DC Duct Routing - Looking for your opinions

[Alan Schaffter]

Let's say I move the DC south of the center joist, then the DC, TS and jointer are connected. How do I connect that segment to the bandsaw, router table, and plane on the other side. I still have the same issue...I think. Any chance the house would fall down if I drilled a 7" hole in the center joist? (just kidding)

How high off the floor will the intake of the DC be? Do the joists run perpendicular to the beam and sit on top of it or do they butt it and are attached with joist hangers? If the DC can be mounted with the intake just below the beam- (1) Put the DC on the south side of the of the wall in that right corner. (2) come straight out of the intake for a foot or so, then add a 45 wye oriented so the branch angles both into the shop and up towards the shop ceiling. Then run a diagonal to the BS (correction) and router table. (3) attach a 45 el to the straight through branch of the 45 wye so it angles down at a 45 along the back side of the south wall. (4) use a 45 wye and a 45 el for the jointer port and and two 45 els at the end for the TS port- both ports can be neat, flush like in the photo in my last post that you use with short lengths of flex and quick disconnects. Blast gates can be mounted behind the wall, on the surface of the wall, or on the machine if you make them like I did.

If you send me your SketchUp file I can modify it to show you what I mean.

[Alan Schaffter]

I have removed the wall and closet in sketchup. I don't see that it buys anything for the DC routing or tool placement. The shelves moved to the other side of the closet against the outer wall, and the pegboards hung on the other two closet walls went away. As it is in the latest layout, the back of the wall is supporting the BS drop.

Right now it doesn't look like you have any infeed room on the jointer. With the wall segment between the TS and jointer gone you do!

[Anthony Whitesell]

The bottom of the intake will be about 66" from the floor. The floor joists run perpendicular to the center joist and sit on top (no hangers). I cannot get the top of the intake up to the bottom of the center joist. The motor and blower are just too tall, and an 8" 90 to mount it elsewhere is exactly the same size (I have one and measured it). Other than a north-south duct run, nothing can be above the height of the walls or center joist.

The DC cannot be installed directly to south of the center joist. There are things there that can't be moved. I also think you are running directly across the walkway with the DC south of the joist.

How do we send sketchup files? Can we attach them to posts?

[Anthony Whitesell]

Almost true of the infeed, but taking out the wall also removes those shelves and I haven't found a place for them and doesn't buy me any outfeed. There's 4' of infeed when used in place which I'm usually working 3-4 foot long pieces so it works out. The jointer is on a mobile base and I pivot the infeed side around towards the bandsaw depending on the length. Using the doorway for up to 6' of infeed; and rotating further to use the basement outside door for 12' of infeed and additional outfeed.

[Alan Schaffter]

Ahhh! Gotcha now. I will do that as much as possible but just about dead center (left of the center lolly-column is the expansion tank and inlet plumbing for the heating system, so the duct must be at the height of the center joist at that point, But I will put in a double 45 instead of the joist side 90.

What is behind the TS? Is that a pass-through or did you just leave out the wall studs? If it is a wall, then my recommendation changes- reverse everything and put the DC in the left, lower corner.

[Anthony Whitesell]

The black and gray quarter-circles on the floor represent the door swings and walkway areas. So directly to the left of the TS is a doorway and to the left of the TS operator (just north and to the right in the drawing is a second door (the one you'd like me to remove).

I was thinking of trying to put it south of the beam in the lower left, but the outlet would be away from the wall.

[Jeff Bratt]

I didn't realize that there was another walkway between the jointer and the latest location for the DC (even though I now see you did mention it), that does make this location trickier. What about some sort of custom-fit plenum that mounts underneath the main ceiling joist that can join your two "main" ducts together with the DC intake? Good sheet metal guys can work wonders in these situations...