I know I’ve seen it discussed somewhere before, but I am now so tired of inhaling the dust from my trim jobs that I need to know —
Anyone have the link to a manufacturer of vacuum or the switch box that can hook up to operate when the saw kicks on??
Replies
Fein, Festool, or Porter Cable for the vacuums, Sears for the switch box.
Amateurs talk strategy, Generals talk logistics.
I got a flyer from someone the other day, I think it was woodcraft, that was advertising a two way plug deal. Stays on for a few seconds after the saw to keep the vac running.
I recently purchased the Fein vac for doing just as you described. The automatic on off works great but i am not very happy with the suction of the Fein vac, my 10 yaer old sears shop vac easily sucks up 16 penny nails and the Feins lucky to pick up a pile of sawdust.
Also depending on what chopsaw you have the hoses can be cumbersome on the sliders. works great on my 12" default non slider. But my bosch 12" slider is pretty awkward with the hose hanging off the back.
also on the bosch there dust collection inlet is junk from the get go so the vac only picks up about half of what it should.
Id check out the other vacs before you purchase the fein wish i would have before i spent the three hundred +.
You checked your filter bag lately. The fein is'nt meant to suck up construction debris. It is best suited to for tools and other 'light duty' tasks.
I researched this about five years ago. You don't need to invest in a separate actuating vac. Sears has the switch box for this very thing . Ten bucks. I've got two of them.
Thanks to all. I run a Bosch 12" and they aren't the greatest dust collectors, although most aren't excellent in that area.
I'll go to Sears and get a switch box. Amazing what you can find there sometimes. The Woodcraft site has them as I vacuum automaters, for 30.00 or so. Sears for 10.00? I'll get 2 of them, and run on my shop vac vice the Fein.
Hey Jer...I see switch strips (which I have a half a dozen of) in the Sears site but no auto type switch boxes. Are switch strips what you meant? Any links or key word? I tried "switch box" to no avail.
Thanks
andy...Creation arises, is sustained for awhile, and then things change. That’s the dance.
Maybe "auto swtich" or something like that Andy? I have a few of the Sears units for my audio system, and my PC. Unlike most of the junk at Sears lately, these actually work very well. If you can't find it I'll look at home and see if there's a cat #.
PaulB
*Here it is: http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Power+Tool+Accessories&pid=00924031000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Tool+Safety&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
Edited 10/5/2006 8:53 am ET by PaulBinCT
Thanks Paul,
So it's pretty much the same as all the power "strips" I have.
I can just plug it into the wall and keep my tools plugged in there in the on position.
A DUHHHHHHHHH...and I never thought of that???? Ohhhhhboyyyyyyy
Thats how I have my pump and wet saw connected cause the saw swith is kinda F'd up...having a dumb moment, better finish my lunch
adios ~~~
a...Creation arises, is sustained for awhile, and then things change. That’s the dance.
The Sears thing is not a power strip, but a flat grey box about 8" square and 1 1/2" high with a plug on the back and three outlets on the front. Look for it where you find table saws, not where you find computer oriented outlet strips.
It works like a charm.
The Sears thing is not a power strip, but a flat grey box about 8" square and 1 1/2" high with a plug on the back and three outlets on the front. Look for it where you find table saws, not where you find computer oriented outlet strips.It works like a charm.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Whats the differance??? The power strip has an on/off switch that shuts the entire power switch and all the tools plugged in to it on and off. Is it that the power switch turns the outlets on and off by the use of the tool rather than the button on the switch?Creation arises, is sustained for awhile, and then things change. That’s the dance.
Yes Andy...
You attach your saw to the "master" outlet and when you trigger it anything connected to the two "slave" outlets, such as your vacuum, go on. Try it, you'll like it!
PaulB
When you turn your tool on, the vacuum starts...at least that is the way my Festool works.
john
The Sears thing is not a power strip, but a flat grey box about 8" square and 1 1/2" high with a plug on the back and three outlets on the front. Look for it where you find table saws, not where you find computer oriented outlet strips.
It works like a charm.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Whats the differance??? The power strip has an on/off switch that shuts the entire power switch and all the tools plugged in to it on and off. Is it that the power switch turns the outlets on and off by the use of the tool rather than the button on the switch?
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I dunno how long a switch on an outlet strip is going to stand up to the current draw of a big saw and vaccum, which may spike up to 20 amps on initial startup. I know that my saw runs slow for a moment until the vac's turn on power surge declines.
This thing also has the advantage of sitting on the floor, out of the way and does not need to be accessed by the operator. One less thing to fiddle with.
Not that an outlet strip won't work, it will. At least for a while, depending on ..... This thing is just a nice, easy little accessory.
Numerous studies have confirmed that multiple options exist to relieve a cat of it's exterior cover, ya know?
Several others have answered your question. What may be misleading is when you look at the Sears Auto switch you see the on/off switch. IIRC it controls the two lower outlets that are activated when the top one (always on) senses current use. I have found that some small sanders and other tools do not draw enough to trip the relay. I guess you would call the top one master and the other two slaves.
I really enjoyed it hooked up to the Ridgid vac that looks like a big tool box and my PC325 saw when useing my EZ guide. Before I got the switch I just used my foot to hit that oversize vac switch.
Shoeman was talking about draw and that sure is something to consider. Most table saws are pretty well loading the standard 15A receptacle without even considering a vac with enough azz to get the dust from a TS.
I bought the Sears switch box many years ago after deciding a Fein vac was beyond my budget.
Yes, it is rated for 15-amps and it works.
Anyway, I used it with a chop saw and shopvac combination.These days I use a Festo plunge cut saw and vac.Fein and Festo tool actuated vacs are designed for smaller diameter hoses hooked up to their tools for sucking up fine dust at high velocity.Don't expect them to have the same powerful suction as the big shop vacs when using 2" hoses.For debris cleanup the big shop vacs are hard to beat.
I was just in Sears hardware today and it's called "Automatic Power Switch" and the item # is 24031. It costs $19.95, I thought it was only $10.
They're really great because you can plug in more than one item to come on when the tool is turned on to operate. When I have any kind of sizeable trim job to do (often), I set up my scms with a goosneck light over the cut area and the shop vac attached to the dust port. I have another one for the field table saw. Good luck.
Edit back link removed.
Edited 10/6/2006 8:19 pm by BillHartmann
Those sites keep giving the emailing box instead of a catalogue item.
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John RuskinAndrew Clifford of Clifford Renovations, who serves as a steward of our history for future generationsWe can imagine something that only exists in our heads, in a form that has no measurable, tangible reality, and make it actually occur in the real world. Where there was nothing, now there is something.Forrest - makin' magic every day
Paul's edited one has the right link.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Power+Tool+Accessories&pid=00924031000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Tool+Safety&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
By the way the rating on the back is 15amps.
Edited 10/6/2006 5:39 pm ET by rasconc
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"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John RuskinAndrew Clifford of Clifford Renovations, who serves as a steward of our history for future generationsWe can imagine something that only exists in our heads, in a form that has no measurable, tangible reality, and make it actually occur in the real world. Where there was nothing, now there is something.Forrest - makin' magic every day
Weather you get the swithed outlet or the tool actuated vac - you may want to check out what kind of draw they are rated for.
A friend burnt out a Craftsman tool acutated vac, by plugging in his table saw.
I have a small Ridgid tool acutated vac that is not rated high enough for my table saw.
I also have a Porter Cable tool actuated vac that is not rated high enough for my table saw.
I bought a Fien tool actuated vac as it had the highest amp draw rating.
Just something worth checking - depending on what you are using it for.
Thanks for the info, I actually started using the Sears outlet today with a large ShopVac on my miter saw. Seemed to do ok, still doesn't get it all but it helps.
My brother added an outlet to the side of my Bosch jobsite saw, just a regular old duplex outlet in a plastic old work box. I'm not sure exactly how he wired it, but I plug my cheap Rigid vacuum into it and when I turn the saw on the vacuum comes on too. It's had heavy use for two years with no problems.
That is pretty clever. I have not looked at your particular saw but my Ridgid has the remote switch box on the rail and it feeds from the hot side of the switch to the motor. I would guess he inserted the receptacle just after the switch in parallel.
I have been looking at wiring up my dust collection system in a similar way using a contactor ( 240 with 120 switching voltage) to power the DC and use a setup like this.