View source for Dust Collector

[[Category:Woodshop]]
The '''dust collector''' provides dust collection for The Rikon bandsaw (the larger one), the jointer, the thickness planer, and the table saw.    

It is set up so that it needs to be turned on before using any of these power tools and turned off after the worker is finished with them.  (The dust collector does have an auto mode where use of the tool automatically turns on the dust collector.  However, in our experience, use of this mode has resulted in problems.)  

To turn on:

	1)  Push the green “RUN” button and allow 15 seconds for the system to start.  You should not have to move the knob which controls the speed of the collector.  If the dust collector does not start up when the green button is pushed it might be because the dust collector has been erroneously set to auto.  To toggle back to the manual mode, push the black “M/R” button and then push start.   

To turn off:  

	1)  Push the red “STOP” button 

Directing the vacuum to the appropriate tool.

There is a 6-inch vacuum line leading to each of the tools.  Each tool is serviced by a blast gate that is controlled by the tool directly.  

Each blast gate has an indicator that reveals if the gate is open or closed.

The blast gate associated with the table saw.  The left image shows it in the closed state (the top arrow points to the red indicator circle), while the right image shows the gate in open state (green circle).  The switch that controls the automatic open/closed state is on the yellow box.

When all tools are off, the default is that the gate on the Rikon Bandsaw is open and all other tools (jointer, planer and table saw) is closed.  

If any of the 4 supported tools is turned on, detectors in the electrical line will open the blast gate to that tool, supplying dust collection to it.  It will also automatically close any gates to unused tools.  If more than one tool is in use at a time, it will open the appropriate blast gates.  After turning off the tolls it will revert to the default state (Rikon gate open, other three closed) after a couple seconds 

Trouble shooting if the vacuum is not working well for a tool:

1.  Check to ensure that the gates are open when the tool is on.  If a gate does not open properly, check that both the blast gates and the current detector (small yellow box on the power cord) are in “automatic” mode.  Also check to see the switch that is on the blast gate is set on auto.  Finally, check the circuit to the blast gates is not tripped (most of the tools themselves are on different circuits than the one that drives the blast gates.) 

2.  Check to ensure that there are no chips blocking the hoses.  This is particularly common at the machine-hose interface.  

3.  For the table saw, turn off the saw at the wall, remove throat plate and ensure that the door around the blade is closed.  Also open the right lower panel on the saw base and ensure that the dust collection hose is attached to both the shoot from the saw carriage and the back of the saw case.  If not, clean out the sawdust and reattach the hose.

To clean out the dust collector:


Make sure the dust collector is off.

1..Open the front panel by rotating the upper left knob clockwise and the upper right knob counterclockwise.  Pivot the door out and down.  When you do this you will see the dust collection bins.

 
2.  Pull up latch, unhook it and pull out the bins.

 

3)  If the collector is working properly, the large bin should contain the coarse dust and the small bin should contain the finer dust.  Make sure that the dust fills no more than half of each bin.  

There is supposed to be an alarm that sounds when the bins are full.  But it does not always go off so please don't count on it.  Check frequently.  

To empty:  

1.) Remove the dust from the bins.  To do that either:
a)   Pull out the bag with the dust and discard.  You may have to remove the seal.   Then replace with a clean bag making sure the seal is set and intact. 
b)   Scoop out the dust from the bin, leaving the bag in place.  

2)  Slide in the bins, reattach the latch, and raise the bins to seal them.   

To clean the HEPA filters:







NOTE: ADD IN HEPA FILTER IMAGE






Probably the best part of this dust collection system is the HEPA filters which filter out the very finest dust.  This dust is rarely captured in lesser dust collectors, yet it is the most dangerous to your health because it can reach deeper into a person’s lungs than the heavier dust.  Unfortunately, these filters are expensive and easily clogged.  Protecting these filters is one reason you want to ensure that the dust collector is not overly filled.  If the buckets are filled overflow can make it into the HEPA filters and may clog or even damage these filters.  

Frequently turn the red knobs at the top of each dust collector back and forth.  This knocks the dust out of the filter.  

The open the ports at the bottom and carefully remove the dust.  The dust is light enough that it will easily become airborne, something you want to minimize,  


Managing the secondary dust collectors

Shop vac/vortexer combinations.  

These systems work on the principle that the shop vacuum pulls dust in the vortexer, and drops the dust into the bucket without entering the shop vacuum itself.  This greatly extends the life of the shop vac filters.  However, it requires that the bucket of the vortexer be emptied before it gets 2/3 full.  If the bucket is full dust would enter the shop vac and eventually require extra maintenance.  

 

Hose set up:  The inflow of the shop vac is connected to the outflow of the vortexer (the top outlet.  The vacuum hose is connected to the side of the vortexer.  

To empty:  

1)  Unsnap the lid on the vortexer
2)  Remove the inner bucket (it sometimes sticks), and dump in appropriate disposal bins.
3)  Replace the dust collecting bucket, snap down the vortexer top.
4)  Check to ensure all hoses are attached appropriately.


 
Attachment of mobile vacuums to tools.

The input hose of the shop vac/vortexer should be attached to dust ports of some woodshop tools when they are in use.  The dustports are shown for tools below.

 

The dust port on the Delta band saw is removable to allow table tilting and adjusting the lower guide and thrust bearings.  It is held in place by a magnet.  Please reinstall if it gets removed or knocked off.