Would a portable downdraft sanding table do much of a job at clearing
the air behind or maybe under my Jet midi lathe? (I realize that a
sanding table wouldn't be the most stable support [probably only
slightly better than jello] but there is usually a way to make something
more solid) I've been thinking of building one or just buying one of
the General Intl. downdraft boxes. And if others have found one to be
useful around a small lathe, that would be another good reason to put a
crowbar in my wallet.

My dust collector is an 1100CFM that does a good job with most of my
machines. With my little lathe, it gets nearly all the dust when sanding
on the lathe, but when turning it captures very little.

TIA
David

This just came up at WoodCentral. Here's the link:

http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/t...pl?read=189169

And they are even on sale!

Robert

On Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:07:47 -0700, Jane & David wrote:

Would a portable downdraft sanding table do much of a job at clearing
the air behind or maybe under my Jet midi lathe? (I realize that a
sanding table wouldn't be the most stable support [probably only
slightly better than jello] but there is usually a way to make something
more solid) I've been thinking of building one or just buying one of
the General Intl. downdraft boxes. And if others have found one to be
useful around a small lathe, that would be another good reason to put a
crowbar in my wallet.

My dust collector is an 1100CFM that does a good job with most of my
machines. With my little lathe, it gets nearly all the dust when sanding
on the lathe, but when turning it captures very little.

TIA
David

My best advise would be NO! lol

Downdraft tables are easy to make and work really well for sanding flat stuff
with a sander, but are a very bad idea for a lathe..

Consider what you're trying to collect and direction of the dust....
Sawdust, due to the spinning of the wood, tends to go more "out" than down, in
my case, towards the back of the lathe.. That's where my DC hood is..

What falls down is mostly shavings, which you don't want the DC to suck up,
unless you enjoy finding the clumps in the hose and breaking them up every few
minutes.. DAMHIKT

I used to use a plastic hood and wasn't real happy with it.. One problem that I
had was that with the flimsy mount it came with, if the DC hose wasn't perfectly
aligned and supported, the weight and/or sideways pull of the hose would keep
re-adjusting the hood... Very frustrating..

Then, I saw a page of a fairly famous turner, (wish I could remember who), the
has the most efficient and least expensive hood I've seen yet:
A cardboard wine or beer box (thicker than normal) cut into a rough 45 degree
angle, screwed to a couple of 1x4's to prop it on the lathe, with a 4" hole in
the back...
Set it where you want it, and stick the DC hose in..
He used duct tape to seal the hose inside the box, I use a quick-connect
fitting, as I have 3 different size boxes..
I found that instead of propping the 1x4's between the lathe rails, I prefer it
clamped to an old adjustable height support stand.. The kind that sells for
maybe $30 and has a roller on it.. YMWV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

In article
,
" wrote:

This just came up at WoodCentral. Here's the link:

http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/t...pl?read=189169

And they are even on sale!

Robert

Thanks! Good excuse to drive over to Rockler.

David

In article ,
mac davis wrote:

On Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:07:47 -0700, Jane & David
wrote:

Would a portable downdraft sanding table do much of a job at clearing
the air behind or maybe under my Jet midi lathe? (I realize that a
sanding table wouldn't be the most stable support [probably only
slightly better than jello] but there is usually a way to make something
more solid) I've been thinking of building one or just buying one of
the General Intl. downdraft boxes. And if others have found one to be
useful around a small lathe, that would be another good reason to put a
crowbar in my wallet.

My dust collector is an 1100CFM that does a good job with most of my
machines. With my little lathe, it gets nearly all the dust when sanding
on the lathe, but when turning it captures very little.

TIA
David

My best advise would be NO! lol

Downdraft tables are easy to make and work really well for sanding flat stuff
with a sander, but are a very bad idea for a lathe..

Consider what you're trying to collect and direction of the dust....
Sawdust, due to the spinning of the wood, tends to go more "out" than down,
in
my case, towards the back of the lathe.. That's where my DC hood is..

What falls down is mostly shavings, which you don't want the DC to suck up,
unless you enjoy finding the clumps in the hose and breaking them up every
few
minutes.. DAMHIKT

I used to use a plastic hood and wasn't real happy with it.. One problem that
I
had was that with the flimsy mount it came with, if the DC hose wasn't
perfectly
aligned and supported, the weight and/or sideways pull of the hose would keep
re-adjusting the hood... Very frustrating..

Then, I saw a page of a fairly famous turner, (wish I could remember who),
the
has the most efficient and least expensive hood I've seen yet:
A cardboard wine or beer box (thicker than normal) cut into a rough 45 degree
angle, screwed to a couple of 1x4's to prop it on the lathe, with a 4" hole
in
the back...
Set it where you want it, and stick the DC hose in..
He used duct tape to seal the hose inside the box, I use a quick-connect
fitting, as I have 3 different size boxes..
I found that instead of propping the 1x4's between the lathe rails, I prefer
it
clamped to an old adjustable height support stand.. The kind that sells for
maybe $30 and has a roller on it.. YMWV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing



The home-brew hood sounds right up my alley. I'm just finishing a miter
saw hood carved out of a waste basket. Boxes would be easier to cut to
odd shapes, and at my age I have little shame regarding unprofessional
looking fixes in my shop. My problem is that I'm such a new turner that
dust/chips fly out in unpredictable directions (I'm still trying to get
the wenge out of my remaining hair).

Thanks!
David

In message , Jane &
David writes



The home-brew hood sounds right up my alley. I'm just finishing a miter
saw hood carved out of a waste basket. Boxes would be easier to cut to
odd shapes, and at my age I have little shame regarding unprofessional
looking fixes in my shop. My problem is that I'm such a new turner that
dust/chips fly out in unpredictable directions (I'm still trying to get
the wenge out of my remaining hair).

Thanks!
David

I'm not exactly an old turner, but it doesn't matter where you stand the
dust and chips will get you sooner than later
--
John

On Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:46:38 -0700, Jane & David wrote:

The home-brew hood sounds right up my alley. I'm just finishing a miter
saw hood carved out of a waste basket. Boxes would be easier to cut to
odd shapes, and at my age I have little shame regarding unprofessional
looking fixes in my shop. My problem is that I'm such a new turner that
dust/chips fly out in unpredictable directions (I'm still trying to get
the wenge out of my remaining hair).

Thanks!
David

David.. I may not always wear my face shield, but always wear a hat when
turning.. Hate those itchy shavings in my hair.. Well, what hair I have,
anyway.. My wife says that my haircut is a "nohawk"...

A lot of where the shavings go is determined by tool angle and flute
direction...
It's not that hard to learn how to "aim" the shavings, but it seems like the cut
or direction I'm doing usually sends them onto my left foot.. Just my weird
stance, I guess..

If your DC/hood is working even marginally, you will see the dust going to it
when you sand, and start changing either the placement of the hood or where
you're holding the paper, or the position of the power sanding disk, to direct
it into the DC..
You should see a trail of dust going towards the DC, or it's not right.. YMWV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing