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Thread: auto blast gate advice

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    New York
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    140

    auto blast gate advice

    Anyone got any feedback about automatic blast gates? Specifically interested in models that are not pneumatically controlled. Stories of success and/or horror are welcomed.

    My shop is not up and running yet (I've got equipment on order, and a Pentz EF5). No ducting has been purchased, so now would be a good time to figure this out.

    Thanks in advance --

    Ned

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Ned Otter View Post
    Anyone got any feedback about automatic blast gates? Specifically interested in models that are not pneumatically controlled. Stories of success and/or horror are welcomed.

    My shop is not up and running yet (I've got equipment on order, and a Pentz EF5). No ducting has been purchased, so now would be a good time to figure this out.

    Thanks in advance --

    Ned
    Only advice I have is to remember if your talking a system that trips the DC as well as opening the gates as opposed to just have a DC running and automatic gate actuations if the shop is light usage having your DC trip on/off dozens of times an hour can be far worse than just leaving it on through batched operations or just on all the time. Ive seen a lot of small hobby shops shoot themselves in the foot with automatic gates that trigger the DC even with off-delay timers and kicking your DC on an off every time you pull the trigger on your miter saw or tablesaw is not the greatest practice. Full time shop here and its not uncommon to walk to a tool a half dozen times in 15 minutes when your tweaking a joint or doing some fine fitting. Cycling anything other than a very small DC more than a few times an hour is no gain.

    That said, there are numerous gates in the shop that I'd love to not have to remember to open and close, I'd just not want them to trigger my DC because it is pretty much on when the shop is running.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Lancaster, Ohio
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    1,346
    I don't have auto blast gates, I do have auto turn on/off of dust collector, with the addition of a wall switch to turn on/off. Dust collector valves, slide gates, etc are all manual open/close
    Any equipment wired turns on along with wall switch. ALL have to be off to turn off. Use CT's, relay, 40 amp contactor in the electric panel along with a 24vac transformer to power this.
    Strictly hobby shop use.
    Sometimes run for 2-4hrs at a time running planer, wide belt sander. Sometimes 4-10 starts in 10 minutes which is what the wall switch is for.
    Turn wall switch on and let the dust collector run and endure the noise(no place available to put it except in the shop, under the master bedroom).
    At least the air compressor is remote in the garage.
    All depends on your wants, needs and budget
    good luck
    Ron

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Fairfield County, CT
    Posts
    112
    I invested in the GrnGate system, very satisfied…however I recently reached out to the owners and discovered they are selling the company. Unclear yet who is buying or what the future holds.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    New York
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    Thanks to all for the feedback -- my DC cannot be cycled on/off more than a few times per hour, otherwise it causes problems. So I was actually thinking in terms of blast gates only.

    At the moment, my shop is stricly hobby-level, though it might morph to light production not too long for now.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Ned, you can leave the DC running with all gates closed with no issues...in fact, that's the "least load" situation. So whether you setup for an automatic gate or just open and close them the old fashioned way, don't think you have to turn the DC off when you are done with one machine and preparing to move to another.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Ned, you can leave the DC running with all gates closed with no issues...in fact, that's the "least load" situation. So whether you setup for an automatic gate or just open and close them the old fashioned way, don't think you have to turn the DC off when you are done with one machine and preparing to move to another.
    That's what I do: leave the cyclone running for an extended time and open and close blast gates when moving to other machines.
    JKJ

  8. #8
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    Feb 2009
    Location
    New York
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    140
    Thanks, Jim - what you describe is how I conceived of it. My shop is not huge, but thought that I should at least research some for of automation for opening/closing the blast gates.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    I look at opening the gate as just another one of those things that "pace" the work and hopefully reduce rushing...which as you likely know, is when "stuff happens".
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    549
    I've had the Ecogate--precursor to Greengate??-- system for 16+ years and it has been the best "tool" investment for my hobby workshop. I start the DC with the RF remote and the gates open and close as I move from machine to machine. I have it programmed to close all gates when the "big" machining is done and I can use the manual gates on the smaller machines without having to go to the control box to close the last used auto gate--leaving the DC running. I planned to get more auto gates but they are spendy for the amount of use they get. The Ecogate/greenbox co. caters more to big commercial applications now--I had one gate motor fail and they rebuilt it very $$$ reasonably but they don't repair them now. No complaints--16 yrs of use ain't all bad!! The IVac system looks like a good system but haven't heard much about it. Good luck designing your system.
    Last edited by John C Bush; 10-06-2021 at 8:34 PM.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh, Australia
    Posts
    2,697
    As a retailer of an auto blast gate system developed and made in Australia feed back from users is very enthusiastic and you could not pry them out of their hands with a shotgun. Sorry but at this stage we do not export and I doubt we will any time soon.
    Chris

    Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Millstone, NJ
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    1,573
    I started looking at putting them on 2 machines because the gates are out of reach and its a pain to go opening and closing. I had thought about tieing the machines to the gates and not doing the auto start but still looking at 200 a machine.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh, Australia
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    2,697
    Quote Originally Posted by George Yetka View Post
    I started looking at putting them on 2 machines because the gates are out of reach and its a pain to go opening and closing. I had thought about tieing the machines to the gates and not doing the auto start but still looking at 200 a machine.
    Make rocking blast gates with long cords that drop to the machine, the gates should cost well under $20 each and you have control at the machine it is connected to. A micro switch back to the DE will start and stop it but will cost a few more dollars. This is exactly where I started from about 3 years ago to a full fledged auto control system we have now.
    Chris

    Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    East Coast of Florida
    Posts
    107
    I have used a 6” iVac automatic blast gate for several years and have been very pleased with it. I still operate the dust collector by remote but it is very nice having the automatic blast gate as would be very difficult to reach in my case. It is mounted high on the second vertical drop to the left of the cyclone in the photo.
    E1164F23-7BDA-4BAC-BFCC-133E78051C08.jpg

  15. #15
    Had a buddy several years ago who made his own automatic blast gate system. I am not that familiar with how he did it, but I do know that he used pneumatic clamps to do the opening and closing. He is a software designer/code writer and I believe came up with a software solution to control everything with a small pc in a closet somewhere in his shop. This was several years ago. I ran into him about 4 weeks ago and he was telling me that he did a redesign and invited me over to his shop to check it out. I will try and swing by his place this weekend and check it out and get some more details on his setup. When I do I will post it in a thread.

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