After reading many favorable reviews of the Ridgid oscillating sander (model # EB44242) and with a 15% rebate offered by the manufacturer, I finally bought this sander as my Christmas present. The more I use it the more I like the sander. I would have given it a 5 star rating if it has better dust collection capability when the belt sander is used. The dust just got collected at the end of the belt and landed all over the floor. I thought there must be a better way to collect the dust. Here is the dust collection improvement that I made.
The picture below shows my prototype dust hood attached at the end of the belt.
Here is a link to the video on how well the prototype dust hood works
http://s667.photobucket.com/albums/vv38/SimonSKL/?action=view¤t=003-7.flv
I want to attach some kind of hood at the end of the belt to capture the sanding dust but I don’t want to drill any new holes on the machine to do that. The work rest provides me with the solution.
I use the work rest as a template and made a working template out of 1/4” plywood. I rough cut the acrylic sheets (1/4” for the bottom panel and 1/8” for the top panel) to size on my bandsaw and then used carpet tape to tape all 3 pieces together.
Using my pattern router bit I cut the bottom and top panel to their final shape.
I then cut the 3 side panels to size and glue them together into two components. The front side panel has a 20 degree bevel cut.
BTW, this is the acrylic solvent or glue that I use. I bought this for about $6 from a local acrylic shop.
I use an aquarium 1” bulkhead (slip-slip) as the dust port as the largest hole that I could drill into the back side panel was 1 3/4”. After the bulkhead was installed the two components are glued together.
To keep the dust hood from rotating into the sanding belt, I glued a small piece of acrylic on the bottom panel to act as a stop which fits right into the rectangular opening of the work rest.
This picture shows how I attached the 1 1/4” vacuum hose to both the dust hood and the original dust port.
I have made a few of these dust hoods and still have 4 left. If anyone is interested in getting one from me please PM me.
Thanks for looking!
-- Simon, Danville, IL
16 comments so far
dbhost
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4748 posts in 1404 days
#1 posted 1228 days ago
I have been pondering how to do this. Pretty good, but the port size kind of bugs me… You have given me some ideas though… I would like to hook up 2.5” to that side as well as go 2.5” to the OE port, and then Wye to a 4” DC hose…
-- Manufacturer of fine quality sawdust since 1984. Comments and advice on my shop welcome. Check it out at http://lumberjocks.com/dbhost/workshop. Gladly accepting shop build donations!
SPalm
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4120 posts in 2054 days
#2 posted 1228 days ago
Sweet. That end of the sander really does collect a lot of dust.
Good job, You are such a smart dude.
Steve
-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon
a1Jim
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87364 posts in 1749 days
#3 posted 1228 days ago
Wonderful job cool design.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
zlatanv
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684 posts in 1406 days
#4 posted 1228 days ago
Nice job, very professional looking.
-- Z, Rockwall, TX
sikrap
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796 posts in 1531 days
#5 posted 1228 days ago
I got that same sander from Santa. Where did you get the info for the 15% rebate??
-- Dave, Colonie, NY
SimonSKL
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181 posts in 1411 days
#6 posted 1228 days ago
Dave, Unfortunately the rebate offers expired 12/31/09. It was called something like Friends and Family Rebate.
-- Simon, Danville, IL
bsherman
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76 posts in 1700 days
#7 posted 1228 days ago
Very Nice!
-- Brian
phillip mayberry
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12 posts in 1256 days
#8 posted 1228 days ago
just bought one off cl 50 bucks
-- refinisher
sikrap
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796 posts in 1531 days
#9 posted 1227 days ago
Crap!! Oh well, its still a nice sander :)
-- Dave, Colonie, NY
Woodenwizard
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847 posts in 1227 days
#10 posted 1227 days ago
Great idea. I have been considering this particular sander for a while now and am about to bite the bullet and buy one. You indicated you had a few hoods left and they might be available. I would be very interested.
John, Colorado
-- John, Colorado's (Wooden Wizard)
woodworm
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#11 posted 1227 days ago
Great idea nicely done!
-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
bigike
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4023 posts in 1461 days
#12 posted 1227 days ago
good job
-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com
Dusty56
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10553 posts in 1860 days
#13 posted 1226 days ago
Fantastic design : ) I use a reducer from 4” down to the stock connector size on my machine and I end up with very little dust on the end …...certainly some , but not as much as with the shopvac connected .
-- When did quiet and quite become the same word ? I'm guessing about the same time as your and you're did.
Gerry
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228 posts in 1413 days
#14 posted 1225 days ago
Nice job and design! I’ve the same sander, and would like to get one of your offcasts…..PM me!!
-- -Gerry, Hereford, AZ ” A really good woodworker knows how the hide his / her mistakes.”
FumedOak
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8 posts in 1150 days
#15 posted 1149 days ago
Great job on this dust hood. Please let me know how much you are asking for one of these. My vacuum hose is 2 1/4”. Thanks
-- famous line my wife hates to hear "we don't need to buy that. I can easily build it".
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