Take Aim at Power-Tool Sawdust

Rather than invest in shrouds and pipe connections for both my drill press and scrollsaw, I use a stand-mounted boom that adjusts to put suction just where I need it. To build the "dust cannon," I cut the post and mounting arm, as shown below. To cut the slots in the post and arm, I made several progressively deeper passes using a plunge router equipped with a 3/8" straight bit.

Next, I cut a circular lid from 3/4" plywood to fit snugly into the top of a five-gallon bucket, and cut the slot for the post as shown. I slid the lid partway up the post, and attached the post to the bottom of the bucket. Then, I filled the bucket half-way with sand, slid the lid into place, and attached it with screws.

The "barrel" is made from 3" thin-walled PVC pipe. I shaped the mounting blocks to fit the curvature of the pipe, positioned the mounting blocks and arm on top of the pipe, and then drilled a 1/4" hole through all three pieces. I attached the arm to the post with a carriage bolt, washer, and wingnut, and then bolted the pipe and mounting blocks to the arm. With a dust-collection hose clamped to the end of the pipe, I just aim my cannon at its intended target and "fire!"

--Pete Burgoyne, Wawa, Ont.

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