dust collection in cast iron router table

[Günter VögelBerg]

I have one of those router tables that is built into the wing of my cabinet saw top. I want to improve my dust collection and I am considerring building a plywood box with a vacuum outlet around the router. I am struggling with ideas for attaching it to the cast iron. Ideally, I'd like it to be relatively easy to remove. Tapping holes into the cast iron is not my idea of a fun afternoon. I am considering attaching it with some very powerful neodymium magnets. Thoughts?

[Jamie Buxton]

I tapped holes in mine. It wasn't horribly difficult.

Strong magnets might work, but on mine the dust collection hose exerts a fair amount of force. My DC hose is the six inch plastic flex hose for the saw. I just pull it off the saw and run it into the router enclosure when I'm using it. It is stiff, and it is underfoot when I'm using the router table. I'm pretty sure I'd be pulling the magnets around. Maybe you could use magnets to hold, and have some locating pins to position the box. Those magnetic switches work very well; Magswitch is a major brand name.

[glenn bradley]

I'm no machinist and cast iron machines very easily. However, I have fixtures that attach to machines in my shop with 1" rare earth magnets and have never given me a problem. Remember to have an opening at least equal to the exit port area for return air into the box.

[Mark Daily]

I'm no machinist and cast iron machines very easily. However, I have fixtures that attach to machines in my shop with 1" rare earth magnets and have never given me a problem. Remember to have an opening at least equal to the exit port area for return air into the box.

I built such a box around my router and found allowing return air only from around the router through the opening in the router table worked best. It creates so much suction I don’t need a separate hose attached to the fence.

[tom lucas]

I added an excalibur router table extension to my tablesaw. I used the "dust router" and added the ability to tee-off with the fence. I then added a Dust Right port for quick connections. The dust router works excellent. It catches everything below the table and leaves your router open to coolest air and easiest maintenance. I've never had any dust falling through the table. The dust router is here:
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/k...xoCjdEQAvD_BwE

Here are some photos of my setup. The last one shows a little cabinet that holds my router supplies. The fence stores on the back side of the cabinet.

IMG_0958.jpgIMG_0954.jpgIMG_0950.jpgIMG_0975.jpg

[ChrisA Edwards]

Rare earth magnets will work great, but if you want the ease of removing it, on your box I'd make a flange on each side and use a couple of Magswitch's to attach and hold the box.

These will hold the box firmly, but release it easily, whereas you'll fight with plain rare earth magnets.

[jeff norris 2011]

Have you thought about building a mini cabinet that rolls under the wing and integrate the dust collection into that. you could store your router 'stuff' in it. Use some weather stripping so you have a seal to the wing and a removable back section so you could slide the cabinet back out if needed.

[Frank Pratt]

As stated by others, cast iron is very easy to drill & tap. Much easier than steel.

[Jim Becker]

If you look at my thread where I added the Bench Dog cast iron router table top to my slider, you'll see I did exactly what you propose. I used pre-tapped holes in the bottom to fasten the cabinet, etc.