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Dust collector gates for 4” PVC pipes

I have mostly Al blast gates and you have to wrap the gate with masking tape or a substitute till you get the right fit. Also you will want to drill the final fit and put a couple screws in to maintain the connection because it pops off somewhat easily with movement.
 
I make my own, using matching "unions" that I saw in 1/2 for the connection. In the pic this has a sliding gate and those don't always work (you have to have room on each side for the gate) so on some I cut the gate in 1/2, removing the blanked off part and inserting the one with the opening.BS Gate.JPG
 
Rumor has it that pvc can be heated with a propane torch, placed over an aluminum gate flange, and using a hose clamp, make it fit. After cooling, a simple screw holds it in place quite nicely.

Have any of you done this?
 
I use the metal gates available from numerous sources. The O.D. Is a little smaller than the I.D. of the 4” pvc.
To adjust the pvc for a tight slip fit I use a mechanics piston ring compressor and a heat gun to shrink the pvc. With some practice it becomes easy to get the right amount of heat for a smooth transition. The trick is to use the minimum heat necessary to barely soften the pvc.
I have pictures if only I knew where to find them. 😕
 
It’s doable with propane but it’s way too aggressive for my liking. I prefer to heat slowly and it’s easier to heat evenly with the heat gun. I’ve even used boiling water to heat but it’s almost not hot enough and too cumbersome with longer pipes.
 
Tom De Winter said:
It’s doable with propane but it’s way too aggressive for my liking. I prefer to heat slowly and it’s easier to heat evenly with the heat gun. I’ve even used boiling water to heat but it’s almost not hot enough and too cumbersome with longer pipes.
Click to expand...
Thanks Tom. A heat gun does make more sense.
 
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