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I’ve posted this before about my dust collector’s efficiency dropping with the addition of outlets and now I have proof. I just installed another outlet next to my saw for a short 1 ¼” hose to cleanup around the top of the saw and I heard it. Then with the gate closed, I put my hand over the hose and actually felt the suction.
So now what can I do about it? I have 6 blast gates divided into two lines for each side of the shop and I’m trying to come up with a solution of shutting one side or another off completely depending on what side of the shop I’m working in.
The problem is that I use my table saw a lot and always going back and forth. I cannot reach the “Y” connector on the HF Dust Collector, so I’m going to have to come up with another solution. I really don’t have a lot of room and I’m packed in like sardines which make it even more of a challenge.
All kinds of ideas are going through my head like maybe a 6” manifold box with a swinging door attached to an electric solenoid that would change the flow from one side to the other with a remote switch. Or possibly two solenoids attached to two blast gates operating opposite each other.
One problem I discovered yesterday on my table saw was that sawdust collects in the grove in the bottom when the gate is vertical with the slide to the top preventing the door from closing completely.
I’ve changed the other blast gates to work sideways, but the table saw is a little more difficult because I screwed everything in place. It may actually be better to have the gate slide down for open, but I can’t do that on some of my equipment.

So now what can I do about it? I have 6 blast gates divided into two lines for each side of the shop and I’m trying to come up with a solution of shutting one side or another off completely depending on what side of the shop I’m working in.
The problem is that I use my table saw a lot and always going back and forth. I cannot reach the “Y” connector on the HF Dust Collector, so I’m going to have to come up with another solution. I really don’t have a lot of room and I’m packed in like sardines which make it even more of a challenge.
All kinds of ideas are going through my head like maybe a 6” manifold box with a swinging door attached to an electric solenoid that would change the flow from one side to the other with a remote switch. Or possibly two solenoids attached to two blast gates operating opposite each other.
One problem I discovered yesterday on my table saw was that sawdust collects in the grove in the bottom when the gate is vertical with the slide to the top preventing the door from closing completely.

I’ve changed the other blast gates to work sideways, but the table saw is a little more difficult because I screwed everything in place. It may actually be better to have the gate slide down for open, but I can’t do that on some of my equipment.