Accessory review: Long Ranger Multigate Switch System

When I overhauled my dust collection ductwork recently, I bit the bullet and added the Long Ranger Multigate Switch System. Part of the overhaul was to relocate the collector to a better overall position, but it ended up being a hike for some tools. I could use the exercise anyway, so saving a few steps isn’t the biggest benefit of the system. What I really like is that I no longer need to survey the shop to find which gate (or gates) was last left open, and close that one before opening the one that I want now. The collector only shuts off when all gates are closed.

Quality: Some of the gate plates didn’t slide well out of the box, but that’s easy to deal with. The gates seem to be essentially the standard aluminum gates that everyone sells, but with a microswitch added in. On one of my gates, the microswitch intermittently sticks open. I put this on a seldom used run rather than hassle with exchanging it. The main outlet box seems of reasonable quality, but doesn’t include an easy method of wall-mounting. Even with these issues, I’d buy the product again.

The starter kit comes with the outlet box, one gate, and 100’ of hook-up wire. The gates sell individually for a buck or two more than the standard gates. Given that you have to buy gates anyway, this is a cheap upgrade to your dust collection system.

-- Dave J. Oakdale, MN