Dust Collector Quick connects (Homemade)

[RPE1]

I finally got my dust collector all reinstalled after our move. It only took four years.
I have a PennState Tempest. An older cyclone with a LongRanger III. Has seen very little use. I have four drops. I must share the drops with many machines. Has anyone made a quick disconnect? I will have a gate on the drop and then a length of hose. On the machine I will have a length of hose. I'd like to make some sort of a slide in, magnetic or even velcro method of quickly joining the hoses together.
The emphasis on quickly and easy. Because if it isn't, I won't use it.
Does anyone have any ideas or experience doing this?
I was thinking of MDF mating surfaces with rare earth magnets or velco (which I have a bunch of). Only thing about Velcro might be air leaks.
Thanks for any ideas or directions to solutions.
RP

[Ohio Mike]

I'm not sure how much trouble you want to go to..... but this is what I did:

You could terminate the flex hoses with male and female PVC connectors.

My DC system is made of thin wall PVC. So I made a PVC adapter that is regular diameter on one end and reduced diameter on the other end to fit a flex hose.

In my experience, PVC connections like this hold very well for temporary hookups.



First I turned an appropriately sized wooden mold on my mini lathe:



I secured a piece of PVC on the mold with a few 3/4" screws:



Then heated the PVC with a combination of a heat gun and my gas grill set on low. I did this out in the driveway.



Hose clamps easily make the PVC fit the mold once the plastic has softened.



I trimmed off the excess on the bandsaw:



Here's the quick coupler in use:



Mike

[RPE1]

What a great idea!
Thanks for posting

RP

[Splinter Puller]

I usually bandsaw a slice in a section of PVC so that is can be reduced in diameter enough to fit inside the hose or another pipe. Same with fitings. bandsaw multiple kerfs in one side of a coupler and it can then be expanded enough to fit over hose. Gorilla tape seals it up nicely.

[kurt18947]

I did a PVC trick but I use 6" flex hose. It turns out that a 6 X 4 PVC reducer will fit flex hose on the inside of the reducer and I use 4" 'nipples' on the dust port of the machines. The 4" end of the PVC reducer will fit snugly over the 4" 'nipples'. Works well, easy and fairly inexpensive. I've cut slots in the end of the 'nipple' if necessary so the reducer fits over the 'nipple' easily.

[mike4244]

Here is another idea to ponder if you have many drops. I made a manifold that takes 4 hoses and easily closes off all but the one in use.
The manifold is a plywood box about 24" long and 10" square.
I installed five 3" PVC toilet flanges after cutting the holes for the hoses.The fifth hole and flange goes to the dust collector.I also cut slots for a damper from 1/4" masonite that slides down and blocks off the holes not used.The toilet flanges take 4" hose nicely.I have a hose clamp on them as I do not have to move the collector hose at all. Just slip 3 masonite dampers in their slots to block off the vacuum.
Maybe this method will work for others.

mike

[Mr_Mike]

For smaller tools like the router table and drill press, I use thetford RV quick disconnects and slinky hose. Works well.