I just got a new dust collector with one 4″ flex hose and thats it. I went to Lowes to look at the different PVC fittings and tried them with the shop vac accessories to see how they would fit together. They didn’t. I am afraid of getting a pile of various fittings home and having no way of making them hold air except for duct tape.
I have read through the postings on dust collection and cannot find information on exactly what fittings to use to transition from the different sizes of flex, rigid (PVC), blast gates, tools, etc. Can anyone help?
Replies
4" flex hose will fit over 4" PVC and into 4" PVC fittings. I always put a piece of PVC pipe into the fitting and then put the "flex" over the pipe. Get a 4" hose clamp and you're in business. I've also found that the flex will fit over the outlet on my joiner, planer, and tablesaw and once again used a hose clamp to seal it up. BTW whereever you join the PVC together use air conditioning aluminum tape. It will hold up to the changes in humidity, heat, and cold. Hope this helps.
Bring one or two of your vacuum attachments to your woodworking dealer. They should have the adaptors you need. Other than that, everything will work with standard 4" PVC.
Jeff
i have found that almost any type of tubular product can be mated with almost any other type of tubular product; depending, of course, on the specific nature of the joints purpose. a joint requiring a higher pressure seal would need more attention to design than a joint that must, for example, carry a #### flow for watering the new landscaping in the front yard. so the point is, create the proper gasket to cozy up the mating outside and inside diameters of pipe, connect the outside of the joint in a way that is easy to remove for service, and trust your judgemant.
why don't you connect a square fitting to a round fitting just for the challenge?
JOBYG5
Ditto everyone. If you need speciality fitting like blast gates and hoods, etc. try http://www.highlandhardware.com here in Atlanta. Don't know if they have them on-line, but they have all of them in the cat which they will send if you call toll-free. I also thing some are available at http://www.toolcrib.com and from Eagle America and Rockler.
Luck..
sarge..jt
Maybe it's a conspiracy. The DC industry just wants to be able sell overpriced fittings and duct instead of having people use PVC. For 4" I use PVC thinwall drain pipe because it's even cheaper than PVC. A single flex coupling cut in half yields two adapters. I cut the flange on the PVC fitting to make four tabs. With a hose clamp my adapter works great. Don't fear duct tape for sealing ducts, that's what it's for.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
John
You are correct. I caulked and put duct tape over that. I love over-kill. Ha.... My theory has always been, "if you can't fix it with duct tape, it probaly can't be fixed".. grin<>
sarge..jt
Thanks everyone. Taking the question further is what are good ways for reducing from 4" to 2-1/2" and 1-1/2" etc. without having to buy a whole erector set worth of fittings.
As for duct tape, I have been in 12 step for my addiction to it and I have been advised that cold turkey is my only way and I don't need the peer pressure to fall off the wagon. Maybe some of you can handle it in moderation, but not me. I would end up wrapping toilet paper tubes in duct tape and calling it pipe. My wife didnt appreciate the duct tape engagement ring as much as I thought she would.
Seriously I am just hoping to change the color cheme in my shop away from as much silver.
I wouldn't skimp on the fittings. Proper fittings are going to give you a nice neat look and will add rigidity to the system. Any home center is going to have what you need and none of them should cost more than a few dollars.
Jeff
JOBYG5
Change the color to get away from silver. Black or red duct tape. Ha... The camouflage color they can keep for all those into stealth. grin<>
sarge..jt
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