area123

I am wanting to connect 4 tools to create a very simple DC system. I'll have a 1.5hp JDS w/ about 20' of 4" hose. I plan to connect 4 tools + a floor sweep and I want to use blast gates for all. I bought some metal blast gates & clear flex hose and nothing came with instructions or any paperwork at all.

Do the gates just hang loose clamped between two pieces of flex tubing? Or do they clamp right onto the 4" port of the machine? That doesn't seem likely since the machine ports are usually hard plastic.

It would be nice if they had a nice square base that would screw right into the wall where you could run another piece of flex hose from the gate to the tool. but there is no base on these, it is just a flat piece with a sliding gate inside. I see no way to mount them solid to anything.

Any advice is appreciated.

Paul K

123
Depends on the type of gates you buy, somewhat, but most gates are simple hose clamped to the hose, BOTH sides of the gates. (did you order the clamps with the gates, they often don't make that clear that you need 2 per gate) Then manually opened and closed. You say the gates are metal, then probably they have small screws that go in and out if you want, to help keep them open. Generally these gates are positioned such that you can reach them easily. Yes, there are gates that are electrically hooked up such that when the machine comes on, that gate opens. But since you got no info, i assume you didn't get such. They are not necessary in most of our shops, more for commercial shops. By the way, the housing itself is slightly square at the bottom, and the gate itself, if you pull it out is fairly "square" too at the bottom. But the port or hole is round. This means that the gate will close into the side grooves at the bottom. Don't know if i am being too clear on this, but after you use these for awhile, you will maybe know. Anyway, this groove is a poor design, to my mind. What happens is that slowly the groove gets sawdust compressed into it, making the gate unable to close fully. Eventually it will not close by as much as an inch if you don't take it apart and clean it once in awhile. With my bigger 3 hp system this doesn't happen too often, but I also use a 1 1/2 hp system for some more remote machines, and this happens often.
Another thing is the type of hose, the cheap hose often will sprout a cut after a year or so. You have to keep an eye on all this over the year, or you slowly lose the CFM you want.
best of luck

area123

Thanks, that's exactly what I wanted to know.

I think I got the shopfox or some other brand of aluminum gate w/ a screw stop like you mentioned.

So the gate just connects w/ two clamps between the main hose and a short extension hose that connects to the dust port on each machine. And the gate just hangs or lays there. Too bad the machines don't come with a gate built in or a way to hard mount a gate to the dust port.

Thanks for the tips.

area123

I am still wondering if I should cancel my order for the 1.5hp JDS (1250cfm) and order a smaller 1hp Delta (650cfm). Since I will only be using 1 tool at a time and have only about 20' of hose, and most of the time I will only be collecting chips through about 10' of hose.

The cost difference is about $100.

dusty2

It's always been my experience that no one complains about having too large of a dust collector. In real life it's hard to set up an absolutly efficient system without leaks or other issues so it's better to have a larger system than you think you need than a smaller one that works right now. If you can live without that extra $100 I'd say you won't regret it.

area123

Sounds good. part of my reasoning is that the JDS system is backordered about 2-4 weeks and I could pick up the delta 1hp right away.

I guess I'm anxious because I'm putting my hoses up.

Paul K

Wait. the 1 1/2 is generally 1000 or more, (often 1100 i think?) CFM, and lots of machines like that extra CFM. And as you realize, it isn't how many machines you have hooked up, but how long the run is. And eventually, you get more machines, and you get longer runs. I'd wait for the other machine.
best
paul

Paul K

oh, and by the way, the gate built into the machine sounds good, but if you think about it, on some of your machines, like table saw for instance, the port for the sawdust is not in a great place, and as such, you would have to go behind the machine and get down low. So a hose is not so bad. In my main area, I put in metal ducting, 6" and put the gates about 5' off the floor, (overhead ducting) so it is not bad, but in my other area, i have hoses like you. It works. One thing I put in years ago and still like a lot, is one of those push button wireless on/off for the dust collector. I hang that to my jacket or shirt and can turn on and off the dust collector remotely. Very convenient.