Hey - it works!

[Shelley Bolster]

Yesterday my "under a year old" Shop Vac burnt up while I had it hooked to my PC ROS.......to say the least - I was choked so when I did a little ranting to Tod Evans, he asked me if I had a DC.

"Yup - but the hose is too big"

"Then make something to reduce the size of the hose to fit your Vacuum hose"

"Hey - I am not a guy......I don't do engineering"

"Take a piece of plywood and duck tape - cut a hole in the ply for the vac hose and duct tape it do the DC hose" (or something along those lines)

"You mean similar to a ballast gate thingy"

"You got it girl"

So this is what I came up with. Pretty simple and it wasn't for the fact that I cut out the threaded part that belonged to the shop vac tank and glued and screwed it to the plywood so I could use the hose for other things (eventually, a floor sweep connected to the DC), I wouldn't bother showing it. Thanks Tod for the idea.....hope this meets your approval.

[Steve Clardy]

Yes. Whatever works for ya. Good idea!

[Michael Stafford]

A very creative solution to an infuriating problem. Nicely done!!! You sure are not an engineer... Are there Eskimo engineers? LOL LOL

[Bob Noles]

Shelley,


Quick.... slap a patent on that thing

Good job!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Looks like a mighty fine job Shelley. Looks like it will work fine.

[Mark Rios]

WAY TO GO SHELLEY!!!!! YOU DA MAN.........UHHHHMMMMM.........WO-MAN!


Nice job. Nice and clean looking.

[Joe Blankshain]

Now that is creative thinking (engineering). Nice job

[tod evans]

that sucks, (i hope) when you`re 80 miles and 100 bucks short ya improvise. so why aint you sanding? looks like it oughta work...02 tod

[Rob Blaustein]

Nice bit of engineering, Shelley. But a technical question for the dust collection experts: I recall reading here on SMC that a DC and a shop vac are very different in that the DC is designed to clear dust by moving a high volume of air rather than by creating lots of suction, whereas the shop vac is meant to pull a high static pressure. Does this mean that using the DC hooked to a sander is not quite the way to go (no offense Shelley). Could it also hurt the DC by starving it for air?

[tod evans]

Nice bit of engineering, Shelley. But a technical question for the dust collection experts: I recall reading here on SMC that a DC and a shop vac are very different in that the DC is designed to clear dust by moving a high volume of air rather than by creating lots of suction, whereas the shop vac is meant to pull a high static pressure. Does this mean that using the DC hooked to a sander is not quite the way to go (no offense Shelley). Could it also hurt the DC by starving it for air?

rob, it may not suck enough, but as for hurting the d/c not likely they`re maxing out on amps when they`re wide open not restricted....02 tod

[Shelley Bolster]

Hey Rob...no offense what so ever........great question. I really don't want to be blowing my DC up so I am real interested in the answers. Thanks all for the kudos on the little thingy (what do you call it - a ballast - a reducer?) I have been sanding and it seems to be working just fine.....honestly - as well as the shop vac. The sun is shining through the windows right above my sanding station and I see no visible dust particles in the air .......unlike yesterday when I was sanding with just the canister attached to the sander.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Shelley, way to go! Nothing like problem solving to get ya' going for the day.

[Ken Shoemaker]

With regard to Rob's question,

I hooked mine up to the DC and found it did a fine job.

I tried an experiment and opened another blast gate close to the one that I have the sander hooked to. It worked a little bit better.

Then I opened another gate and found that it moved enough air that my tiny 14X16 shop has a negative air pressure and keep suspended particulates out of the air as well as picking up the sanding dust.

By the way, Good job Shelly... I think your gonna' love it.

[Robert Waddell]

I do a similar thing all the time connecting my disc, belt and spindle sander. Haven't done anything to the DC yet. The suction appears to be weak but it works. No noticeble dust when using the above machines.
Rob


Some days I get plane board with woodworking. Other days I want to walk the plank. Most days better than the corporate board room!

[Jim Becker]

The DC will be fine...tod is correct that maximum air flow is when the DC motor is drawing the highest amperage. Your setup has minimum air flow. This isn't the best application for the DC due to its nature, but if it's working...no problem!