my DX5000 dust extraction system (with revised section)

[DaveL]

Martin - thanks for the detailed info on your system...indeed food for thought. I'm intrigued by the wooden blast gates...why are the plastic ones from Axminster NFU? Your wooden ones certainly look easy enough to make.

Rob,
I made some wooden gates, then bought a 'bargain' kit of dust collection bits, plastic blast gates included. I have used a couple and find the problem with them is dust collecting in the blind corners, this stops the gate sliding completely shut. Its a slow process so I didn't notice until the dust was well compacted. There is a way to fix it, just drill a small hole in each of the blind corners to allow the dust to get out, helped with a bit of bent wire if any build up starts to occur.

 

[head clansman]

hi rob

sorry mate i missed your post entirely,

Rob,
I made some wooden gates, then bought a 'bargain' kit of dust collection bits, plastic blast gates included. I have used a couple and find the problem with them is dust collecting in the blind corners, this stops the gate sliding completely shut. Its a slow process so I didn't notice until the dust was well compacted. There is a way to fix it, just drill a small hole in each of the blind corners to allow the dust to get out, helped with a bit of bent wire if any build up starts to occur.

DaveL just about covered it here because the black plastic is so thin as you push the blast closed it pushes dust up into the corners which in turn builds up so the blast gate wont close properly leaving the the gate partly open so you lose suction else where then when you drill hole and try to hook out the dust they eventually break and come apart on the seams their basic crap the metal one even if the block in corners can be taken apart with six screws .

my blast gates can be fitted either way, when mine are in the vertical position , kept it simple drilled a hole through the gate slide, piece of cord and a dowel rod, so when it's shut it's in the down position, opened pulled up and hook on the dowel rod .

tomorrow I am going to make a revision to the post I missed out some pics of my blast gates being assemble which i feel are important to the contents of the entire post , so if interested stay tuned, just got in at the mo I'm knackered. hc .

ps rob i post a pic on one in the vertical open position as well tomorrow

 

[head clansman]

hi rob

as requested i included the pics of the vertical mounted ones in the revised section for you . hc

 

[Mike.C]

Hi Martin, Thanks for the updated blast gates. =D> Your quite a little genius aren't you, you sly old fox :wink:

Cheers

Mike

 

[head clansman]

hi mike

MikeC Wrote

Thanks for the updated blast gates. Your quite a little genius aren't you, you sly old fox

Thanks for the nice comments, it nice to know it's being read and appreciated, At least I'm not wasting my time .


Don't know about the old bit mate, :lol: :lol: genius would be very nice though :roll: :roll: , I but it down to the training of 45 yrs in the trade and I'm still learning. hc :wink: :lol: :lol:

 

[woodbloke]

HC - many thanks indeed...muddy waters are now sparkling! :lol: - Rob

 

[head clansman]

hi rob

your very welcome, any time. hc

 

[eoinsgaff]

Hey there Martin,

I was researching the use of plastic pipe in the past and a regular reply was that static would be a problem and so plastic pipe shouldn't be used.

As a solution to this I was thinking about running a piece of exposed copper wire through the duct and earthing it some where. I'm not sure if thats useful and maybe some of the electrical experts are currently close to tears due to the likelyhood of burning the house down. However it might be worth a thought or two.

Another problem that was high lighted was the danger of the plastic pipe collapsing in on it self. From the pics I'm sure thats unlikely in your works.

Regards

Eoin

 

[head clansman]

hi eoinsgaff

Hey there Martin,

I was researching the use of plastic pipe in the past and a regular reply was that static would be a problem and so plastic pipe shouldn't be used.

As a solution to this I was thinking about running a piece of exposed copper wire through the duct and earthing it some where. I'm not sure if thats useful and maybe some of the electrical experts are currently close to tears due to the likelyhood of burning the house down. However it might be worth a thought or two.

Another problem that was high lighted was the danger of the plastic pipe collapsing in on it self. From the pics I'm sure thats unlikely in your works.

Regards

Eoin

I take your point on a possible electric shock from the static from the plastic or a possible fire if dust is allowed to build up.

If you have any (links) to the plastic pipes collapsing in on it self please post it here , Thats a new one on me :?: , I have never heard of it happening before . hc

 

[eoinsgaff]

Martin,

I think the static was a fire risk but I'm open to correction on that.

I can only imagine the collapsing pipe was a larger diameter and on industrial machine. It would be the leat of my worries at our scale.

I'll try to dig up a few links. If I remember correctly it was on the Fine Wood Working forum. I'll have a look tonight.

Eoin

 

[big soft moose]

Martin,

I think the static was a fire risk but I'm open to correction on that.

I can only imagine the collapsing pipe was a larger diameter and on industrial machine. It would be the leat of my worries at our scale.

I'll try to dig up a few links. If I remember correctly it was on the Fine Wood Working forum. I'll have a look tonight.

Eoin

the static was a spark - dust explosion risk , but imo its very low

if it worries you, you could run a copper wire through the system and earth it

 

[head clansman]

hi bsm

It's of no worry to me about the static side of things , nor is it of the pipe collapsing into it's self, i have never heard of plastic pipework doing this, if it has happened i would like to see pics of it, that was all, not only of interest to me i should imagine to other as well .hc

 

[big soft moose]

hi bsm

It's of no worry to me about the static side of things , nor is it of the pipe collapsing into it's self, i have never heard of plastic pipework doing this, if it has happened i would like to see pics of it, that was all, not only of interest to me i should imagine to other as well .hc

i supose in theory you could make any pipe - be it ceramic, plastic, or metal collapse if you closed all the blast gates and then gave the extractor full blast as you would be creating a vacuum inside the pipe - and none are meant to take this.

but why the heck would you - i cant see it being a problem in normal usage

 

[matt]

I reckon the bag would split before the pipe even started to creak.

 

[big soft moose]

I reckon the bag would split before the pipe even started to creak.

with a dx5000 you'd be right - but suposing you were runing a non bagged system like the oneida

its theoretically possble is all i'm saying

its not summat to worry about tho

 

[Mike.C]

eoinsgaff wrote:

Martin,

I think the static was a fire risk but I'm open to correction on that.

I can only imagine the collapsing pipe was a larger diameter and on industrial machine. It would be the leat of my worries at our scale.

I'll try to dig up a few links. If I remember correctly it was on the Fine Wood Working forum. I'll have a look tonight.

Eoin

This has been brought up a number of times over the years, and it seems that no one has ever seen or heard of it happening. I seem to remember that there is/was a fireman member who said that he had never heard of it happening either.

Yet on the other hand Axminster sell earthing/grounding kits to connect to your ducting http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... =1&jump=48 I know because I bought one for my metal pipes, and then I found out that it is only plastic ones that could cause a fire I even went as far as buying a 2 foot copper earth spike What a **** head I felt/feel.
There are also some manufacturers that advertise their extractors as having a metal impeller to reduce the risk of fire.

So are we worrying needlessly because of manufacturer advertising and selling things like this, or is there a real risk of fire?

Cheers

Mike

 

[head clansman]

hi mike

well i suppose a fire could and i do stress the point could start, from the spark caused by static electricity (if dust) is allowed to build up , with my limited knowledge of static is when you or me touch something we earth it, it usually only happens when we touch something like plastics, pvc, nylon or some simular materials. In my particular case, the blast gates are wood not plastic, so no static shock, no spark.

As for the pipe work collapsing in on itself , as some one here mentioned also in my case as i already know leave the blast chamber gates closed and switch on the twin motors, in seconds one very big bang, split bag , so unless someone can show us the collapsed pipe work on system like this I certainly wont be worrying about either happening .

However have said that it always pays to air on the side of precaution so i think a trip to Axminster will be needed soon to take a closer look at their earthing system for plastics hc

 

[eoinsgaff]

Some links as promised:

http://forums.finewoodworking.com/fine- ... nding-wire

I think you need to be a member to access the above but the following link has been referred to on that forum:
http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm

As I said before, I'm not too bothered about the 'implosion' of my ducting. I really can't see that being likely unless a large dimeter pipe is used.

As for the fire risk, well, it looks rather improbable but every bodies set up has different conditions and it may be better for me to err on the side of caution. Any excuse for a trip to the shop I guess...

Eoin

 

[head clansman]

hi

thanks for posting that hear , complement the rest of the post, it will make some interesting reading for all who wish to go that way , i'm on holiday in two weeks time i'll read that more in depth then and digest it better . hc