Bench-Top Planers----Dust Collection

[daveferg]

Future shop downsizing might require getting rid of my dust collector. It's a "must use" for my current Delta planer which will clog unless theres something sucking out the chips.

Seems I've seen bench-top planers where you can just direct the chute elbow into a trash bag/can? Am I remember wrong or is there such a system and does it work fairly well?

[BobW]

DW735

[Joel H.]

BobW said:

---

DW735

---

+1 I couldn't find the "DeWalt Dust Hood" so I made one out of lightweight canvas, shopvac hose and fittings. Works perfectly with my large plastic trash can.

Joel

[dg152]

Dave, it sounds like you've got a 22-580 planer. And, I'm assuming you already have the accessory dust chute. That chute has a 4" connection for your dust collector. Can you use a reducer and hook it up to your shop vac? I would guess that a shop vac has more than enough power to pull the chips out of your planer. Seems like it would be much less messy that shooting chips at a trash bag.

[daveferg]

Thanks for suggesting a planer I already like.

Yes, I have the Delta 580 and believe me, the accessory dust port clogs up even with a good dust collector. That and that the chute doesn't support itself and drags over the wood. The 580 gets the job done, but it's like having a hard-working, but obnoxious brother-in-law helping you on a project.

[Pirate]

When I had a PM lunchbox planer, A small 5 gallon shop vac handled the chips just fine. Filled up rather quick, without a separator!
Never used a 735 The fan assisted chip system sounds like a great idea.
My PM jointer has a chute at 1 end that, with an extra flap, fills a container fine.
If you are buying a lunchbox planer to save space, and will have it on it's own stand (moving on and off a table to use gets old) You might want to measure the base size of the stand or mobile stand, you would need for it, and compare to the stand for a stationary planer.
My 13" Rockwell RC-33 measures 19 x 20" on it's base, which would be good for a roll stand. Overall size is 20" x 24"
I would think, for a rolling base for a lunchbox planer, I would want at least 18 x 20 for stability.
Point being. A lot of 12", 13" stationary planers don't really take up much more floor space, than a lunchbox on a mobile base.

I switched from a PM lunchbox to a Boice Crane 12" planer, and after that, would never buy a lunchbox again. Then recently bought a Rockwell RC-33 13" planer and it does as fine a job as the BC, and far better than the old lunchbox.
Then there is the price factor. I just sold my Boice Crane for $300. A decent price for a plug and play BC planer.
I paid $150 for the RC-33, and It just needed to be cleaned up. I think $150 was a great price. $400 would be a decent price.
I think if you could pick up an older stationary planer for up to $400, you would be much better off than with a lunchbox. Even a shinny new one with shinny plastic covers.

Now if you shop is really small, and you need to stick the planer under a bench, or on shelf for storage, a lunchbox is the ticket.

[GeorgeBoat]

I have that delta planer and its dust chute. Dust collection was terrible until I cut out the end of the chute opposite the dust collector hose. It seems to want a big airflow to pick up the chips. This might also help with a shop vac.

[Robert Adams]

The old ridgid lunchbox which was the new steel city lunchbox works quite well for what it is. The fan will blow all the chips out if your hose falls off... Never clogs etc. I have used that delta and it clogged allot. We modified my friends like was already mentioned. The lack of a fan and the lack of enough makeup air causes it to clog.

Shop vacs tend to work well on lunchbox units. I have run a shop vac on the ridgid a few times when it was away from the dc and it worked just as well as the 4" hose.

Sears and others were selling a line of machines that had integrated fans and came with a bag to put on top of a trash can. Not a clue how well they worked.

[daveferg]

Again thanks. I've tried some of the mods to the 580----it's still worthless in the dust collection aspect. If a shop vac will work, I don't mind emptying the can as I likely won't be using the planer as much as I once did

[AHill]

I also have a 22-580. I found that putting duct tape around the interface between the dust chute and the planer helped dust collection immensely. Never had a clog since then. I'm skeptical that a shop vac can do the job. It's not so much suction, but airflow that you need. Especially if you reduce the opening to 2-1/2". Without some sort of dust collection, I think you're going to be in for a lot of cleanup. Chips will be flying both out the front and the back.