Small diameter dust collection.

[Jonathan Spool]

I searched, but couldn't find a solution to this.
on one leg of my DC I will have a panel saw and chop saw (as well as some larger tools). Both utilize small hose connections and hooking up a 4" hose to the panel saw isn't feasible.
So, if I go with a 2" hose to the panel saw, I don't think there will be sufficient air to move the chips through the 8" trunk. Is it normal procedure in this case to open an additional gate to provide more air?
how do you calculate which size additional gate is necessary?

[glenn bradley]

A vacuum will outperform a DC for this type of work. I have a couple of DC's for various machines but, still have shop vacs for those that use small ports. This doesn't make a DC bad by any means. A sledge hammer isn't very good at tapping in picture frame brads but, that doesn't make the sledge hammer bad ;-) Right tool for the job, as they say.

[Jonathan Spool]

Thanks GlennGlenn

[Anthony Whitesell]

If you don't opt for the shopvac. The gate size you are looking is the size that gives you the difference in the area between the 8" trunk and the 2" port.

8"=50.26 sq in.
2"=3.14 sq in

50.26-3.14=47.12 sq in = 3.87" radius (7.74" diameter). Since the goal is to provide suction at the tools and not the open gate, 7" gate.

[Lee Reep]

I have a small shop (~450 square feet), but a lot of power tools -- table saw, radial arm saw, jointer, planer, bandsaw, and lathe. On all but the RAS and lathe, I use a Laguna 2HP dust collector. I have not plumbed duct work yet, so I use Rockler's DustRight system. Each tool has a quick-connect dust port adapter which is held in place with a hose clamp. I also bought Rockler's expandable hose that I mounted the DustRight handled connector to, to make connect and disconnect to each tool quite easy. The collapsible hose makes storage easy, yet expands to over 20 feet long to get to any of my tools. My table saw has a 2-1/2" port, all others are 4". For my table saw, it was easiest to run a short 2 foot section of 2-1/2" hose from table saw to the 2-1/2" to 4" quick connect port, since my outfeed table is so close to the dust port. The kit I bought included both types of quick connectors -- direct to 4", and 2-1/2" to 4", bur Rockler sells them separately, and I needed more than was in he kit.

I'd like to have the duct work installed eventually, but this solution is pretty easy to live with for now.

I've thought about adding support for my RAS when I do the duct work, but I think a separate shop vac is going to give the best performance based on what I've read here and on other forums. I did add an Oneida Dust Deputy to my Ridgid shop vac, and I am amazed at how well it separates and keeps the shop vac virtually free of material.