Blast Gate Siteing

[Big Al]

Hi,
Anyone have information as to where blast gates should be sitied for the best performance?
Should they be near the vacuum source or, should they be sited near the individual power tool.

 

[Blackswanwood]

I found conflicting advice when I put my dust collection in and ended up just putting it where was most convenient which is near each machine.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Practicalities may determine where they fit.

In my small workshop there is a common main duct with branches off to individual machines - wood lathe, bandsaw, belt sander, floor vacuum hose.

Only one can be open at a time to maintain airflow.

 

[DBT85]

In an ideal world there would be the minimum amount of pipe volume between each outlet, so you'd have a blast gate at the branch as it comes off of the mainline. But that doesn't always work practically The more pipe volume and therefore joints and connections you have the more likely it is you will have leaks which all affect performance.

On the flip side, what you want to avoid as much as possible is excessive runs of flexible hose.

Most will just put them as close to the final machine as possible and run as little hose as they can get away with.