router spin direction and dust/chip collection?

[keith ouellette]

I am going to have my dust collection at the end of the router fence instead of in back. Does the direction of the spinning blade aid in the collection if the dc connection is at the end. Meaning does it fling the particles in the direction of the spin enough to aid or would a good dust collector over come it enough that it wouldn't matter?

[Jim Becker]

I'm having trouble picturing this, Keith. Your dust pickup needs to be right at the cutter to be effective, regardless of where your hose connects.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I take it your fence is going to look like a box with the dust port on the end.

Interesting concept. Make sure to write back and let us know how it works out.

In regards to which end to put the dust port on. It only makes sense to have the dust port on the "outfeed" side of the router (which feeding right to left would be the left side). The bit will be spinning counter-clockwise and should eject the majority of the chips from where the bit leaves the material to 90 degrees later, or from a clock reference from 12 to 9 o'clock. If you put the dust port on the infeed side the chips would have to change direction to get into the air stream.

[keith ouellette]

Yes the fence is going to be a hollow tube with an opening at the center where the cutter is. One end is sealed and the other end of the tube is where the dust collection hooks up.

I made a test fence like this on my makeshift router table I am using now. The DC port is on the outfeed side of the fence and the dc is fantastic even when making a raised panel where ther is a lot of wood chips.

On my new table I wanted the dust collection to be on the in feed side because the fence is going to be attached to my saw fence and the fence lock is on the out feed side.

This would mean I am going to be pulling the dust/chips away from the direction the cutter would be throwing them (i think?) and am not sure if it would be as efficient.

[Ben Rafael]

I have tried a collection port at the back of the fence, at the far end of the fence and under the table with the router enclosed.
Under the table beats the other 2 easily. Dont waste your time with the other 2.

[glenn bradley]

I would not imagine there to be that much assistance provided by the cutter unless it was a large cutter. So standing facing the bit and fence-face, it sounds like you're asking if you can collect from the right hand side(?) sort of like this:
http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/RouterTable23.jpg
Ooops, the right hand side got cut off but, you know what I mean. I would say you would be OK given a shop-vac or other high velocity sucking device. If you're going to throttle a regular DC down to 2-1/2" I would go from the center or (second choice) the left hand side as you'll need all the help you can get. Whichever end you decide to suck from be sure to block off the unused section of the fence-box as it will just add area for wandering chips to hide and add load to your sucking device's job.

[keith ouellette]

I would not imagine there to be that much assistance provided by the cutter unless it was a large cutter. So standing facing the bit and fence-face, it sounds like you're asking if you can collect from the right hand side(?) sort of like this:
http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/RouterTable23.jpg
Ooops, the right hand side got cut off but, you know what I mean. I would say you would be OK given a shop-vac or other high velocity sucking device. If you're going to throttle a regular DC down to 2-1/2" I would go from the center or (second choice) the left hand side as you'll need all the help you can get. Whichever end you decide to suck from be sure to block off the unused section of the fence-box as it will just add area for wandering chips to hide and add load to your sucking device's job.

Hey Glenn; thats my fence. I knew there were no new ideas. Looks like you have the same setup I was planning.
Do you have yours attached to your TS fence and if You do how? I was planning on having it slip over the table saw fence. I also plan on having dust collection from underneath; does yours?
is that a removable throat plate for the router bit opening or is it just a different color?

[glenn bradley]

Hey Glenn; thats my fence. I knew there were no new ideas. Looks like you have the same setup I was planning.
Do you have yours attached to your TS fence and if You do how? I was planning on having it slip over the table saw fence. I also plan on having dust collection from underneath; does yours?
is that a removable throat plate for the router bit opening or is it just a different color?

I can't take credit for that one. I bookmarked this because back-in-the-day I had an Align-a-Rip fence that Binky mounted this fence design to. I never got around to it; changed saws and RT extensions.

Here's Binky's link: http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/RouterTableImprove.html

Here's what I ended up with (doesn't apply to what your trying to do, just tossing it out in case it gives you ideas).

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=54206&d=1167872154

[Joe Spear]

Actually, that's the way dust collection works on the Incra Wonder Fence. The fence is hollow and has a dust port on the left end to hook up a hose to. It works pretty well, but I also have my router boxed in under the table, with a 4" dust port in the back of the box. Those two collection points get almost everything.