Hooking up the bandsaw to the DC

[ChrisD]

Since getting a real DC a couple of weeks ago, I have been researching on how to hook up my bandsaw to it. It looks like the most common approach is to punch a 4" hole on the lower door and install a dust port there. I have decided to do this; it is now just a matter of building up the testicular fortitude to apply that kind of tough love on one of my favorite tools in my little shop.

My question to the brave men and women who have done this: After installing a dust port on the lower door, did you find it necessary to supplement that by hooking up the stock dust port located under the table as well?

Another method (or supplementary to the tough-love approach) is to replace the stock dust port with a wider diameter port. Amazon sells a 5" sheet-metal one especially designed for Delta-type 14-inchers for $38. Without a lower dust port, would this be enough to catch all the dust before it gets caught between the blade and the wheel and recirculated back out?

I have a 2HP HF DC, which I hook up directly to a tool as needed via a 10' hose.

Thanks very much in advance!

[WayneJ]

Someone on the forum did this a while back. I don't remember who it was but they used the flange for a toilet bowl (think wax ring) It bolts on the door and is 4 inch dia. Maybe whoever it was will chime in. A hole saw or snips should get you through the door.
Wayne

[Popeye]

Here is mine Chris. I have both connections made up and find the small one to be of some but not alot of value. Dust collects on top of the lower guides. I've heard or seen someone make a better shroud around the guides but I haven't tried it. I get very little dust left over in the bottom housing with this set up.

And a link to the rest of my setup if you're interested. http://bt3gallery.fhauto.com/view_al...album15&page=1 I've made liberal use of duct tape (to build up the size of fittings, not to seal them) Pat

[JR]

I've made liberal use of duct tape (to build up the size of fittings, not to seal them) Pat

Pat, you've got a similar setup to mine, although you've gone farther in adapting 4" holes where none existed before.

FWIW, I discovered the 4" to 2-1/4" adapter fits the 2-1/4" dust port on the HF DC pretty well. I'm refering to the adapater that has the offset 2-1/4" hole, not the one with the centered hole.

Normally the offset-hole adapter is meant to fit inside a 2-1/4" hole, but in the case of the HF DC it fits on the outside nicely.

Just passing along one ever-so-minor fact in the lore of DC connectivity.

JR

[Tom Miller]

I punched a hole in the door of my Jet 14". I didn't think of it as tough love, so much as punishment for showing up in my shop with a puny little 2" DC port. (Bad Bandsaw! No Timberwolf blades for two weeks!)

If you're considering a second DC port in addition to one for the lower enclosure, I'd look into an above-table solution, rather than a second below-table port. A 4" line on the lower port is going to get most, if not all, of the dust that makes it through the throat plate. But there are a lot of situations where the dust doesn't make it below the table.

BTW, I put my lower enclosure DC port as high up as possible to try to get the dust before it gets trapped between the blade and the wheel.








Regards,
Tom

[ChrisD]

That's some pretty bad-boy hook-ups you've got goin' there, guys. Thanks for sharing pics and links.

I'm thinking of using something like the Universal Hood (Item #426) that you see here: http://www.ptreeusa.com/dustFlangeHoods.htm . I think Woodcraft also carries it.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again for the info!

[ChrisD]

I didn't think of it as tough love, so much as punishment for showing up in my shop with a puny little 2" DC port. (Bad Bandsaw! No Timberwolf blades for two weeks!)

Tom Miller, you should be ashamed of yourself! Now go and apologize to that poor little thing!

[Lonnie in Orlando]

Chris:

Not to buck the trend, but ...

I didn't cut the door on my BS. I removed the OE 2" dust duct. Then I cut a piece of 4" S&D pipe to wrap around the lower guides, and the hole in the door from the OD duct. Dust is captured as it comes through the insert in the table.

It does a great job, including when resawing.

Can't post a pic for a while -- still recovering from a computer crash.

- Lonnie

[ChrisD]

Chris:

Not to buck the trend, but ...

I didn't cut the door on my BS. I removed the OE 2" dust duct. Then I cut a piece of 4" S&D pipe to wrap around the lower guides, and the hole in the door from the OD duct. Dust is captured as it comes through the insert in the table.

It does a great job, including when resawing.

Can't post a pic for a while -- still recovering from a computer crash.

- Lonnie

Thanks, Lonnie. Sorry about your computer crash. It would be nice to see pics, but I think I can see the design in my head. I believe I have seen a similar design in PW. The last thing I want is to spend on an over-priced after-market gizmo when a $5 or so solution will do.

Thanks again.