DC system for bowls as well as for pens

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leehljp

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I have a DC system set up for pens on my Rikon 12 inch lathe, and I learned how to construct the DC system when I lived overseas. Not a problem for DC with Pens. HOWEVER, I have a Grizzly G0462, 16 x 46 lathe that I bought about 3 years ago to turn bowls as well as pens.

Do any of you have an effective DC system for all the shavings when turning diameters 12 to 14 inches on bowls or plates? Do you have pictures. How effective is your Collector? I have a "Big Gulp" dust hood. Are they effective? What about placement? What is most effective for best collection of turnings?

I have the HF 1 HP located just behind the Grizzly and it is dedicated to that lathe. (I have a 2 HP 70 gallon In another room (unheated, No AC) where my saws are located)

I am asking this because I have been reworking my shop for the past three years and just now ready to add a DC system to the larger lathe. I do not want to go through a bunch of trial and error - movings of hoses and "Big Gulp" relocations when there may be a tried and true effective way to do this.

OR, Is it a given that I just need to have a hose splitter ( "T" ) with a floor pickup of shavings? I have a 30 gallon collector under the lathe just before it goes into the DC system.

Any picts of your LARGER lathe DC system for other than pens?

Thanks
 
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jttheclockman

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My opinion Hank forget trying to capture the large shavings. Waste of time. Worry about the sanding dust and your vac system will and should work fine. Sanding is concentrated more and is light weight. My opinion.
 

bmachin

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Owensboro, KY
+1 to what John says regarding trying to collect shavings. Figure on using a grain scoop for those. Reed Gray AKA Robohippy has devised one of the better bowl sanding dust collectors that I've seen although it has the downside of being bulky to store. Take a look at it here:


Bill
 

leehljp

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Thanks Bill and John. Bill, that is what I was looking for, in addition to Johns. I was thinking of getting making a kind of hood for some but thought that I needed to put a "T" connector to use a floor sweep collector also.
 

Gary Beasley

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Marietta, Ga. USA
Shavings for a bowl are usually so bulky its more effective to use a dustpan and a broom for most of it, only resorting to the dc sweep to get the finer chips and dust left behind. Unless you have a very large and powerful DC you would spend more time unclogging the lines than you would simply scooping the stuff up. Especially true when roughing green wood.
 

SteveG

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Dec 21, 2009
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Eugene, Oregon 97404
Agree with most of what has been offered. The idea, using a relatively small collection hood, is to have sufficient adjustability to position it at the "sweet spot". When sanding or light scraping you will then be able to see a steady flow of the fine sawdust running straight for the hood, while the big stuff will just falls to the floor. The alternative would be to have a very large collection hood that is likely to be in the way of your work, the idea being that it would be collecting most of the big shavings even if the DC was turned off, kind of like what the floor does. So keep the floor area clear of other stuff so it is easy to sweep, and perhaps consider one of those floor level collectors that are intended for you to sweep the floor droppings right into the scoop.
 

jttheclockman

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I take my shop vac and a couple passes with the 2" hose works great and easy to empty. I just bought a dust hood that I want to incorporate on my tablesaw and if I like it I may change out the one on my lathe for another one of these. Just need to do some fancy engineering.
 
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