# Under Table Dust Collection



## steliart (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi guys,
First time posting and I have a question/idea for dust collection under (inside) the router table.
I am wandering if a 4" (100mm) PVC pipe with an opening near and behind the router could work? Please see attached photo.
Thanks
Steli


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Steli

I don't see why not but most routers come with or you can buy one, dust pickup tube that can be use in the router table as well..I use the 3 1/4hp Freud router in my table and use the pickup tube for it..and it pickups about 95% of the chips and dust.

But don't forget the router must have room to move up and down and most of the time it's up all the way to to bottom side of the table top...
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steliart said:


> Hi guys,
> First time posting and I have a question/idea for dust collection under (inside) the router table.
> I am wandering if a 4" (100mm) PVC pipe with an opening near and behind the router could work? Please see attached photo.
> Thanks
> Steli


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## steliart (Apr 1, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Steli
> 
> I don't see why not but most routers come with or you can buy one, dust pickup tube that can be use in the router table as well..I use the 3 1/4hp Freud router in my table and use the pickup tube for it..and it pickups about 95% of the chips and dust.
> 
> ...


Bobj3
Thank you for reply, going to use an old Hitachi m12v with no accessories. IF I understand correct are you refering to the dust extractor attachment that comes with the router? And would that not limit the high of the bit coming up/out?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

I also have the Hitachi m12v and I do use the dust tube on it from tiime to time, yes it will hold the router back a little bit but the trade off is worth it if I'm milling the nasty MDF stock.
I also use the Router Collet Extension if the dust tube ( dust extractor attachment) is in place.

MLCS Router Collet Extension and Review

OR copy the one below

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19742&filter=dado plaTE

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steliart said:


> Bobj3
> Thank you for reply, going to use an old Hitachi m12v with no accessories. IF I understand correct are you refering to the dust extractor attachment that comes with the router? And would that not limit the high of the bit coming up/out?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

see other post

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I also have the Hitachi m12v and I put on the dust tube " dust extractor attachment" on from time to time, it will hold the router back just a bit but if I'm doing MDF the trade off is worth it..but I also use the Router Collet Extension if I have the tube in place. 

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steliart said:


> Bobj3
> Thank you for reply, going to use an old Hitachi m12v with no accessories. IF I understand correct are you refering to the dust extractor attachment that comes with the router? And would that not limit the high of the bit coming up/out?


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## KenBee (Jan 1, 2011)

I built my router table cabinet with a nearly airtight enclosed area for my router and angled a piece of slick hardboard from top to bottom of the enclosure on the backside of the router. I cut a hole in the side of the cabinet at the base of the hardboard and level with the enclosure floor then installed a coupling to connect a hose from it and a hose from my fence into a "Y" adapter that then connects to my shop vac hose. Another thing I did after reading so many comments about an enclosed router getting too hot was to cut a hole at the top of the enclosure and run a hose to my router from the built in blower on my shop vac to help cool it and keep the router clear of most dust. Before anybody asks the shop vac model I have you can't disable the blower or the vac. They both run at the same time so for my application that works out rather well.


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## theexpozay (Oct 4, 2011)

how hot is the air return from the shop vac? You may be better just letting air into the compartment from a vent hole.


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## mjdorsam (Nov 27, 2011)

Stelios:

Be careful to allow enough cooling air to the Router - several members have reported burning-out their routers, when they've been enclosed this way. I have the same setup (with a Porter-Cable) as you, and recently modified it to allow an open bottom.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

Just my 2 cents 

Warm air moving inside the cabinet is better than no air moving at all inside the cabinet, the router will heat up the cabinet in no time anyway plus it will help the dust and the chips move out of the cabinet, most things don't move well in a negative work environment...just like us  LOL

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## KenBee (Jan 1, 2011)

The air from the blower could be classed as warm, but not hot. When I do use my table mounted router it is rare that it runs over 5 minutes continuously to begin with. I see a lot of comments that warn against enclosed cabinets but still one of the most popular cabinets such as Bench Dog sell enclosed cabinets. I based my cabinet on a picture of one I saw in a woodworking magazine before I was aware of the heat generated by the router. I do understand the concern if you run the router for an extended period of time but running it 5 to 10 minutes in an hour shouldn't hurt it.


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## 3efingers (Dec 21, 2006)

I have a DeWalt router and I enclosed it with a box, put a blast gate on the side and another blast gate on the front with a 4 inch hose to the dust collector, thru trail and error got the right amount of air flow for cooling and dust collection, gets 95% or better of the dust and chips. Now if I can just get the money saved up for a router lift it would be even better.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Tom

Just pull out the DeWalt and pickup one of the new routers kits with the lift built into it, that will save you about 200.oo bucks or so..

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00927680000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

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3efingers said:


> I have a DeWalt router and I enclosed it with a box, put a blast gate on the side and another blast gate on the front with a 4 inch hose to the dust collector, thru trail and error got the right amount of air flow for cooling and dust collection, gets 95% or better of the dust and chips. Now if I can just get the money saved up for a router lift it would be even better.


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## 3efingers (Dec 21, 2006)

Thanks BJ, the link you gave, does that model allow above table bit changes? Thats what I'm really after, the DeWalt does have a micro adjust on it, just a pain to get down on my knees and pull the router for bit changes.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Tom

Almost all the way out of the hole but a easy work around that type of error is the item below, it's only 14.oo dollars and worth every dime.

Off-Set Router Table Bit Wrench 
MLCS Heavyweight and Precision Router Tables

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3efingers said:


> Thanks BJ, the link you gave, does that model allow above table bit changes? Thats what I'm really after, the DeWalt does have a micro adjust on it, just a pain to get down on my knees and pull the router for bit changes.


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## 3efingers (Dec 21, 2006)

ok Cool thanks BJ


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## Vrex (Dec 29, 2011)

3efingers said:


> I have a DeWalt router and I enclosed it with a box, put a blast gate on the side and another blast gate on the front with a 4 inch hose to the dust collector, thru trail and error got the right amount of air flow for cooling and dust collection, gets 95% or better of the dust and chips. Now if I can just get the money saved up for a router lift it would be even better.


I put a similar door-skin wooden box around my Rigid router, with blast gates on both sides. The table is modified 1" birch ply which shares the table saw fence. The box itself is quick release, with a handle I bought for $10 from the parts list from a Skill cheapo router table. Under the router plate, I left the hole big enough that the router itself lifts up easily, and I stand it on a "v box" (two sides of a box, 10" tall) so it stands up securely for bit changes. The out feed air pipe is plumbed so that a second hose can be used at the table, so I can balance pick up from the fence or from under the table. 

There have been no heating issues with this set up, and the air is powered by a Harbor Freight green fan in a home-made 2 stage air filter with 4 inch hoses that filters to about 3 microns. I consider myself an extremely hard user due to the amount of material I push through. Usually I leave the in-feed air side open about 10% and only suck from the bottom for most cuts, for best results all around.

Anyway, I post this to share my similar experience. I would post a picture to save the million words... but I am too new here to do that.

Previously I used my 6.5 hp shop vac to suck through various attachments - what a mess! The new system is very clean and it is unusual to need to sweep up after wards.


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