Blast gate location question with overhead ducts

[Cathy Schaewe]

I’ve done a complete shop rework, and as part of it ran overhead ducts from the dc. The only place to put the table saw I’ll be receiving this week is right in the middle of the floor. I planned for it, have a drop right where I want it to go.
The thing I didn’t consider until now is where I’m going to put the blast gate(s). I had planned to reduce from 5 to 4, put in a 4x4x2-1/2” wye, and run the 2 1/2 to the blade guard dust port and 4 to the saw cabinet. It didn’t occur to me that I couldn’t reach a blast gate where I was planning to put the wye, plus it would need some kind of stabilizer anyway so it didn’t rip the hose out when I open and close it. And, it appears that sometimes it might make the blade guard collector work better if you can slightly close the gate to the cabinet’s dust port. So maybe I need a gate for the 2 1/2 and one for the 4, or I bring the 4” hose (or 5” duct) down to where I can reach gates and put the wye there. Which I don’t think is optimal?
Any thoughts? Keeping in mind I’m only 5’4” ....

[Peter Christensen]

On the Aussie forum there are drawings for rocker gates that you can open and close with a cord that hangs down in a loop. Basically it is a pie slice with a bolt at the point to pivot on.

[Cathy Schaewe]

Aussie forum?

[glenn bradley]

I'll offer that I put my gates as close to the machine as is reasonable. Primarily this is because I generally use the gate as my transition from rigid duct to a short flex hose whip to the machine.

[Jim Andrew]

I am 5' 8" and I put my gates where I can reach them.

[Chris Parks]

Rocking Blast gates https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....ght=blast+gate

As Peter said on the Australian WW Forum there are full working plans in the dust extraction section for both 4" & 6" pipe. Using those takes all the thinking out of the job. We are not allowed to post links here but a google search will find it.

[Kevin Jenness]

I have a gate just above the blade guard drop coming from the ceiling and another on the branch to the saw shroud at the far right and just below the saw table. I have an inaccessible gate behind and below my chopsaw operated by a dowel grooved to engage the turned-up end of the slide and run through a couple of bored wooden brackets mounted below the saw.

[Rhys Hurcombe]

Gates should be up as high as possible closest to the main runs. To reach them, I just use a long stick essentially to open / close the gates or the rocker type gates as described above with string on the open and close side would work, too. I'd also look at increasing your overhead dust collection size. 1000cfm supply chocked down to a 2" opening is something like 50cfm.

[John C Bush]

I have overhead ducting with both solid and flex-hose drops to the machines. When designing the layout I realized I would be too hurried/distracted/lazy to bend over to open a gate for a quick TS cut, jointer pass, sander use, etc, so I invested in the Ecogate automatic gate opening system. A bit extravagent at the time but well worth it. The gate opens automatically when you switch on the machine and run for a programable time after shut off. My system has the "Green Box" and it appears the have a new system they list as "Green Gate". Not sure how they differ but worth a look and consideration. Good luck