Irrigation pipe for dust collector?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

As the title says, just curious if anyone has tried it? I think I will, here is a pile of aluminum donor material that will soon be repurposed if plans work... Thoughts?

I won't be using the bell ends as I can't think of any design mods to reengineer for negative pressure. I plan on using long runs to minimize joints. This is 6", and snaplock just fits over it, joints will use that feature and tape. The reason for this is the need for quite a bit more pipe than I wanted to buy, so this is a cheaper alternative possibly.

[Ole Anderson]

Should work well for your longer runs. Good find.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I got part of a day to work on the DC install, and was surprised at how well the pipe worked. There are many thousands of miles of this stuff laying in weeds across this coountry, so I wanted to see if it would install ok as a cheap alternative. I got this pile for free, and expected headaches inversely proportional to the price, but was pleasantly surprised. I used a sawzall to cut it. It's a bit awkward to handle in the long runs as one piece, but the joy of hanging a 20 foot run in one piece makes up for it. My Onieda sheet metal fittings fit into or over it fine. If you have access to a supply of it, and want to save some bucks for something more fun, it's worth a look.

Here is a pic of where I left off tonight. Joints need taped, need to square up a few things, and I think it's ready. I assembled using only existing fittings from my last shop, so some are not optimal, but the budget doesn't allow optimal.

The irrigation pipe is the one above the ceiling fan (ignore my smashed drop pipe, oops):


Other end of the 30 foot run of irrigation pipe:

[Tom Giacomo]

Looks very good, nice find, I never heard of the stuff. Let us know how it works out, good luck.

[Mike Schuch]

Sweet deal! Around here irrigation pipe goes for a pretty penny. Even bent pipe that has been run over by a tractor goes for a good amount of money because of the price of aluminum scrap. I hope at least a case of good beer went to the person kind enough to gift you that pipe!

[Larry Edgerton]

I thought about that as an alternative, but not so much of it around here. I found some 4/6" stuff, but that was about it, and the price was a bit high. I was going to tig weld corners/wyes up out of segments if I could have got them down to a reasonable price. Connections that I wanted to come apart I was going to use SS race exhaust band clamps. We use them on the off-road truck and they stay together with that punishment but can be disassembled and reused.

I really like your new shop location. Shame about Leigh having to move, would really like to pick up that mill he has for sale but it has not been such a good winter work wise. Moving a shop sucks!

Later buddy, Larry

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Sweet deal! Around here irrigation pipe goes for a pretty penny. Even bent pipe that has been run over by a tractor goes for a good amount of money because of the price of aluminum scrap. I hope at least a case of good beer went to the person kind enough to gift you that pipe!

LOL, my boss gave it to me, so I'm sure I will pay for it... Maybe I ought to start selling the stuff to woodworkers!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I thought about that as an alternative, but not so much of it around here. I found some 4/6" stuff, but that was about it, and the price was a bit high. I was going to tig weld corners/wyes up out of segments if I could have got them down to a reasonable price. Connections that I wanted to come apart I was going to use SS race exhaust band clamps. We use them on the off-road truck and they stay together with that punishment but can be disassembled and reused.

I really like your new shop location. Shame about Leigh having to move, would really like to pick up that mill he has for sale but it has not been such a good winter work wise. Moving a shop sucks!

Later buddy, Larry

I like that band clamp idea Larry, those things are tough! As I was messing with it I was thinking of the pretty fittings a guy with a tig could make too. I was trying to think up a way to make a gasket work with negative pressure so a guy could just slip it all together. Not sure how nordfab does it, but something like that maybe.

I feel for Leigh too, moving shops sucks. I did luck out on mine for sure. The only tiny little niggle I have with it is that there is black dust everywhere that doesn't wash out of cloths. I can deal with that for sure though. I'd love to give his surface grinder a home, but bad winter here too. Maybe we could work out a temporary custody type of arrangement with him...

[Ole Anderson]

I I was trying to think up a way to make a gasket work with negative pressure so a guy could just slip it all together. Not sure how nordfab does it, but something like that maybe.
...

Not sure what the gasket looks like, but you could try flipping it 180 degrees.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Ole, that's one of those why didn't I think of it ideas?! I think it would work. Might be a little challenging to slip the pipes together, but I bet possible.