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Dust Collector Placement Question

Matthew Kilareski

Matthew Kilareski

Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Messages
7
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47
Location
Conestoga, PA
In my turning, I've always had the hose mouth of my dust collector positioned behind the lathe. But most of the shavings come off the front of the lathe, obviously because that's where the cutting is happening. Seems like I should have noticed that MUCH earlier! 🤪 Does anyone have their dust collector hose set up on the front side of the lathe? Maybe on an adjustable arm? I'm wondering what the ideal setup is...
 
Well I think you should regard a dust collector to be just that. Few chips and shavings will be drawn in unless you take major steps to erect baffles to deflect the path of the chips. Personally, I have a collector hose with a very strong magnet attached to its end with a band clamp. This allows me to optimally position the hose for best collection.
 
Just think how frequently you’d be emptying the collector if it caught shavings. I generate shavings by the fifty gallon can full almost every time I’m rough turning. I can go months without emptying the collection bag on my dust collector. Unless you’re only turning very small, then I suppose that equation might be different.
 
I tried collecting green bowl shavings with my DC once. I then spent a day and a half taking apart joints in the piping to clear the clogs where the long stringy shavings had hung up on small snags in the pipe. Since the joints had all been riveted, caulked and taped this was a real painful lesson. Much easier to sweep up the big shavings and let the DC just take care of sanding dust.
 
As stated By the Other Dennis and others, The best solution is to use the dust collector for what it was made for which is dust. Table/bandsaws make dust only which makes them a perfect candidate for a dust collector. However a lathe makes both dust and shavings. Its great for collecting dust while sanding on the lathe, but creates more problems when considering it as a shopvac. Dont ask how i know this. Floor sweeps connected to the dust collector? Been there, done that. I Dont do that anymore.
A 4" PVC connected to a 4" hose, that worked for a while, but filled up the drum fast and clogged the internal filter.

Today, after trial and error, I use my dust collector in two ways.
1. Sanding on the lathe (not for turning)
2. As an air cleaner for the shop.(Intake hose is faced towards the middle of the shop).

For cleanup of shavings , I wear a mask and blow all the shavings off the lathe, counter, floor etc... to the corner of the room and shovel them into a hugh plastic bag while the DC is on collecting all the dust that I put back in the air. I leave the room with the DC on for about 15 minutes and reblow the dust that settled on countertoops and tools. Cleanup is much faster than Vaccuming. The next day, I may reblow the resettled dust, if needed. I only use the shopvac for the unsholved shavings..
Thought Id share what works for my situation.
 
Scoop shovel for shavings, dust collector for dust. I do like to let the shavings sit a day or three to dry out since they will lose half or more of their weight since I turn green wood bowls. When you shovel up the shavings, wear a dust mask. You could mist them down to help keep the dust down a bit.

robo hippy
 
Jim Reynolds said:
I'm sure that it has been mentioned several times before (but I can't recall by whom), but spraying, with water, the dry chips, shavings and dust before sweeping will reduce the amount of dust kicked up.
Click to expand...
It’s the only practical use for a snow shovel in the proper latitude :-)
 
Well this has been said before but for those who missed it. Even green wood produces dust. Try looking at the shop air when turning green and you will find dust floating. I run the DC when turning whatever and air cleaners are on while in the shop. The large chips fall on the floor or are otherwise contained by shower curtains around the turning area. Have never had anything other than chips and an occasional piece of sandpaper go thru the DC hose. Any larger stuff that hits the hose ends up in Dust Deputy.
 
Gerald Lawrence said:
Well this has been said before but for those who missed it. Even green wood produces dust. Try looking at the shop air when turning green and you will find dust floating. I run the DC when turning whatever and air cleaners are on while in the shop. The large chips fall on the floor or are otherwise contained by shower curtains around the turning area. Have never had anything other than chips and an occasional piece of sandpaper go thru the DC hose. Any larger stuff that hits the hose ends up in Dust Deputy.
Click to expand...
How can there be dust when water is slinging out of the wood? When I turn green, it's like peeling a potato.
 
Richard Coers said:
How can there be dust when water is slinging out of the wood? When I turn green, it's like peeling a potato.
Click to expand...
Just check the air. If it has bark , it has dust. If you turn end grain the chips come out on some species like small hairs, called SAWDUST for a reason. But you continue your way and I continue mine .
 
RE: your original question, I suspect a dust collector attached to the turner side of the lathe would be severely in the way. A dust collector mounted underneath the bed would collect a high percentage of your wood waste, but then--see above.
 
Matthew Kilareski said:
In my turning, I've always had the hose mouth of my dust collector positioned behind the lathe. But most of the shavings come off the front of the lathe, obviously because that's where the cutting is happening. Seems like I should have noticed that MUCH earlier! 🤪 Does anyone have their dust collector hose set up on the front side of the lathe? Maybe on an adjustable arm? I'm wondering what the ideal setup is...
Click to expand...
Are you running the dust collector when turning the whole time? I only use it when sanding.
 
Gabriel Hoff said:
Are you running the dust collector when turning the whole time? I only use it when sanding.
Click to expand...
I always have it on when turning ... and then some! Especially with dry wood (which is almost 100% in my case) ... and/or turning exotic woods - like you do, Gabriel.
 
I use the dust collector all the time. My very directional lighting shows up dust almost always hanging in the air. I can see the collector doing its job as that hanging dust quickly gets directed away from me and towards the collection hood.
If I find that the dust collector is grabbing too much of the shavings and chips I adjust the collection hood a bit further away so I still grab the dust out of the air and don't get clogged up.
 
Will Armstrong said:
If I find that the dust collector is grabbing too much of the shavings and chips I adjust the collection hood a bit further away so I still grab the dust out of the air and don't get clogged up.
Click to expand...
I have my collection hood covered with hardware cloth (1/2" openings). Stops shavings from entering but still gets the dust. If it gets loaded I shut off the collector and most of the shavings drop to the floor, and then you can tap or brush with your hand for those that don't drop.
 
Ditto on using the dust collector mostly for sanding and actually for resin turning as well.
Got tired/frustrated with trying to hang/position my mini dust hood using bungies so finally took the time to rig up an articulating arm (flat screen mount) mounted on
T-tracks for horizontal movement also ... not much room avail behind the lathe. Very happy now and tend to always flip on the dust collector now when sanding since don't have to
fuss much with adjustments. Hardware cloth is a good point (thanks) ... will be adding that. Here's some pics.
 
Mines on wheels as it used on both the lathe and the bandsaw, with sanding I have 50mm hose fitted to my sander for the internal sanding
 
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