fitting for catching dust from a lathe

[Dean S Walker]

I am setting up a DC for the lathe to catch dust when sanding primarily. I will use it when cutting too but I am looking for some kind of a hood that I can fit a 4 inch hose to. I will make a stand for the hood but I want to be able to move the 4 inch hose from the hood and attach to the drill press when needed and also attach to a vacuum head to clean up with at the end of the day. So I need hood recommendations either purchase or home made. I can make from sheet metal or plastic. I also want to move this around so is there some kind of quick attach device that I can use instead of using a clamp on and off all of the time? I bought a 2 stage compact unit 1-1/2 horse for this it has two 4 inch ports. One I will hook to the bandsaw and the other will go from the lathe to the drill press as needed. If possible I will find some way to use it to as a vacuum or maybe to attach it to my track saw and other various hand held tools. I have never set up a dust collection system before so any information would be appreciated. I will put blast gates on but I am unsure as to where they should go, at the DC or at the machine.

Thank you

[Marvin Hasenak]

I use a flexible cell phone holder with a clip like this. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Flexible-36...SkaQ:rk:8:pf:0

To that I have duct taped part of a gallon milk jug. The hose from the DC is connected to a DC connection that I have duct taped to the milk jug. One clip and I can move it where I need it, and bend the flex arm to get the "milk jug collector" exactly where I want it. I also have one using part of a 2 liter soda pop bottle for when I turn small stuff.

[Chris A Lawrence]

I just use a floor register the biggest one i could find at the big box store with the cheap foil flex duct. I built an articulating arm out of some scrap wood and a big magnet to stick it to the lathe.

[Doug Hepler]

Dean,

I gave up on trying to collect shavings and chips from the lathe. They fall where they may and I sweep them up. I bought the largest plastic hood that Penn State Industries offered. It came with a clamp that fits in the ways on my lathe. It goes to the right of what I am sanding. Another, smaller, hood is on an articulated arm. It usually goes over the workpiece. I have a home-made plywood box under the workpiece that I connect to my shop vac. The shop vac and one of the hoods get the job done. I also have an air cleaner above the lathe. I think that answers your question but I will add a photo when I get a chance. Edit: here is the photo. You can see the 2.5" fitting for the shop vac hose on the plywood box at the bottom center. A lot of sanding dust is carried downwards and this simple box works pretty well

DougLathe-Dust-Collection.jpg

[Chris A Lawrence]

I never concerned myself with collecting the chips that fall right to the floor. A plastic snow shovel and broom makes quick work of that. I do want to get as much of the floaters in the air as possible for lung protection and to minimize the need for dusting all the horizontal surfaces that it can collect on.

[Alex Zeller]

I did like Chris. Went to Lowes and bought a register duct and the adapters to bring it down to 4". I was at the free section in the dump and someone left an oscillating fan. It's the kind with a stand, the fan stayed and the stand holds the duct. It may not be the best but I'm not sure what is. I've just come to accept that when sanding or turning dry wood on the lathe that I should wear a dust mask.

[John K Jordan]

I got this dust pickup nozzle together with a length of stay-put flex duct in one box from Woodcraft, like this but it might have been without the second smaller nozzlel:
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/4...rigid-flex-set

The red adjustable arm is from Amazon, just $20 (identical in operation to the Noga I paid $100 for):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L5T2ZA8
It's doesn't have much range for moving around but it works for my situation. It would be easy to make one from sticks and wing nuts.

lathe_toolrests_IMG_5751.jpg

I was amazed at how well this picks up sanding dust. I've watched dust come off a spindle and travel horizontally maybe 18" to get pulled into the nozzle. When turning, most of the larger chips fly elsewhere but smaller chips and even many of the fines and dust that come off the tool towards me will make a turn in the air and get sucked up. When turning in reverse, all sanding dust that comes off the top of a piece gets picked. With the 5hp ClearVue cyclone don't let you cat get close.

It doesn't matter if the blast gate is at the beginning or end of the hose. Near the tool is more convenient.

JKJ

I am setting up a DC for the lathe to catch dust when sanding primarily. I will use it when cutting too but I am looking for some kind of a hood that I can fit a 4 inch hose to. I will make a stand for the hood but I want to be able to move the 4 inch hose from the hood and attach to the drill press when needed and also attach to a vacuum head to clean up with at the end of the day. So I need hood recommendations either purchase or home made. I can make from sheet metal or plastic. I also want to move this around so is there some kind of quick attach device that I can use instead of using a clamp on and off all of the time? I bought a 2 stage compact unit 1-1/2 horse for this it has two 4 inch ports. One I will hook to the bandsaw and the other will go from the lathe to the drill press as needed. If possible I will find some way to use it to as a vacuum or maybe to attach it to my track saw and other various hand held tools. I have never set up a dust collection system before so any information would be appreciated. I will put blast gates on but I am unsure as to where they should go, at the DC or at the machine.

Thank you

[Barry McFadden]

I use this https://www.busybeetools.com/product...in-x-16in.html with some rare earth magnets glued to the bottom so I can quickly put it on and off the lathe bed. The 4" hose is pressed on so it can also be removed if needed for something else.

[Terry Vaughan]

I made a stand like an inverted L from scrap timber,. The leg of the L stands in a bucket of gravel on the floor behind the lathe. I added a bit of plywood to help anchor the leg. The horizontal arm has a bandsawn cradle to which the end of the hose is strapped with a bungee cord. I can easily move the bucket and swivel the arm as required. Depending on the space, the upright alone may be enough.

The hose is 7 inches in diameter, the same as the extractor port. The suction falls off rapidly with distance from the inlet (down to about 10% at one diameter away), so you need a wide opening with a large volume of air moving. The dust source must be within the effective collection zone where the speed of the suction is greater than the speed of the dusty air. A large hood with a small pipe will not have a very good air speed at the opening. If the inlet is small, you need to keep it adjusted close to the dust source.

A lot of the air entering the inlet will be coming from behind it. A disc around the inlet like a hat brim will reduce this.

I would route both the extractor inlets to the lathe. One four inch inlet is better than nothing, but not sufficient. A branch leading to other machines could be added.

The spinning lathe throws dusty air outwards. Running it slower will help collection.

[Randy Heinemann]

I use this from Craft Supplies USA - HC-Black-Hole-Dust-Catcher-System. I guess it's pricey and I suppose you could make a similar setup yourself, but the thing is it really works well and was quick and easy to install. I think it would likely work on any lathe. It's very adjustable and connects to my 4" dust collector hose. Of course, nothing will collect shavings and chips, but it let the dust collector suck up all the fine dust created from sanding and some from turning, as well as the smaller shavings.

[Robert Hayward]

Here is what I use.

[Brice Rogers]

I bought a "big gulp" dust fitting. I thought that it didn't work as well as I wanted, so I switched to a smaller version, perhaps a "mini" ? gulp. It seems to work well for sanding, especially if I use a work light and pay attention to the best position to hold the sand paper to ensure that 99% goes into the fitting.

I saw a video by Robo Hippy on Youtube for what was basically a small plastic barrel cut in half lengthwise. It seemed like it really worked well. If you do small things, perhaps a 5 gallon bucket would work. Or bigger if you do larger bowls.

When I reconfigure my dust collection (from lathe to bandsaw to radial arm saw, etc.) I just pull off the flex 4" pipe and reconnect it. When I switch from lathe (et al) to the floor sweep (best thing since sliced bread) then I use a pair of blast gates.

[Brice Rogers]

BTW, trying to use a dust collector to pick up more than just a fraction of the big chips is a waste of time. If the chips were already getting directed towards the pick up, then maybe they'll go in. But if they're headed in the opposite direction. their inertia won't be overcome by the dust collector. But you probably already knew that.

[Barry McFadden]

After posting here about the system I use and seeing posts about very similar systems costing almost $200 I thought I'd post a couple of pic's of mine in use that cost about $25 for the chute and hose...

CAM00684.jpg CAM00685.jpg

[Dean S Walker]

thanks everyone. I realize the chips will go where they go , what I'm trying to avoid is all the fine dust mostly from sanding. 200 bucks is just a bit much for me. I will build a head to hold the port. I have stand that has a roller on it for the out feed of the bandsaw or to extend holding for the drill press. I will use it to anchor the port to. I have a oneway lathe and I turn from both sides of the head so I need to move it around depending on what I'm working on. I really need to be able to change the hose from port to port easily. some kind of fitting that I can attach the hose to with a clamp and push onto ports easily.

Barry, what size DC do you have?
John did I understand it correct. Does the black hose hold its form like a flex arm on a moffet work light?