of a tedious job but ok on a drill press. If I am working on something small, I block off the unused areas by putting something solid and flat over these holes ie scrap plywood or what ever is lying around.
My 1200 cf/m dc provides enough suction that one might think the project was glued down.

[Don Kondra]

Hi Rick,

In my case I wanted a small bench so the volume of the box was immaterial.

What is important though is not restricting the air flow to the collector. The collector will not suck harder, it is designed to move a volume of air and collection is compromised if the air flow is cut off...

Enlarging the 1/4" holes in the pegboard with a 3/8" bit in a hand drill only took minutes :)

I suppose the "box" could be reduced to 6" or so as long as there were enough air holes.

Cheers, Don.

[Norman Pyles]

My dust collecter "Delta 50-760" y's out to two 4 inch hoses. Would using two hoses double the flow? I also have thought about a down draft table for hand held routing. Would probably need a lot of flow to catch the chips from the router.

[Don Kondra]

Short answer is no, at least not on my machine.

I have a 6" main with two 4" outlets. I have used both at the same time and notice a slight decrease in air flow.

But if I go with just the 6" there is an increase but then the stock bag is not up to the task of filtering...

Having a downdraft table collect routing shavings may be asking too much.

Cheers, Don

[Norman Pyles]

Yeah, I kinda thought so on the router. I guess if it could suck the router chips it might suck the router, and whoever is holding on to it into the dust collector.:eek:

[Ben Grunow]

Never thought about it but wouldnt it make more sens to have a dust hood to draw dust away from you instead of a downdraft table.

Like a sanding booth with open front, ply sides and maybe a plexi top with the DC pipe at the rear. Maybe make it folding so you could use it when needed on any bench if space is a concern.

What say you sanders?

[Don Kondra]

Hi Ben,

A dust hood works well with the lathe but not so well for hand sanding.

Mostly because on the lathe the work piece is along a specific axis and the hood doesn't actually take up much room. I position mine so it is behind and slightly below the work piece.

A downdraft table also takes advantage of gravity to collect the dust and will accomodate larger work pieces. A "hood" above a work bench won't have the air flow to actually collect the dust and if the "hood" were on the side of the table it would just get in the way.

Cheers, Don.

[Scott Hubl]

I found this one on CL, the advert said "FREE come get it". It is made of Oak and Oak plywood.
It is Not hooked up to my DC but is self contained with a furnace blower motor inside and uses 4 furnace filters side by side doubled up on top of each other.

High quality filters are used.

It has 6 outlets and an on/off switch and a large drawer.

It works extremely well. This "freebie" led to some major gloat worthy tool deals for me.
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p59/AmericanAndProud/Leigh%20Gloat/DSC_0353.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p59/AmericanAndProud/Leigh%20Gloat/DSC_0351.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p59/AmericanAndProud/Leigh%20Gloat/DSC_0350.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p59/AmericanAndProud/Leigh%20Gloat/DSC_0349.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p59/AmericanAndProud/Leigh%20Gloat/DSC_0348.jpg