Do I even need DC ducting?

[Scott Reed]

I bought a Laguna 3hp C/Flux a while back with the intention of ducting up my equipment. It has now occurred to me that the only machine that I want permanently connected is my table saw. I keep my bandsaw, planer, and drum sander on the wall and move them to the middle of my shop when I need to use them. My jointer stays stationary along the wall but is very easy to get to the dust port to remove/attach the hose. My table saw is the only annoying dust port to get to because of the outfeed table. So now my thoughts are to permanently run a hose to the table saw and use one other hose for everything else. My DC has an 8" inlet with three 4" inlet adapter. In my application of running only one machine at a time and not having any other equipment attached, do you think I should bother with ducting? How efficient will my DC be with two hoses connected, one probably 20', the other probably 10', and the third hole plugged?

[Larry Frank]

While 20 feet of flex hose is a lot, your dust collector will be able to handle it. You do not mention blast gates but I would have them for each hose at the machine.

While not very efficient, it should work fine.

[glenn bradley]

I have locations in my shop where solid ducting leads up to a location where a hose 'whip' quick-couples at the gate and serves the tool rolled into that position. This shortens the hose run to about 5 feet.

duct examples (2).jpg

This path leads between my tablesaw and the outfeed table (not shown here). It serves my planer, drum sander and top collection point on my router table. The fitting you see just behind the wood bracket is a wye to the lower part of the router table.

[Andy Giddings]

Scott, of course you can work without solid ductwork - downside is your cfm losses are larger and you have hose to trip over. I worked this way for years. You can calculate how much air flow you would lose by going to hose instead of ducting fairly easily by using Bill Pentz' spreadsheet. 30ft of 4 inch hose is going to be a lot worse than 6 inch (46 in of loss vs 6 in). With the 4 inch, the flow at your tools is going to be negligible

[Scott Reed]

I'm thinking that I may just run PVC ducting from my table saw along the floor toward the DC and use flex down to the PVC. To the jointer I'll just use flex since it's a much shoter run leaving me the option of removing it to use on my bandsaw, planer, and drum sander.

[Larry Frank]

I would try out the flex hose and see how it works. The flow will not be negligible. The nice thing is that you can try several of the solutions that you mention and see how they work. You can find one that works best for you.

[Bruce Page]

I get by with the 4" flex hose just fine. I only run one machine at a time. Each of my dust & chip producers has a Fazlok fitting that makes for a solid connection and is easy to connect and disconnect. https://woodworker.com/fazlok-4-quic...su-121-595.asp

[Bill Adamsen]

I have centralized collection and pipe running throughout the shop but because my slider is centrally located and a drop would interfere with cutting large panels, I have a short run of 6" flex running from the wall drop to my slider. It has quick disconnects on both ends but truth is I have never removed it. Well ... not entirely true. I remove it when a cut strip gets sucked up into the drop but doesn't go through. The disconnects provide an easy way to remove it. Just pointing out that well placed, a flex connection is not the "end of the world."

[Yonak Hawkins]

Assuming one hose for all the machines on the wall, you only need a gate somewhere in the table saw hose and either, one in the other hose, or a dead end connector to store it in for maximum suction at the table saw.

I have used flexible hose to all my machines for years. Connect and disconnect is a cinch.

If it were me, I wouldn't run permanent ducting across the floor. I believe at some point you would regret it.

[Josh Kocher]

I think your idea of having one to your table saw, one to be interchangable is a fine idea if it suits your space. Saves some expense and work setting a network up.

I have a permanent duct run on my floor to my tablesaw... it's pretty short, about 6 feet on the left side and rarely bothers me. It's easy to move/reconfigure if I ever change my mind. It's more out of the way than a drop next to my saw would be...

I also have a multi purpose hookup that I use for different purposes, mostly when I wheel out my planer, but for any other purpose too, free hand routing etc, I'll rig up a length of flex to catch what I can...

My main suggestions would be to get rid of the 4*4" multi adaptor and get a wye that splits it to 2*6" runs.

I read lots of posters on this site that report good results with their 4" flex hose and that's great, but you'll do better with a 6" or even 5" reduced at the machine if required.