Darrell Feltmate said:
Greg
Nice pictures and a good idea. I have something like it but not as nice.
Mind if I use the pictures on the web site, with credit of course. Send me a
private e-mail if you like. It is an easy link off the site.
You are more than welcome to it. I've already modded the base
slightly to allow the use of my DIY 16" disk sanding platform. (It
worked fine with a 10" disc, but the base had to modified to clear the
16" sanding disk and the sanding platform.) I'll post a few newer
pictures below to demonstrate, along with the originals.
Even though it might appear that much of the air flow is lost due to
the large amount of "clearance", it actually works very well. One
further modification I would recommend would be adding a ~1/4" mesh
hardware cloth screen covering the inlet to eliminate sandpaper and
such from being sucked into the DC. Also, I should have moved the DC
inlet more to the right, but at the time, wanted the maximum support
offered by the base, and did not want to drill holes in the lathe bed
to mounting accessories. The port's placement turned out to be
unnecessary, as additional support is provided by a convenient Allen
head bolt protruding from the headstock. There is a hole drilled
precisely where the bolt protrudes, and the hood slips over this bolt
head on this particular lathe. Glue and brads hold the minimal
framework together. The replaceable corrugated cardboard shield is
stapled on around it's periphery.
The dust collector is an old Delta 850 CFM roll around unit with two
14"x30" bags and a homemade pre-collector. With fine dust like this,
it is best to allow a little "cake" to accumulate on the inside of the
bags - otherwise it just shoots through the bag material. I haven't
gotten around to buying any "shaker felt" bags, yet.
I don't believe it would work very well with your average shop vac as
is, although you might try closing up some of the excessive "air
space" surrounding the rotating components, such as behind the
faceplate. A baffle or two to orient the airflow to the end user's
particular lathe/setup might be useful as well. The sanding platform
has a shop vac fitting on the rear, and it does work surprisingly
well, just not well enough. And of course it does nothing to remove
the dust created by finish sanding a piece.
The close up of the lathe bed "clamp" block was meant to illustrate
the self-aligning feature of the clamp block. When tightening the
handnut, the block "tends" to rotate clockwise and is locked into
position by the unrounded corners. When loosening, the block tends to
rotate counterclockwise past the rounded corners and allows removal
through the bed ways. Just a little touch that makes it easier to
install without stooping under the lathe to install and line up the
attaching hardware.
The impetus for this 10 minute "design" was turning black walnut and
lacewood, etc. On my last project, the fine dust generated by ring
sanding, in addition to the vessel's final sanding, left a haze in the
air for hours. Masks don't seem to seal well on my face yet I was
quite certain I didn't want to breathe this mess, so removal at the
source was my first line of attack.
I would also like to cobble up an ambient air filter, although it may
be cheaper to simply purchase one during the "holiday sales" period.
The little Jet AFS-1000B looks decent for the money. DIY air filters
are problematic in that removal of the very fine (2 micron) dust is
paramount, and your average furnace filter isn't up to the task. Just
because it turns brown doesn't mean it is removing the most harmful
tiny stuff. An electrostatic filter is almost mandatory for fines, yet
the ones I see marketed don't look all that effective either.
As always, Caveat Emptor.
Original Unit - Installed View.
http://webpages.charter.net/videodoc...atheHood01.jpg
Original Unit - Bottom Detail View.
http://webpages.charter.net/videodoc...atheHood02.jpg
Modified Base - Installed View, along with an assortment of DIY stuff.
(speed controller pod, footswitch, laser straightedge, vacuum chuck)
http://webpages.charter.net/videodoc...atheHood03.jpg
Installed View with 16" Sanding Disk.
http://webpages.charter.net/videodoc...atheHood04.jpg
Installed View with Sanding Disk and sliding platform.
http://webpages.charter.net/videodoc...atheHood05.jpg
Appologies for the rambling, lengthy reply. But perhaps this will fuel
someone's imagination out in Usenet Land and help them avoid the wood
colored mucus which the body expels, and possibly even lung cancer.
FWIW,
Greg G.