Replies

1. 
   highfigh | Apr 12, 2006 03:58pm | #1

   Look up "pattern development". It's taught in mechanical drawing classes andis covered indrafting books. Once you get a little background in it, you can do a cardboard mock up to fine tune it.

   What brand is the planer?

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
1. 
   stevo_wis | Apr 12, 2006 06:05pm | #4

   The planer is a powermatic taiwanese built. Been very happy with the machine, but the port is just too small. I have 5" spiral run to the planer, so thats why I thought a 5" port. 6" might be possible.Appreciate the responses so far and would welcome any others.Stevo

1. 
   highfigh | Apr 12, 2006 06:34pm | #5

   Have you thought of taking it to a sheet metal shop and getting their recommendations? Maybe they can adapt the new connector to the rest of it, and I don't mean just an adaptor on the outlet. I mean that the part that mounts onto the planer could be removed and a new 5" port made and installed."I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

   Edited 4/12/2006 11:36 am by highfigh

2. 
   Dave45 | Apr 12, 2006 04:27pm | #2

   Will you get enough extra flow with a 5" line to make it worth doing?  Your 4" may work fine if you make the line as straight, short, and smooth as possible.  Elbows and flexible, corregated, hose can really reduce the flow rate.

   If you're running your planer on a branch line of your DC system, make sure that the other gates are closing completely so you're getting the maximum possible flow in that branch.  I have several branches in my DC system and have to clean out the gate channels every few weeks so they will close completely.  It definitely makes a difference.

3. 
   DougF | Apr 12, 2006 04:57pm | #3

   Steve,

   I have a short 5" line to the 4"port on my 15" Yorkcraft planner.  The 5" line is direct into the 7" main line and it can not handle the output of a 10" board.  I have a 2hp Oneida DC system with sufficient CFM capacity.  The existing exhaust manifold has sufficient surface area to capture the chips so I am having a local machine/sheetmetal shop take the 4" port off and replace it with a 5" port.  It will start as an enlarged oval (think of a 5" pipe slightly squished) at the manifold/hood and then conforming to a 5" diameter port.  Not sure when they will get around to finishing it since it is a really small job.  I considered a 6" port but that would have required a redesign of the entire manifold and the shop wasn't willing to take it on.   If I were going to fabricate my own, I would build a 6" hood.   I have the angled port on my planer and I don't think it as efficient as a straight-on port into a flared manifold but that is simply my uninformed opinion based on a total lack of expertise regarding dust collection and air flow dynamics.  

   
   

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   Edited 4/12/2006 10:02 am by DougF