Rockler's Lathe Dust Collection System

[beck3906]

I purchased one of these to see if I could increase the dust collection at the source without building something myself. My review follows.

Dust Right® Lathe Dust Collection System | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

For the money, it doesn't appear you get your money's worth. But I thought I needed something better than I use now and went ahead and assembled the parts and installed on my lathe. I believe the unit can work well if you can use it with a full-sized pen mandrel. My problem is that I wanted to use it with a TBC setup.

The shroud that surrounds the mandrel is too long to fit close enough around the TBC setup. The shroud itself and the tightening nut on the end contact the tailstock tightening lever on my Jet 1221 so I cannot move the shroud close enough to the mandrel.

I opted to remove the shroud and cut down one of these fittings to a much smaller size.

Buy Small Dust Hood With 4-Inch Port at Woodcraft.com

I could then use Rockler's metal bracket pieces to hold this new "shroud" against the TBC setup.

 

[Michael67]

I have been looking at the "Black Hole" Dust collection system from Craft Supply and Packard Woodturning . I say I have been looking at it for almost a year! It cost 199.95 for the complete system. I compared it to the Rocker version and I think it's worth the money for the Black Hole version. Now, I just need to pull the trigger and buy it !! Hurry! make more pens to sell.......

 

[jttheclockman]

There are many out there. You can choose to make your own using the commercial ones as examples. I use this one and have for many years. Works well. You do not need to get all the shavings up just the fine dust and also works good for getting fumes away from the lathe. So it does not have to be so close to your work.

Picked this up at a woodworking show many years ago.

I think it maybe a PSI version.

 

[rholiday]

There are a couple articles in the Library about dust collection. Here is a link to one of them.
http://content.penturners.org/library/tools_and_jigs/dust_collection.pdf

 

[Wood Butcher]

I have owned the one jttheclockman shows in his post and I gave it away after trying to make it work for a year. I believe it is just too large to do what we need. I have used the Rockler new unit when doing demos at the store. In both instances the "pickup" was connected to a 1 1/2hp DC and my conclusion is:
The larger unit is so big that the velocity is lost and the volume can't make up the difference. working; this helps a lot when the CA fumes are being produced.
The new Rockler unit does pick up dust pretty well when sanding if positioned really close to the work but...If you need it to catch the chips made when roughing a blank, it will not do that. It sucks from the back and we're throwing chips toward the front.
In my shop I use a 12' flex hose connected to my remote 1 1/2hp DC to pick up all of the chips at the end of the day. As for the dust, I have a 7" fan running to the left of my lathe and directed slightly above the area where I am and away from me. This system also resolves the CA fumes by blowing them away from my area.
That's my 2 pennies.
WB

 

[Davidh14]

I recently bought this for my jet 1015 lathe. The idea is great but for my lathe it is just too big. It hits my tailstock and will not get close enough to the mandrel to really notice it helping. Unfortunately I had to return it. If they made them not as wide so it could be closer to the mandrel I think it would work better.

 

[jttheclockman]

If you are both talking about the one I shown, not sure what you are talking about. I have used that thing for years. I do not flip the lid down and in fact I broke it off. I turn one blank at a time. I use my router jig I CA all the time and in fact it has more CA on it than what it should from when I first started. It picks up the thin ribbons, it picks off the CA smell to non existant. It does not pick up larger pieces but that is OK because they fall in front of the lathe and I have to clean up anyway. Roll the shop vac over and in a minute all cleaned up. Maybe you all need a stronger dust collector.


If you look at the one in the photo. I move the entire unit more towards the headstock. That lid is a waste of time. Pieces are not going up. The magnets make it so easy to move. If working on a long spindle I can move the center down more toward the tailstock.

To have a collector right on top of the work would distracting to me. My advice is make one of your own. So simple. Piece of 4" pvc. Use bandsaw cut the front off. Adapt hose to the end. Many ways to mount it. Magnets, make a base for it. Imagination people. Open your minds. We do not only turn round objects. :biggrin:

Good luck and happy turning.

 

[MTViper]

I tried different methods of dust collection to remove sanding dust with varying results. I found my best personal protection against inhaled dust was a big fan like Wood Butcher mentioned. I've got one similar to this: Lasko Max Performance Pivoting Utility Fan - Sam's Club= that sits on a shelf above and behind me on my right side. It's angled down, mainly for cooling purposes, but it keeps the dust out of my breathing zone. Most of it winds up on my garage door behind the lathe but the shop vac with a brush attachment takes care of that.

Steve

 

[RichSubers]

I have had the Rockler unit since December. Tight fit on my Comet II but fits great on my Jet 1642. I use my big dust collector with a 4" hose to the unit. Turned 100 freedom pens using a mandel and only had a handful of chips on the lathe. Used a 3/4" roughing gouge & a skew. Helps to use your thumb on the gouge to deflect the chips back to the unit. Works great for sanding. I used the big on from PSI for years and this one is 100 percent better.

 

[randyrls]

There are a couple articles in the Library about dust collection. Here is a link to one of them.
http://content.penturners.org/library/tools_and_jigs/dust_collection.pdf

This one by Curtis is an excellent way to prevent dust and CA fumes from escaping.
I made mine with a downward slope to the hinged top, and cut circles for the headstock and tailstock. It mounts with some 1" Dia x 1/8" rare earth magnets.

If I get a chance, I will make another one that is slightly narrower.