Router dust control help, please.

It's a pretty lame system. They don't even use it much on the show as it
works so poorly.

"George" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Catch a couple episodes of "The Router Workshop" on PBS, or, it seems the
> Mormon station also had some episodes if you have cable/satellite. Then
the
> pictures here will make sense, and can be fabricated at home.
> http://us.oak-park.com/catalogue.html?list=RTA--&product=40620
>

> Hmmm, I have a fence dust port connected to my shop vac hose (2 or 2.25"
> dia) and it pulls 90% of the dust.

Same here. I occasionally get some chips off the outfeed end of the
table, but almost never see anything (dust or chips) directly under
the table. Unless of course I'm routing a groove or something in
which the workpiece completely covers the hole in the table, but
that's been rare for me. Some of it might be bit selection - I just
routed several slots in frame pieces for 1/4" plywood panels, and used
a slotting cutter instead of a straight bit - shop-vac-thru-fence
worked great, I didn't see any "escaped" dust or chips, and I could
feed them as fast as I wanted (which wasn't very fast, but I didn't
have to slow down for the bit or take multiple passes like I would
have with a 5.2mm straight bit).
If you're using a dust collector instead of a shop vac, I wonder if a
short length of 2" hose would increase the air velocity enough to
collect more efficiently? Otherwise, I like your idea of a bucket
with a hose adapter, or a previous poster's idea of a rectangular
wastebasket on cleats. If you keep running the DC/shopvac through the
fence, it seems like there would be enough air moving through the hole
in the table to cool the router, unless you sealed it in really
tight...
Good luck,
Andy

Toller wrote:

> I just put a box around it with a port for my DC. Nothing fancy. I suppose
> it is easier if you have a lift; then you don't have to make an
> accomodations for a door.
>
> I don't have anything on my fence at all. On my smaller inserts I cut holes
> so they will fall behind the fence opening. That increases airflow through
> the box, and does pretty much the same as a port on the fence.

Responding to the most recent reply in order to respond to all.

Thank you for your suggestions -- especially those based on successful
experience. I'm going to play around a bit.

I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I have more brains than
cash and I think that, given enough time, I can outsmart dust.

Bill

--
http://nmwoodworks.com/cube


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C & E wrote:
> "Bill in Detroit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>I have my router table in a wing of my table saw. When routing anything
>>except an edge, the dust collection system of the router fence is useless.
>>
>>It appears to me that the trick would be to box in my router somehow and
>>hook up a vacuum cleaner or DC hose to that box.
>>
>>Here's the point where I start drawing blanks: how can I box in my router
>>to capture the dust and still assure an adequate flow of air for cooling?
>>In case it makes a difference, I have a Milwaukee 86xx (8625, 8650?)
>>under there. I've considered a box attached to cleats. Draw from near the
>>bit? Draw from the far end of the box? Leave the box bottom open? Close
>>the box bottom off? Close the bottom off with filter material to limit,
>>but not stop, the flow? Or maybe even mount a 5 gal. pail over the router
>>and pull from the side.
>>
>>That's about a $300 tool that I never want to let the smoke out of. I'd
>>appreciate your suggestions, input or, especially, experience in this
>>matter.
>>

If you have the DC connected to the box, that in itself would provide
the airflow you need (Provided that you make sure to turn it on every
time.)

"Bill in Detroit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have my router table in a wing of my table saw. When routing anything
>except an edge, the dust collection system of the router fence is useless.
>
> It appears to me that the trick would be to box in my router somehow and
> hook up a vacuum cleaner or DC hose to that box.
>
> Here's the point where I start drawing blanks: how can I box in my router
> to capture the dust and still assure an adequate flow of air for cooling?
> In case it makes a difference, I have a Milwaukee 86xx (8625, 8650?)
> under there. I've considered a box attached to cleats. Draw from near the
> bit? Draw from the far end of the box? Leave the box bottom open? Close
> the box bottom off? Close the bottom off with filter material to limit,
> but not stop, the flow? Or maybe even mount a 5 gal. pail over the router
> and pull from the side.
>
> That's about a $300 tool that I never want to let the smoke out of. I'd
> appreciate your suggestions, input or, especially, experience in this
> matter.
>
> I was routing some termite puke tonight and all of a sudden this issue
> became relevant.
>
> Bill
> --
> http://nmwoodworks.com/cube
>

Hmmm, I have a fence dust port connected to my shop vac hose (2 or 2.25"
dia) and it pulls 90% of the dust. On the underside of the wooden table I
attached two rails parallel to each other. The spacing is determined by a
cheap plastic wastebasket (rectangular). Now, I did NOT screw the rails
down tight - I left them hanging down about 1/2" or so. Now, I squeeze the
cheap wastebasket a little to fit between the cleats and when I release the
pressure the lip of the wastebasket rests on the rails and leaves a small
gap. I have found that the wastebasket has very little to capture on most
runs - more when the router plate insert is large. I have thought of adding
a 4" connection to the bottomo of the cheap basket but so far 'm just
experimenting. Good luck.

"Bill in Detroit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have my router table in a wing of my table saw. When routing anything
>except an edge, the dust collection system of the router fence is useless.
>
> It appears to me that the trick would be to box in my router somehow and
> hook up a vacuum cleaner or DC hose to that box.
>
> Here's the point where I start drawing blanks: how can I box in my router
> to capture the dust and still assure an adequate flow of air for cooling?
> In case it makes a difference, I have a Milwaukee 86xx (8625, 8650?) under
> there. I've considered a box attached to cleats. Draw from near the bit?
> Draw from the far end of the box? Leave the box bottom open? Close the box
> bottom off? Close the bottom off with filter material to limit, but not
> stop, the flow? Or maybe even mount a 5 gal. pail over the router and pull
> from the side.
>
> That's about a $300 tool that I never want to let the smoke out of. I'd
> appreciate your suggestions, input or, especially, experience in this
> matter.
>
I just put a box around it with a port for my DC. Nothing fancy. I suppose
it is easier if you have a lift; then you don't have to make an
accomodations for a door.

I don't have anything on my fence at all. On my smaller inserts I cut holes
so they will fall behind the fence opening. That increases airflow through
the box, and does pretty much the same as a port on the fence.

On Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:20:54 -0400, Bill in Detroit <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I have my router table in a wing of my table saw. When routing anything
>except an edge, the dust collection system of the router fence is useless.
>
>It appears to me that the trick would be to box in my router somehow and
> hook up a vacuum cleaner or DC hose to that box.
>
>Here's the point where I start drawing blanks: how can I box in my
>router to capture the dust and still assure an adequate flow of air for
>cooling? In case it makes a difference, I have a Milwaukee 86xx (8625,
>8650?) under there. I've considered a box attached to cleats. Draw from
>near the bit? Draw from the far end of the box? Leave the box bottom
>open? Close the box bottom off? Close the bottom off with filter
>material to limit, but not stop, the flow? Or maybe even mount a 5 gal.
>pail over the router and pull from the side.
>
>That's about a $300 tool that I never want to let the smoke out of. I'd
>appreciate your suggestions, input or, especially, experience in this
>matter.
>
>I was routing some termite puke tonight and all of a sudden this issue
>became relevant.
>
>Bill

Sounds like it's time to upgrade to a router table. Mine hooks up to
4" DC tubing. The tubing in the router table is split between the top
(movable fence) and the bottom chamber the houses the router. The
front door of the chamber has breather holes that pull cool air toward
the router. It is a 3.25HP router. The DC is 1.5HP.

In article <[email protected]>, Bill in Detroit <[email protected]> wrote:
>I have my router table in a wing of my table saw. When routing anything
>except an edge, the dust collection system of the router fence is useless.

And next-to-useless even then, IME.
>
>It appears to me that the trick would be to box in my router somehow and
> hook up a vacuum cleaner or DC hose to that box.

That's what I did. Works GREAT.
>
>Here's the point where I start drawing blanks: how can I box in my
>router to capture the dust and still assure an adequate flow of air for
>cooling?

The box I made is basically the largest cube that would fit between the
horizontal braces underneath the extension table, with a 4" dust hood on the
bottom. I haven't seen any heat issues so far, even after extended periods of
continuous use.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

you hit it on the head the first time. take a look at exsiting router
tables to get an idea of the size box you'll need. Plan for a door
and your connection point for your DC. Use as big a connection as you
can since it's my bet you're downsizing to fit something like a 2 to 4
inch connecter at the fence. If you use a larger opening in the box
for the DC your dust problem should diminish greatly.


On Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:20:54 -0400, Bill in Detroit <[email protected]>
wrote:

>It appears to me that the trick would be to box in my router somehow and
> hook up a vacuum cleaner or DC hose to that box.

"Bill in Detroit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have my router table in a wing of my table saw. When routing anything
>except an edge, the dust collection system of the router fence is useless.
>
> It appears to me that the trick would be to box in my router somehow and
> hook up a vacuum cleaner or DC hose to that box.
>
> Here's the point where I start drawing blanks: how can I box in my router
> to capture the dust and still assure an adequate flow of air for cooling?
> In case it makes a difference, I have a Milwaukee 86xx (8625, 8650?) under
> there. I've considered a box attached to cleats. Draw from near the bit?
> Draw from the far end of the box? Leave the box bottom open? Close the box
> bottom off? Close the bottom off with filter material to limit, but not
> stop, the flow? Or maybe even mount a 5 gal. pail over the router and pull
> from the side.
>
> That's about a $300 tool that I never want to let the smoke out of. I'd
> appreciate your suggestions, input or, especially, experience in this
> matter.
>
> I was routing some termite puke tonight and all of a sudden this issue
> became relevant.
>
> Bill
> --
> http://nmwoodworks.com/cube
>

Catch a couple episodes of "The Router Workshop" on PBS, or, it seems the
Mormon station also had some episodes if you have cable/satellite. Then the
pictures here will make sense, and can be fabricated at home.
http://us.oak-park.com/catalogue.html?list=RTA--&product=40620