Under-table router dust collection cabinet

[4nthony]

I've got a router lift embedded in my outfeed/assembly table and I want to add some under table dust collection. I've been looking at some manufactured cabinets and am curious if there's any physics involved in how these collect dust or if they are just boxes with a door and dust port?

The Incra on the left with the bottom mounted port seems like it might funnel dust into the hose better than the Rockler, but the Rockler has the added benefit of having a port that connects to the fence (which may or may not be a good thing).

If these are more or less just a box with a port, I can make one. But if there's some science behind them, then maybe I'm better off buying one.

Thanks!

 

[Svar]

They are just boxes with ports and extra opening on the side.
P.S. Having said that a box that is too boxy or too big will accumulate dust in the corners, just a nuisance. This will not affect how the dust is collected at the cutter.

 

[afish]

and you should be able to use a 4x2x4 pvc wye to tee off a branch for the fence if you want so either will work either way or a diy one.

 

[CeeJay]

I made a box with a port that works great.

I sloped the base so the chips fall towards the port, and lined the bottom flap with door seal so it’s airtight.

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[4nthony]

Thanks guys.

Regarding dust in the corners, I saw a video where the guy used some cove moulding on the inside corners, but I'm not too concerned about it. After the mess I've been making template routing, dust trapped in the corners of a box will be a huge improvement of dust sprayed into in every corner of my garage.

 

[CeeJay]

I found the pics. The first one is with temporary dust extraction, the second is permanent.

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[MikeGE]

I incorporated the Incra CleanSweep box into my router table and added the splitter connection for the fence on the outside of the table.  I also use the CleanSweep MagnaLOCK rings and have never had a more dust and chip free system.  The only times I have chips spray out are at the start of a dado cut.  Once the wood passes over the cutter, the MagnaLOCK rings allow all of the chips to pass into the CleanSweep box.

The unused port in the upper right corner of the cabinet is used to hold the connection to the Wonder Fence when not needed.

 

[Vondawg]

That’s a great table MikeGE

 

[Packard]

I built my dust collection into the fence (shop-built0.  My "lift system" is a laboratory scissor-jack that I bought for about $50.00.  It works fine with my old 2H.P. router.  It would be difficult to make the cabinet to accommodate the jack.

I see it is no longer available.  It is similar to this one for $66.00.
https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Laboratory-Scissor-Jack/dp/B00CX90SCQ

 

[4nthony]

That’s a great table MikeGE

Agreed. Love the Incra setup and have always been curious about their fence system, too. I wish I had the space for a dedicated table. I do have a Mast-R-Lift II and have an order in for the CleanSweep rings. My table is a 2x4s & MDF. I think I'll give the DIY dust box a try and go the [member=72399]CeeJay[/member] route for now, rather than bolt up a manufactured box to a DIY table.

Also, [member=70363]MikeGE[/member] I think putting the hose splitter outside the box makes more sense than having it at the box. I don't have any data to back this up, but it seems like having similar length hoses from splitter to cabinet and fence ports would better distribute the suction between the two. With the splitter at the box, you might have adequate suction at the cabinet but reduced suction at the fence.

 

[smorgasbord]

Incra stuff is generally pretty innovative. I never pulled the trigger on their router table fence because:
• It takes a big table to have the mount, and I didn't want to dedicate the shop space
• I've seen people do it as a shared table (workbench or assembly table or tablesaw outfeed as above), but that just didn't sit right with me. They hang the Incra fence unit on a wall and mount it to the table every time they need it. With predrilled holes and such this probably isn't a big deal and the repeatability is probably decent, tho not to the thous Incra brags about.
• I put my router table in my tablesaw side wing. This enables use of my strong tablesaw fence, which is very accurate since I mounted a Wixey DRO on it. I now use a quick clamp to clamp the router fence to the back side of the tablesaw fence when I need it, use the "relative" option in the Wixey, and I'm all set to go. I can clamp any kind of router fence needed - straight or offset or with a gap.
• The Incra combination of sawtooth rack plus a micro-adjuster seems to work fine, but if you gotta remember to reset the micro-adjuster when you move the fence to a new position. I like DROs better as it's more straightforward to hit a setting.
• I would think the Incra center mount system would have some play at the fence ends. That may not matter since the fence is held right at the center, where the router bit is, so that's the critical dimension.

I have the Incra marking gauge, which is handy but only Imperial. I also have their fence systems on my tablesaw miter sled and sliding compound miter saw and am quite happy with them. I'd probably use one of their miter gauges except my Inca saw has a 20mm slot width and the ¾" bars everyone has done usually have enough movement to get tight.

 

[CeeJay]

I put the Incra fence on my table saw rip table extension, and used the table saw dust extraction to tee off to both shop made box and the Incra fence.

I can then use either the table saw fence or the Incra fence depending on what I’m doing.

I just put micro adjusters on the Incra fence. Will take some pics when I get home.

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[CeeJay]

I didn’t use the Incra LS guide as it takes up too much space, so routed in some T-track and built up micro adjustor connectors using Carbatec and Timbecon parts.

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[afish]

I think I remember seeing someone mount bench dogs to the LS positioner so it could be installed/removed quickly.  Seems like that might work well on the OP setup.

 

[afish]

Yea I did.  THe LS positioner is around 10:30 mark. I would use different clamps but otherwise like it.  I see he has a DIY under bench router box too.  Not sure if he goes over it in this video or another since I only scanned it for the fence idea.  Leverage wise it might be better to have the clamps and dog location reversed how he has it.  dogs to the rear and clamps to the front. Or this would be a good place for TSO anchor dogs.  Just plan ahead took me almost 2 weeks to get mine.  Thought it might help.

 

[Lincoln]

• I would think the Incra center mount system would have some play at the fence ends. That may not matter since the fence is held right at the center, where the router bit is, so that's the critical dimension.

Incra make clamps for this situation, that clamp the end/ends of the fence to your table, if needed.

 

[CeeJay]

Here’s my improvised Incra micro-adjuster set up.

It works quite well - clamped at both ends so no flex in fence, and can be adjusted either end for convenience.

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[Rick Herrick]

Here’s my improvised Incra micro-adjuster set up.

It works quite well - clamped at both ends so no flex in fence, and can be adjusted either end for convenience.

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Hey [member=72399]CeeJay[/member] , do you have any pointers to that white dust hose fitting?  I think I could use a handful of those. 

 

[CeeJay]

That’s from a plumbing supply place - it’s PVC pipe. Happens to be exactly the fit from the 2.5” Incra fence to 38mm Bosch hose!

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[Rick Herrick]

Thanks.  Been searching Amazon hoping to find something similar.  I will look into plumbing places.  It looks like a perfect fitting.