Cyclone hoods

[Jeff in vancouver]

Just wondering what size to make my hoods for my, BS, TS, DP and Planner fro Cyclone. From What I can see on Bill's site, the ducting should reduce at the machine. For TS 4", for BS 4" and 3". Is there any other good hood info out there? Most I have seen assumes you are using 4" ducting. I don't want to make my hoods undersized, but would mind getting started on them.

[Allan Johanson - South Su]

Make 'em as big as possible, Jeff. Also, run the 6" pipe/hose as far as you can to the machines.

I made a hood for my TS out of some plywood and a rectangular HVAC duct (4" x 10" I think) with a 5" outlet. I'll be scrapping that for a 6" outlet from the rectangular opening. I'm also running an Excalibur guard with a 4" DC hookup. I'll run 6" to it and step it down at the guard.

My planer has a 4" opening on the plastic hood that came with it and I might fab a metal one with a 6" opening. The next best is to use a 4" to 6" adapter at the machine.

My new jointer has a big rectangular opening and I'll make a 6" hookup for that.

My old jointer has a factory 4" plastic hood. A new one can easily be made from wood and 6" PVC or metal pipe. Or go the adapter route.

I made a holder for my DP for a 2.5" hose. I might stick with that since I don't plan on sanding anything there. If I were sanding on my DP then I'd go larger. I don't want my chuck key to get sucked up in the DC unit! :-)

My BS has a lame factory 1.5" or equally lame hookup. I'll be making a custom thing for that. Minimum 4", but I'll run 6" hose to the machine.

My SCMS will be getting a custom wooden "half-box" behind it with two hookups. One 6" main one and also a smaller line to the factory hookup. Same with my RAS.

Other units like my benchtop sander have a factory 2.5" hole in the back. I'll run 6" right to that hole and then fab an adapter to go from 2.5" to 6". I might also make a small shroud to go up against the belt to get even more dust. Sanders are killer dust producers.

I'm also planning on having a line by my bench so I can hook up the DC unit to my circular saw, sanders and routers. Sometimes the shop vac might be a better idea though. We'll see.

Allan

[Mike G Soo On]

I did all mine in 6" that I could, the RS has a home made hood with 6" flex hose 2' to the 6" main line. The table saw has a 6" line right to it , also the planner I made that hood out of a floor duct vent with 6" pipe and the last of the 6" is the down draft table.The rest are 4".

Mike G

[Bryan Cowing]

Some time I'm going to change my cabinet saw to 5" from 4". Once I get to my new shop I may run 6" to the saw and step down to 5" to a blast gate and 5" flex hose to the saw.

[Mike G Soo On]

Don't know if you can get 5" flex all I have seen is 6" and 4".

Mike g

[Allan Johanson - South Su]

Yup - 5" is available. I have some. Your local woodworking store should have it.

Allan

[Allan Johanson - South Su]

Hi Bryan,

You wrote:

>Once I get to my new shop I may run 6" to the
>saw and step down to 5" to a blast gate and 5"
>flex hose to the saw.

Why not run 6" all the way to your hood? Make your own 6" blast gate. It'll work better than those plastic or aluminum ones. Those tend to leak like crazy.

Cheers,

Allan

[Ken Ventress, Penticton,]