Easy Ductwork Hanger Tip

[Rick Hubbard]

Recently I upgraded from 4 inch schedule 20 PVC to 6 inch Schedule 20 PVC for my DC ductwork. Very quickly I realized that it was going to be a real chore to hang this stuff, so decided to wait for my creative muse to tell me what to do. I’m happy to report that I came up with a nifty solution that is relatively inexpensive AND WORKS LIKE A CHARM.

I began by cutting several pieces of ¼ inch hard board into 6”X2” pieces. Next, I drilled centered pilot holes about 1 inch from each end. Then I got a bag of ½ inch metal conduit clips that I attached loosely to each of the strips with 2 inch drywall screws. After that I climbed up on my ladder and attached each assembly (1 hard board strip and 2 conduit clamps) to the walls/ceiling every two feet (being careful NOT to snug the screws very tight). When all the conduit clips were installed where I wanted them, I made a trip to the local hardware store and bought some half-inch metal conduit. I inserted the conduit (after cutting it to length) into the suspended clips and tightened the screws. This formed a kind of natural “saddle” for the pipe/fittings. Next I snaked some long heavy duty plastic cable ties through the quarter inch opening between the conduit and wall. I ever-so-slightly joined the ends of a few of the cable ties, then inserted the pipe first into one joined cable tie and then into the other. At that point the pipe was hanging loosely, but securely. I joined the remaining cable ties and positioned the ductwork assembly where I wanted it, then REALLY tightened the cable ties. The result is a fairly decent looking installation that is absolutely secure.

[Ben Franz]

Nice story - pix??? You know the rules. Interesting idea Rick.

[Rick Hubbard]

Nice story - pix??? You know the rules. Interesting idea Rick.

Oh yeah, I forgot--THAT rule :). I'll take some pics tonight, although since most of the ductwork is already hung, I'm not sure how much is even visible.

Rick

[John Schreiber]

I think you need another 800 words or so, or a picture. It sounds like a good system, but I'm not seeing it in my mind.

[Scott Rollins]

I am about upgrade from 4" flex to 6" pvc. I have been wrestling over how to hang it...your solution would work. I think I need a pic to fully understand. I am thinking that the cut to length conduit is 6" or so long and the conduit runs perpendicular to the pipe length?

[Rick Hubbard]

Okay. By popular demand, the pics are ready!
I hope you can see from the first picture the way the conduit attaches to the hardboard backers and how I attached the duct work to the conduit. What you see here is a wall mount version, but it should work exactly the same if mounted on a ceiling.
As long as I was at it, I took a shot of my recently relocated Jet DC1100 motor and impeller. I removed it from the factory stand and mounted it on the ceiling of the shop (a task I encourage no one to do by themselves, BTW).

To make even more room, and to further reduce dust in the shop, I moved the DC bag to an adjacent outside tool storage area I built this summer. I am still in the process of finishing the insulation and completing the air return. Cold weather is on the way, so I’d better get motivated pretty quick like! I'll post pics of that in a minute.

[Rick Hubbard]

These are some pics of where the DC bag and filter now reside.
Also, while I had the camera with me, I took a picture of a nifty setup I built this weekend for my Kreg pocket mortise system (it was an act of necessity since I also recently removed the work bench where it used to live in order to make room for my RAS). I was surprised that the lowered height of the tool makes it much, much easier to drill pocket mortises.
Rick

[Don Bullock]

Rick, that's a very well thought out solution. Thanks for posting the pictures.

[John Schreiber]

Got it. Those pictures are indeed worth a thousand words. Good system.

[Scott Rollins]

Now I've got it! Good solution

[Todd Crawford]

Great idea! Thanks for sharing. Just a question because I have no experience with DC, is there an advantage to running it overhead? I understand the "out of the way" concept, but say I had a wall that was made up of mostly counter area with a space for most of my tools, and say this counter was also used for infeed/outfeed support, would it work to run the ductwork for DC under this counter?