Shark Guard and Dust collection

[tfischer]

Got my new Shark Guard this week <insert snoopydance smiley here> Haven't actually used it yet, but it's installed, and I'm very impressed with the quality and functionality. Now, I'm working on hooking up the dust collection for the guard itself.

Now my TS needs to move around, so I can't just hang a hose from the ceiling or anything like that. In my Pre-SG days, I just hooked a 2 1/2" DC hose from my dust collector into the tailpipe of the BT3. So, I figured I'd get an additional 2 1/2" hose, rig up a mechanism to suspend it over the saw, and wye it off the hose from the DC.

Problem is, Menards doesn't seem to sell a wye that will fit properly. I doubt Home Depot does either. There seems to be no such thing as a Shop Vac wye, and none of the plumbing fittings fit. For the short term, I picked up a Fernco (rubber) fitting, but would really like to do this with PVC/ABS so I can plug and unplug hoses easilly...

As an aside, my plan is to cannabalize a swing-arm desklamp, clamp it to the rail of the BT3 with a T-Nut, and use that to suspend the upper hose. I'm hoping this will be flexible enough to also use with the router table...

By the way Lee, if you're reading this, I bet you could make more $$$'s if you came up with a turn-key way to handle the upper hose and sold it as a kit!

-Tim

[MBG]

I love my Shark's too.

Couldn't you use a wye at the 4" DC hose and get two 4" to 2-1/2" adapters?

I use a 4" hose into the back of the saw and ran a duct across the ceiling. Don't know how far you need to move your saw but my 2-1/2" Shark hose is just the right length to stay on the Shark and not lay on the table while in use or storage.

Good Luck,

Mike

[tfischer]

I love my Shark's too.

Couldn't you use a wye at the 4" DC hose and get two 4" to 2-1/2" adapters?

I use a 4" hose into the back of the saw and ran a duct across the ceiling. Don't know how far you need to move your saw but my 2-1/2" Shark hose is just the right length to stay on the Shark and not lay on the table while in use or storage.

Good Luck,

Mike

I currently have a 2 1/2" hose which feeds the saw (long story, but it works fine).

I know some here have done a setup similar to what I'm thinking, just not sure how they wyed off the 2 1/2" hose. Maybe they did what you're suggesting and used a 4" wye...

As an aside, why are DC/Shop Vac parts so insanely expensive? $3.50 for a 2 1/2" coupler, $5 for a 4" -> 2 1/2" reducer... Compared to plumbing fittings which are basically the same sort of thing, that's ridiculous...

-Tim

[BobSch]

I currently have a 2 1/2" hose which feeds the saw (long story, but it works fine).

I know some here have done a setup similar to what I'm thinking, just not sure how they wyed off the 2 1/2" hose. Maybe they did what you're suggesting and used a 4" wye...

As an aside, why are DC/Shop Vac parts so insanely expensive? $3.50 for a 2 1/2" coupler, $5 for a 4" -> 2 1/2" reducer... Compared to plumbing fittings which are basically the same sort of thing, that's ridiculous...

-Tim

Beacuse the manufacturers/distributors/retailers figure a "specialty" item should carry a heftier pricetag and because they figure most hobbyists will pay extra for their latest goody. After all, a part from the Wesuckem DC company has got to be better than the exact same part out of the BORG's plumbing bin, right?

Or am I just being cynical this morning?

[tfischer]

OK, for some reason I'm getting a drought of responses -- I thought this would be an easy question since there were so many Shark users out there.

So how is everyone wying their feed for the saw? I'm assuming I'm not the only one out there with a less-than-model shop where you have to move the dust hose from tool to tool. I've seen setups similar to what I want to do on Lee's gallery page -- just not sure how they're doing the connections.

EDIT: From the self-help school: I checked Rockler's website and it looks like I may need to visit there as they appear to have what I need... at a price, of course...

-Tim

[Ken Weaver]

I subscribed to the thread hoping there'd be an answer coming - What did you find at Rockler Tim?

[tfischer]

I subscribed to the thread hoping there'd be an answer coming - What did you find at Rockler Tim?

Looks like they have a decent selection of 2 1/2" hoses, fittings, and the like...

-Tim

[vaking]

I had this problem earlier and here is my solution to it:
I made myself a small dust separator - a 10 gallon trash can sitting before the DC. The separator is hooked up to a DC with a single 4" hose - very short. There are 2 shopvac hoses (2-1/4" diameter although most people call them 2-1/2") bring the dust to the separator. One of the hoses is connected with the blast gate, the other - directly. This way the separator works as a reducer and a tee with blast gate in one. I will try to get some pictures later. Seems to work well - about 85% of dust stays in the separator. Please note - I have a small roll-around dust collector (JSL-610DC) and I cannot afford to loose much pressure in a separator. As a result my separator is not a cyclone lid type, but something I came up myself. The separator is installed on a little cart and the cart is attached to the DC, so now the separator and DC move together when they need to move.

[wreckwriter]

Hmmm... I was planning to just hook my shop vac to the top of my Shark. Is this not going to work?

[Stytooner]

Sure. A standard shop vac hose fitting fits inside the dust port on the Shark.
The 2.5" hose that Rockler sells fits the outside of the dust port without any fitting at all.
This is all I have hooked up to the Shark. Its a good slip fit. I run this hose overhead into a blast gate that connects to my 4" main. The bottom of the saw is hooked up farther down the line from a line in a trough in my floor. All the tools in the center of my shop hook into this.
I do intend to add some photo's to my site that shows how several guys have piped the Shark. Some can be seen in the Gallery page, but I will have a dedicated piping page.
Other than that, I'm not going to be much help, since this is how I have always had it hooked up.
I would imagine the 2.5" fittings at Rocler do fit the 2.5" hose from them.
I can't help you with the cost of them though.

[wreckwriter]

For me a fixed system isn't going to fly since I use my garage as a shop and my saw isn't in a fixed spot. Hopefully someday.....

Now if my Shark would just hurry up and get here.....

[lcm1947]

I also move my tools around but when it comes time to use the table saw I always place it in a certain place due to my garage floor being uneven. This way I don't have to check it for being level in different spots every time. I then have a length of cord attached between the rails of my garage door and droop the 2 1/2" hose coming from my DC over it hanging down to the top of the Shark guard. Here's a picture.

Boy that one picture sure didn't turn out too good but you can get the idea I think.

[lcm1947]

Ok let me try that again. I know I can do it.

[wreckwriter]

Heh, no, not too good!

Yea, I get your point though and I suspect I'll also end up with a "sweet spot". Nothing in my house is either level nor plumb :/

I haven't made my first real cut yet, still learning everything I can so I can do it right and keep all my parts!

[wreckwriter]

Yea, much better. You've got a nice shop! A real DC system and everything. Hopefully someday my garage will look something like that. I'd be ashamed to post a pic now....Thanks for the tip.

Tom