OF-1400 Dustcollection

[EcoFurniture]

Question:
Does anyone else notice that even with the 36mm hose (on a ct-mini) attached, the dust/chip collection is close to non existing? I first thought it has something to do with reduced suction as the dust bag was half full. But even after putting in a new one, 90% of the chips added up on the floor/workpiece. I tried to move the router a bit slower to give it more time to pick up the dust, but other then creating burn marks nothing happened. I also tried to router just half as deep, but time is money and as it didn't improve anything I went full depth again. Maybe I should mention that I was routering a 3/4" wide and  1/2" deep dado in plywood.

I had the same problem with the OF1010...

Any ideas?

 

[BMH]

I had the same impression with some of the routing I was doing with 1/2 inch bit. Then I did the same cut without the 1400 hook up to the CT22. Based on the time I needed to clean up the garage after that, my estimate is that the dust collection is 80% effective.  I am amaze how much dust and chips a 1/2 inch bit creates.

Bruce

 

[kev carpenter]

I used it for the first time on friday and wasent impressed with the dust collection using it for worktop mitres  i think it should have an optional smaller diameter shroud (they might have dont know) but its probably the best mitre ive done [big grin]

 

[bonesbr549]

I just used mine yesterday with a  1/2" bit and no problems at all.  I am using the ct33e and the stock hose.  No problems here. 

 

[jonny round boy]

Kev,

I found that for cutting worktop mitres, since you're essentially cutting a groove in the worktop, the larger chips tend to stay in the groove behind the cutter (at leats, until the final pass!).

What I do is cut each pass from left to right, then lift the cutter up out of the way & run the router back in the jig from right to left, ready for the next pass. This essentially vacs the chips out of the groove on the way back, leaving the groove clear.

In general, the dust extraction will depend on what you're doing, and where the extraction hose in relation to the cutter. For example, if you're putting an edge moulding on a piece of MDF, the chips/dust will be naturally thrown away from the edge, below the level of the router baseplate. In that instance, if you're connecting the hose to the clear plastic bit above the baseplate then you're not going to collect very much. If you use the chip deflector, then that will greatly increase the amount (unfortunately it does restrict visibility of the cut).

 

[kev carpenter]

jonny,

I used to do it that way when i had my old setup (dewalt and trend vac) but my midi vac cuts of alot quicker  and the midi hose doesnt fit the of-1400 that well i have to put masking tape over it to stop it from falling of .

But i still like it but i can see me buying the 2200 when i can justify it

 

[peter halle]

Question:
Does anyone else notice that even with the 36mm hose (on a ct-mini) attached, the dust/chip collection is close to non existing? I first thought it has something to do with reduced suction as the dust bag was half full. But even after putting in a new one, 90% of the chips added up on the floor/workpiece. I tried to move the router a bit slower to give it more time to pick up the dust, but other then creating burn marks nothing happened. I also tried to router just half as deep, but time is money and as it didn't improve anything I went full depth again. Maybe I should mention that I was routering a 3/4" wide and  1/2" deep dado in plywood.

I had the same problem with the OF1010...

Any ideas?

If it were me, I would try the smaller diameter hose (assuming you have one) and see if that bettered the situation.  Sometimes altering the velocity of the air versus the volume of air helps.  The mini doesn't pull the volume of air that a CT 22 or CT 33 do.  Routering dados will leave debris in the dado behind the cutter but a significant amount of the airborne dust will be eliminated.

Peter

 

[EcoFurniture]

Question:
Does anyone else notice that even with the 36mm hose (on a ct-mini) attached, the dust/chip collection is close to non existing? I first thought it has something to do with reduced suction as the dust bag was half full. But even after putting in a new one, 90% of the chips added up on the floor/workpiece. I tried to move the router a bit slower to give it more time to pick up the dust, but other then creating burn marks nothing happened. I also tried to router just half as deep, but time is money and as it didn't improve anything I went full depth again. Maybe I should mention that I was routering a 3/4" wide and  1/2" deep dado in plywood.

I had the same problem with the OF1010...

Any ideas?

If it were me, I would try the smaller diameter hose (assuming you have one) and see if that bettered the situation.  Sometimes altering the velocity of the air versus the volume of air helps.  The mini doesn't pull the volume of air that a CT 22 or CT 33 do.  Routering dados will leave debris in the dado behind the cutter but a significant amount of the airborne dust will be eliminated.

Peter

I originally used the smaller hose that came with the CTmini. No difference. To improve the dust collection I bought the 36mm hose. Quite an expense for nothing...
As for the Ct-Mini:
I'm sure that a Ct22 or 33 would create more suction but so far the mini did a very good job on our TS55, Kapex, sanders, Domino and others. Other then for the size of the dust bags, there is no need to spend $800 for a bigger vacuum.

 

[jonny round boy]

I used to do it that way when i had my old setup (dewalt and trend vac) but my midi vac cuts of alot quicker

I don't rely on the run-on of the vac, but instead just keep the router running (with the bit lifted) to keep the suction on.

the midi hose doesnt fit the of-1400 that well i have to put masking tape over it to stop it from falling of .

I'm using the OF1400 with the CT Mini, so the same hose. I don't have a problem with the hose falling out, but it doesn't seem quite as tight a fit as it could be.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Your dust collection results will vary depending on how you have the router setup. For example, if you are edge-routing and your dust collection is only from above the router base, then you won't capture any of the material, as it will be outside the radius of influence before the suction can even slow the speed of the debris. So for that case, you either need to use the deflector or one of the vac connections for use below the router base.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Routing groves and dadoes the dust collection isn't going to be all that good no matter what size hose or vac you use, it just the nature of this type of routing. Routing dadoes creates a lot of dust/chips that are immediately forced through the slot you just cut. The chips get packed in under the router's base so it's hard for the vac to collect much on the first pass. Like Jonny said a second pass usually collects most of the chips in the slot.

 

[EcoFurniture]

I was cutting dados in the middle of a big sheet. Yes, the chips were collecting in the groove (and beside it). I know the trick of letting the router run "on the way back" to pick up the dust...
Anyhow, no matter what, I never managed to get good dust collection with the OF1400...
On the other hand the MFK700 is superb!

 

[tbellemare]

This is probably a stupid question, but did you have the door closed on the clear plastic dust collector. I have left it open before and it makes a big difference.

Tom

 

[EcoFurniture]

This is probably a stupid question, but did you have the door closed on the clear plastic dust collector. I have left it open before and it makes a big difference.

Tom

The what?

 

[peter halle]

The clear plastic piece that you hook the dust collector hose has a sliding plastic piece that closes around the bit.  That is what he was referring to.

Peter

 

[tbellemare]

Sorry for being obtuse...

The piece that you slide around so you can slip the dust collector over the shaft flats. I've accidentally left it open before and it made a difference.

Tom

 

[tbellemare]

The reason I ask is because when I made this:

[attachthumb=#1]

I forgot to close the door at first and was getting a lot of cuttings that weren't being picked up well. That is a cutting board made from a sink cut of Boos maple countertop. The well was cut with a 12 mm straight bit, OF 1400, MFS, and CT22 w/ 36 mm hose. Luckily, after about one pass along one edge, I noticed I had the door open. After closing it, all was good.

Tom

'Sorry for the photo quality...

 

[EcoFurniture]

Sorry for being obtuse...

The piece that you slide around so you can slip the dust collector over the shaft flats. I've accidentally left it open before and it made a difference.

Tom

Yes, it was firmly attached... Maybe I should invest in an up-spiral bit. Does anyone use them and how bad would the tear out be?

 

[mattfc]

Yes, it was firmly attached... Maybe I should invest in an up-spiral bit. Does anyone use them and how bad would the tear out be?

I always use spiral bits now (there is no going back once you have tried them), with very little tear out (on walnut at least). The helix shape makes them very smooth, especially in deep cuts (frequently have plunge cut 20mm in walnut) since the cutter surface is always somewhere along the bit in contact with the wood. I then usually do a very tiny final cut climb routing to get the best finish.
I use a 12.5mm bit on ? shank on my of1400. You can get both HSS and carbide version, and I have seen some fancier 3 flute versions also.. but not sure I can run fast enough around my work to keep up, probably best left to CNC routers! One point to note though is that you need to be careful, especially with MDF to clean the bits, as due to their complex geometry are very hard to clean off once they wood starts to get baked on. One the plus side, with the HSS bit, I had one that got so baked on MDF (not that there were any burn marks on the MDF) that I thought it had had it.. so I tried to sharpen it a dremmel and a small grinding bit.. results were perfect.
I have the Leigh Isoloc templates and the spiral bits (upcut) were the only ones that I could get a really sharp finish with.
But in short, spiral bits are well worth the investment, they make smaller chips so collection is better. If you are doing plunge cuts then use upcut bits, if you are, if there will be side clearance and you need a perfect top surface then downcuts.. but maybe you should try the combined bits (both up and down cut)

 

[Kevin Stricker]

Using my 1400 with a upspiral 1/2" straight bit with my CT22 I would guess I am getting 95% of the dust on trapped cuts and about 80% of the dust on edge cuts.  It is much better than 80% until you get to a corner or change directions.

Even if your dust shroud is firmly attached the small door can still be open.  I didn't even realize it moved until I took it off one day and thought it was broken.  Check it out.