Hinged Dust Control Ductwork

[Earl McCreary]

I am installing dust control in my workshop with the ductwork in the attic above the shop. I do some woodwork, some metalwork and some automotive. In the area of the shop where I would work on a car, I have clustered together a table saw, planer, jointer, band saw and a belt/disc sander all on mobile bases so they can be moved out of the way when a car is in the shop. I plan on installing one 6 inch drop to serve all of these machines. I have 10 foot ceilings and would like to come out of the ceiling with a 5 ft. 6 inch metal drop with flexible hose attached to the metal pipe so I can attach it to each of the several machines.

Now to my problem and my question - The drop will be in the way of a car pulled into the shop. I need to mount the drop on a hinged joint or swivel of some sort so I can lift the drop up to the ceiling to get it out of my way. I could just run the entire drop with flexible hose and pull it up to the ceiling via rope and pulley when not needed but I would like to do it with as little flexible hose as possible.

I have been lurking here for quite some time and have seen some ingenious ideas carried out by the intelligent folks here at Sawmill Creek. Although I have come up with some complicated ideas of accomplishing a hinged swivel joint in 6 in. pipe, I need a simple way of doing this. Any one here have a drop like I am looking for? If so, could you post a pic or a drawing of how you accomplished it?

Thanks, guys!

[Carl Kona]

Earl,
I can't find the picture but I will do my best to describe what I saw. It was basically a homemade hinged blast gate (the square homemade ones everyone shows how to make). But on the non pressurized side of the gate was another layer with a hinge on one edge and a cabinet magnet lock on the other side. There is a gasket between the two layers to seal. If you picture the homemade blast gate with 2 square pieces with the gate sandwiched between. This design adds a third layer with the hinge and magnet and gasket basically splitting the gate in half. Mounted up where you wanted the hinge point and hard duct coming down, you can close the gate and swing the dangling hard pipe up breaking the magnet connection and tie it up, hook it whatever you come up with to hold it up. The gate can be closed and you can still use your collector. When you swing down the hard pipe and the magnet holds the two faces together and the foam gasket seals the connection. I thought it was pretty slick idea. If this makes no sense I can probably sketch up something that would make much more clear.

Carl

[Brice Rogers]

Wood River sells a 4" swivel but I don't know of anyone selling a 6" one.

But why not put in a ~ 2' section of 6" flex hose where you want the hinge/swivel. If you are concerned about supporting the hanging section, then make a brace like people wear on their legs to protect their knee. Except for the short flex hose section the rest of the piping could still be rigid pipe.

[Earl McCreary]

Carl, you gave a pretty good description. I can almost picture it in my feeble mind! Seriously, it makes perfect sense and not too difficult to make. Thanks!

[Earl McCreary]

Brice, thanks for the idea. I hadn't even thought about the human knee. I appreciate you guys, you have been helpful.

[Brice Rogers]

Carl has a decent idea.

[Carl Kona]

Earl,

This is pretty close to what I was describing (less the magnet and seal)

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ion-for-Unisaw
Carl

[Earl McCreary]

Thanks for the ideas, guys. I went through 30 pages of this section of the forum looking for ideas. I guess I just missed the one you linked to, Carl. I appreciate the help.

[Jim Becker]

I believe that Oneida has a swivel fitting available.

[Darcy Warner]

That's why snap loc pipe is the best, just un clamp the drop and move it

[Jerome Stanek]

Grizzly sells a 6 inch ball connector

[Earl McCreary]

You guys are the best! I really appreciate all the comments and suggestions.