dust collection

The Leigh VRS1200 Vac and Router Support Will Save You from Big Messes

January 15, 2021 By George Vondriska & filed under Blog, Product Review.

If you’ve got a Porter Cable dovetail jig and are tired of the incredible mess left behind every time you cut dovetails, you’re in luck. Leigh’s VRS1200, $99.99, catches chips at the source (that is, your dovetail jig) and grabs them before they end up all over you and your floor. The Vacuum and Router…

Rockler Cord and Hose Holder

July 10, 2013 By Staff & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

I love having dust collection connected to my portable power tools, but I hate tangling with the cords and hoses. Rockler’s new Cord and Hose Holder, $29.99, helps solve this problem. The Cord and Hose Holder is adjustable in height and rises to a maximum height of 40” above the bench. It’ll clamp to benches…

Why I Bought a SawStop

March 14, 2013 By David Munkittrick & filed under Buying Advice, Tool Education.

I recently bought a SawStop tablesaw. (Is that the sound of applause I’m hearing?) On the one hand, it was an easy decision. Who wouldn’t want the blade brake safety feature only SawStop offers. On the other hand, it wasn’t a snap decision. In fact, years went by between the time I first used a…

Harbor Freight Dust Collector

May 30, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

I needed a new dust collector in a bad way. Shop vacuums are a great way to start collecting dust and chips out in the garage or basement, but a full sized dust collector offers much more suction as well as greater capacity for chips on tools like the planer and jointer. It is always…

Hooking Up Your Tools for Better Dust Collection

April 18, 2012 By Paul Mayer & filed under Shop Tips, Skill Building.

Where the proverbial “rubber meets the road” in dust collection is where the ductwork ties into the tool to extract dust while the tool is in operation. In my opinion most tool manufacturers treat dust collection as an afterthought, and do not design the tools to provide adequate removal of dust and debris. To put…

D.O.G. Simple Approach for Dust Collection Ducting

April 4, 2012 By Paul Mayer & filed under Shop Improvement, Skill Building, Stationary Power Tools Safety.

If you have made an investment in a powerful dust collector, that is a great first step toward creating a healthy shop environment. For purposes of this article I will assume that you have worked with your vendor to choose a dust collector that is capable of delivering enough air flow (ideally 1000 cubic feet…

Clear Vue Cyclone Review

March 7, 2012 By Paul Mayer & filed under Shop Tips, Skill Building.

Clear Vue Cyclones Model 1800LH Review The reason that we woodworkers need to implement dust collection in our shops is not to keep the shop clean per se, as a broom can do an adequate job of that for a fraction of the cost. The real purpose of dust collection is to keep the microscopic…

I-Socket Vacuum Automator

November 29, 2011 By David Radtke & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

Tools We Love Until I bought this handy device, I’d hardly ever hook my vacuum up to my tools because it was too much bother. Then I’d find myself spending way too much time vacuuming up the mess later. The I-Socket solved my problem, and it’s effortless. It’s a cool plug-in device that automatically…

Shop-Built Dust Port

March 7, 2011 By Reader Submitted & filed under Blog, Member Tips, Plans and Projects, Woodshop Projects, Woodworking Projects.

Here’s how to make a dust port for any jig or power tool in your shop. It’s easy to build, uses parts readily available from your local hardware store, and best of all, it really works! I’ll show you how to make two kinds, one for your 2 1/2″ shop vac hose, and the other…

Dust Deputy from Oneida

June 2, 2010 By Paul Mayer & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

If you ask most woodworkers to cite their least favorite aspect of woodworking, most would say “sanding”. When I asked that question of my father a while back, he said “I don’t mind sanding, but what bothers me is having to stop sanding about every 10 minutes to clear the filter on my shop vacuum”.…