Thoughts on dust collection for my pro plus,

[Jack]

I cut a lot of MDF with my Shark and the dust is so fine that it goes everywhere. With a couple small Dayton blowers and my shop’s dust collection system I was able to catch about 80%. One improvement to this might be a third blower or a manifold that distributes the air more evenly across the cutting area.
I made the adapter for the dust hose using 4” PVC drain pipe and a heat gun. I cut a block the size of the end and inserted it in the PVC and heated it. Then clamped small wooden blocks around it until it cooled

[GARYR6]

Well, just when you think you seen it all, someone shows you a whole different approach.
Do a search on dust collection and you see several approaches from table skirts to dust boots on the router head, to complete enclosures.
I will say if MDF is your choice of material, then take your current set up and attach it to a complete inclosure of say plexiglass. BE mindful of static, ie ground the box or tube. MDF dust is so fine that I think the only control enclosure.
Also search the Vectric site, lots of PICs and ideas there as well.

[Jack]

I have seen all of the other ways folks have done it on this forum but I really don’t want to enclose the unit. It would be a pain to clamp the material down. I do use a lot of MDF but I make signs out of Signfoam, wood and AZEK. It seems to me that the box would get in the way. The blowers create a positive air flow and it is amazing how much dust this gets. I think I will try a third blower and make the intake a little taller at the dust collector end. I will bet that it will get almost all of the dust without the big box cover.

[BUBS]

PUT A DUST SKIRT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE ROUTER. SEE THE ONE SHOPBOT HAS.

[Eagle55]

I have looked at most of the versions of dust collection here on this forum and have always been a little bit hesitant yet. I too don't really like the big boxes because of size and some of the restrictions they impose, and although the dust shoe is probably the most efficient, I like to keep an eye on whats going on, so I have done nothing so far (although the wheels are turning for something in the near future) However, you got my most favorable idea and run with it. II was wondering if this would work. I am going to be interested to hear back after you have been using it a while to see if you would have done anything differently. The idea in my mind was to do this across the X-axis instead of the Y-axis, as I don't want to give up the oversize material and tiling capability to do longer signs etc. Still thinking but glad to see someone using the concept that I had been refining in my mind What do they say about great minds think alike??? LMAO

PS, what is the cfm rating of the blowers and where did you get them?

Roger

[gary z]

Rumor has it that Next Wave is very close to having a dust collection set up for the Sharks. Don't know much about the details, just that it is close to rolling out.

[Jack]

Since the post I added another blower and a larger dust funnel shape. The blowers are from Grainger and cost $73.50 each they move 50CFM. I used them because I had them left over from a project. They work at about 80% efficiency when I am cutting MDF but I use a lot of Azek and they don’t work as well however that material is heavy and don’t get all over my shop like the MDF.