Have I just not found it yet, or does no one make generic adapters and hoses suitable for dust collection from routers, belt sanders, ROS, bisquit jointers, etc?
I think someone could make a mint if they made some a range of good plastic adapters, connectors, and durable smooth lined hoses in narrow diameters. As it is, there is some proprietray stuff, but its expensive and not easily transferred to another brind or even tool. Who wants to buy a separate expensive smaller diameter hose for every damn hand power tool they own?
Sorry, had to vent.
Replies
What you're looking for does exist, but it is a pretty ham fisted design.
Woodcraft, for one, sells a stepped adapter, which you can cut off to fit any particular tool, and then attach it to an 1 1/2" hose for a regular vacuum cleaner.
But you do have to get a new adapter for every tool where the DC spout is a different size, and the adapter is stiff, and he length can be a problem.
Mostly, for those portable tools where I want DC, I just pony up the bucks for the adapter/hose the manufacturer has designed for that tool. At least if your tools are from a single mfgr, the hoses and adapters are generally the same from tool to tool. Or, I should say I have found that to be the case with Porter Cable.
But I do think you're on to something here. Greater and greater numbers of people are willing to go to some length (and expense) to avoid spewing dust all over the place. I don't think that was the case even five years ago.
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"I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there."
-- Herb Caen (1916-1997)
http://www.pennstateind.com makes the adapters you mentioned.
Can you direct me to them on the site? I'm talking about specialized adapters like we get with stuff like zero clearance inserts, for example, were you often buy them not by size, but by make and model of table saw. If some one offered a line of adapter that converted individual items to a standard size or two, it would be a god sent o me. For example, a product list might say:
male adapter converts tool port to 1.25 inch hose (smooth walled, flexible reinforced 10 foot hose sold separately as are 1.25 to 2.5 (shop vac) converters or 1.25 to 4(DC) converters) for:
makita belt sander 9900 series
makita random orbit sanders x series
porter cable routers in x series
etc.
He gave the link to the home page. Here's the link to the adapters page (page 1)
I'm not seeing anything like you're suggesting. They do have what appears to be a better universal adapter (click) than the standard.
The standard adapter seen in most catalogs and bg box stores is this one. It has thick, double-walled areas that can be a pain.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
If you are going to collect dust through a small diameter hose that can easily be attached to a hand-held tool, I think you might be better off with the smaller maximal flow but higher suction of a shop vac than a DC. To take advantage of the better collection of a DC, you need a lot of open capture cross section, and a downdraft table, by itself or in addition to the vac, might be a good way to get the DC into the act.
I agree. I wasn't limiting the collection system to exclude shop vacs in my wish for fittings and connectors. To me, even the standard 2.5 inch shop vac hose is too large and cumbersome for use with smaller tools - a 1.25 inch dia. might be better. And I think I remember some European vacs have smaller hoses - like Fein, right?
I can identify with your frustration! The whole size-thing with regard to DC (and vacuums) drives me crazy.
One thing to try while we're waiting for the new designs to hit the market: Take a look at the small dust ports you're trying to fit and see if the small Shop-vac-sized hose (the flexible part) might fit. I had a small hose that had the stiff pipe part taken off. Turned out to fit my ROS port (a flat oval, no less!) perfectly. Smaller ports would need some padding to make fit, but with the hose being flexible, it just might work.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
"I can identify with your frustration! The whole size-thing with regard to DC (and vacuums) drives me crazy."
In Europe they have ISO standards, over here we have freedom. Personally, I prefer the freedom, but must admit, it will be nice to have standard vacuum fitting sizes, standard heights for woodworking machines, so the one can be used as a supporting table for the other, standards for shaper heads and knives, etc., etc., etc
You're right, this is an underserved market.
I just use a shop-vac hose, attached to the tool with lots and lots of duct tape. Doesn't really work very well.
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
HI SAMSON, I TEND TO MAKE WHAT I WANT OUT OF PIPES RECLAIMED FROM OTHER USES PLUS DUCK TAPE AND HOT MELT GLUE. I USED 4 INCH SEWAGE PIPE FOR MY DC OUTLET, IT WORKS A TREAT. LET YOUR IMAGINE RUN WILD.
HAPPY SAFE WORKING, COUNT YOUR FINGERS BEFORE AND WORKING, YOU NEVER KNOW. FROM STEVE
Sam, Years ago I had a contract to install electric access controls on switchrooms in New York Telephone companies.
Nowadays switchrooms are obsolete as banks and banks of switching relays were replaced by printed circuitry.
The door frames were all made of channel iron and needed to be retrofitted to receive large electric door openers
By drilling a series of holes in the steel, I then had to chip away to remove the excess metal. Before I finished drilling the first hole, I was approached by two engineers who made me stop drilling.
Seems all those relays were electromagnetic (Which attract metal filings) The possibility of shutting down trunk lines of phone wires was unceremoniously read to me like a riot act.
What to do? What to do?
You guessed it. Had my helper hold a vacuum hose at the drill tip, while I carefully bored the required holes. Jeez! what a job.
Steinmetz.
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