Workshop vacuum system setup help needed

[Stephenfranks]

I have a CTL midi which I use on site and it stays in my van. My workshop vacuum is a big Nilfisk  vacuum which is mega powerful. Up until now I have been wheeling this around or using my Midi out of the van.

The plan is to run 50mm plumbing pipe on the ceiling of the workshop with drops to the benches (or not, maybe hanging hoses?) but most important will be the main drop over the MFT (not yet bought) location.

This is a budget project using cheap pipe, elbows etc. The vacuum does not have a 240v take off, so short term I will use a remote control socket adapter I have already until I can afford a vacuum relay thing.

Rather than blast gates I was thinking simple screw on socket ends (cheap). Or maybe you can get a bung or cap for hanging hoses? To be honest I don't especially care if the hanging hoses are festool or not, as long as the end connectors are (can you buy just the enf piece?).

It would be also nice to have some outlets near tools like my bandsaw and pillar drill with a flexi hose that can be moved around.

If anyone has done similar I would appreciate any advice.

 

[Bob D.]

In my basement shop, which is where I get my WWing fix in the Winter because my real shop is not heated, I make use of the whole house central vac system.

I took my Oneida UDD and I set that up so it plugs into a standard central vac outlet which has a spring loaded door which closes the port off when the hose is removed. From there I have a couple hose runs which lead to various tools like my old bandsaw or benchtop belt/disc sander. I also have a Festool hose I plug into it for use with my TSC55 and other Festools and also use it for cleanup in the shop.

The NuTone HEPA central vac has plenty of power, an auto-clean filter, and uses no bags. But the Oneida UDD catches everything and no sawdust or debris from the shop makes it into the dust bin of the vac. The vac itself is located out in the garage so I have no noise in the shop, just the sound of the air being drawn out to the vac.

It works great and cost me very little to implement. I also added an adjustable relief valve in the system so that if the vac ever gets started up with no suction path the valve opens up and prevents the vac from trying to pull a vacuum on the system. For piping I ran standard central vac tubing which is ~2" in diameter and not compatible with PVC or ABS pipe. Fittings are real cheap and you can find them online from any of the central vac stores if you can't get them locally.

In place of the switch on the central vac hose which lets you start/stop the unit for normal vacuuming operations I mounted a paddle switch in the shop and ran the low voltage wire to it. So I manually toggle the vac on/off when in the shop. It's not a problem for the little bit I use it down there. I will grab a couple photos and add them to this post later.

 

[BarneyD]

Hi Stephen,

My shop is small (two car garage size) and I work alone. So my setup may not be appropriate for you situation. But this is what I have:

[attachimg=1]

CT26 with UDD centrally located with D36 hose going up and coupled to a D27 sleeved hose, which is attached to a rotating boom arm:

[attachimg=2]

This is nothing more than an old swivel caster (with wheel removed of course) into which I inserted a piece of 8020:

[attachimg=3]

I only use this setup for the Festools and the Kreg Foreman. All the big chip producers are piped to the Oneida Cyclone. I can reach about 90% of the shop like this. If I have to, I can obviously move the CT26. Also, since the shop is so small, I like to break down sheet goods outdoors.  I have to move the CT26 for this. But it suits my needs pretty well so I'm happy with it. Just some food for thought maybe? Good luck.

 

[travisj]

Personally I made a boom arm out of conduit and park my CT under my table saw.  This covers all of the hand held tools.  I have a 2hp dust collector that I use for the big tools.

While I have never used this or considered it, Lee Valley does make a conventional style dust network to use with a shop vac.  I am not sure if it will fit your situation, but may give you some ideas.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=62594&cat=1,42401,62597,62604,62594

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[Bob D.]

For my Kreg Foreman I made a simple stand alone extractor system using a cheap bucket head vac and a second 5 gal. bucket with a home brew baffle type separator. The debris from the foreman is small with very little fine dust so easily separated out with my setup. The only item I bought was the bucket head vac at HD for $19, the rest was put together with what I had on hand.

I have my Kreg Foreman mounted on a base cabinet on wheels so I can move it around the shop and the vac sits in the space underneath with the hose routed out the back to the Kreg Foreman. I use an old Craftsman auto switch so that vac starts automatically when I fire up the Foreman and stays on for a few seconds afterward. Works great and only one power cord needed to power everything and no hoses to trip over.

 

[Stephenfranks]

Wow great ideas, nice setups!

 

[Alanbach]

Travisj suggested a setup that Lee Valley makes. Woodcraft also sells one that Woodriver makes (link below) and I believe that Rockler sell something similar as well.
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/2-1-2-clear-dust-collection-network

 

[Bob D.]

"I made a boom arm out of conduit and park my CT under my table saw"

What size conduit did you use? 2" EMT?

 

[RightAngleDesign]

Hi Stephen,

My shop is small (two car garage size) and I work alone. So my setup may not be appropriate for you situation. But this is what I have:

[attachimg=1]

CT26 with UDD centrally located with D36 hose going up and coupled to a D27 sleeved hose, which is attached to a rotating boom arm:

[attachimg=2]

This is nothing more than an old swivel caster (with wheel removed of course) into which I inserted a piece of 8020:

[attachimg=3]

I only use this setup for the Festools and the Kreg Foreman. All the big chip producers are piped to the Oneida Cyclone. I can reach about 90% of the shop like this. If I have to, I can obviously move the CT26. Also, since the shop is so small, I like to break down sheet goods outdoors.  I have to move the CT26 for this. But it suits my needs pretty well so I'm happy with it. Just some food for thought maybe? Good luck.

This boom arm is brilliant! How does it interact with your garage door?

 

[BarneyD]

Thanks Rightangle.  I got the idea from beefheart here:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-jigs-tool-enhancements/diy-ceiling-mounted-boom/

Mine is mounted on a central structural beam. It's below the garage door tracks. So it works whether the door is open or closed.

Cheers.

 

[RightAngleDesign]

Far out. I wish I had such a beam. Thanks.

 

[Stephenfranks]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply, boom arm is definitely the way to go. I have some aluminium profile but it is 2" square and that seems to big for castor wheels. Maybe timber is the way to go. I am feeling inspired now!

 

[travisj]

"I made a boom arm out of conduit and park my CT under my table saw"

What size conduit did you use? 2" EMT?

1.25 and some 1” plumbing pieces.  This is the thread I based mine off of.
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-jigs-tool-enhancements/homemade-wall0-mounted-boom-arm/

He has a full parts list in the first post.  Cheap, simple, and works like a champ.

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