10 February, 2014

Busy weekend working on the table saw, wall, and dust collection ducting.

Actually the title gives most of this post away, but here goes nothing...

I managed to get a few more test cuts on the table saw done, and blew out the remainder of the sawdust from the saw cabinet. Once done I reattached the side of the cabinet, and spent a quick trip to Home Depot for some bolts and washers after I failed to locate the bolts to hold on the extension table top... I got everything leveled up and tightened down. It is all looking good so far. In all honesty, I need to re-do my extension table. The hardboard top is separating from the plywood base, and there are some embarassing measurement errors in there! But it works well enough for now, I might try to figure out how to inject glue into the hardboard gap and then hold it together with something heavy, I have lots of that in the shop!

Next was to go onto the dust collection...

I started off by running the drop from the ceiling to the separator. This connects the table saw blade guard and the overhead port for the workbench to the separator. I had a false start on the drywall anchors, but finally managed to get it in there. I need to patch the ceiling now, but there are a LOT of places I need to do that...

I followed that up with running the lower duct. This time I went ahead and simply laid it on the floor, and used risers to get to the tools. I brought the duct to the band saw first since it is first on the way, and then went behind the water purifier system, and poked out behind to split off to the table saw.

Yes that run crosses the floor, but it is worth it to me.. I know a potential trip hazard, but I am aware of it, and work around it... The duct runs over to the lower end of the workbench, and actually runs UNDER the bench. I ran it this way to allow me to put the bench closer to the saw to act as more secure out feed with less of a chance of stuff falling off either the bench, or the saw into the gap between.

The riser for the table saw is split to a 2.5" and a 4", the 4" stays 4" all the way to the belly pan of the table saw. 

The next riser going down the powered wall is the one for the lathe, I have hooked it up to a simple dust hood made from a 4" floor register outlet. It works, reasonably well... 

The last riser is run, but no flex duct is connected. This is to go to the drill press, I just ran out of the hose clamps. As you can see from the photo, I need to attach hanger strap to the wall / around the pipe to keep it steady... 

I have only to finish the build of the dust hood for the miter saw, which is likely the largest dust offender in the shop, and figure out how to run a duct for it. I am figuring it will have to go overhead, and down the wall behind the library cabinet... I will need some more 4" S&D pipe and fittings to make this happen. Thankfully I have a couple of extra blast gates!

If you zoom in on my pics, or have a sharp eye, you can see I have effectively used set screws at each joint. I used Alex Plus white latex caulk on all the joints, and then drilled guide holes for screws, ran the screws in, backed them out, then hacked the screws down to 3/8" - 1/2" long with my Dremel cut off wheel... I then re ran the screws into the holes. This way the screws keeping things steady don't interfere with the air flow causing turbulence, or snagging stringy stuff from the jointer or planer. 

A seemingly small, but significant item I completed this weekend was I blew in the expanding foam insulation into the the previously open wall cavity between the garage doors, and started by putting the drywall patch in place, and measuring up for replacement drywall...  I like how tightly it seals up the wall cavity. I am half tempted to spend the extra bucks and cut out effectively access panels in the existing drywall, spraying in expanding foam, and patching the drywall with the cut out panels... Probably not going to fit the budget though. Most likely will end up blown in cellulose insulation due to cost, and ease of installation.

I am so painfully close to done in here I can taste the non shop projects... I am anxious. And I bet my wife is. I have a strip & stain to do on my kitchen as well as bathroom cabinets. And some temporary hardwood thresholds to transition from stained concrete to tile flooring... 

All in all a productive weekend, but could have gotten so much more done.

So my follow on projects to this need to be... (not necessarily in this order)

  1. Finish fixing the sheet rock in the between the garage doors wall, smooth it out and paint it... 
  2. Clean, clean, clean. Put stuff up where it belongs. That makes life in the shop so much nicer.
  3. Put the totes of camping and hunting gear in the attic where it belongs. That includes the stray coolers.
  4. De-rust, and then wax the tables on the band saw and jointer.
  5. Finish the small shed / deck box design, build and get the lawn and garden stuff out of my shop!
  6. Clear the lumber rack from all resident items, cut the access holes, and blow in cellulose insulation, patch and paint drywall. Re-stock lumber rack.
  7. Disasemble the miter saw cabinet, and clean up the dadoes. Buy a pint of fresh glue, and glue that sucker back up, SQUARE. Using glue blocks and levelers, level this thing dead up.
  8. Finish design, build, and installation of miter saw dust hood, make plumbing connections.
  9. Finish building miter saw cabinet drawers, populate with planned table saw / router accessories. 
  10. Finish prepping and installing extension block for the step area of the garage floor to support the freezer and move the freezer in.

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