Clogged up extractor

[The Gent]

A bit of help required please.

I have a dust extractor not dissimilar to this one (induction motor style)

EDIT: This one seems to have a cyclone on it (which must be the thing that I am looking for) mine does not to the best of my knowledge.

http://www.ockenden-timber.co.uk/index. ... ts_id=1293

When I am using my PT this can get clogged up quite regularly. There is a grill on extractor to stop large items damaging the fan but when a high volume of shavings go through this can easily get clogged up.

Is there anything that can be done about this? Some kind of device that can be fitted to stop this or a machine modification. I guess I could remove the grill but that would increase the risk of damaging the extractor fan.

Any thoughts so that I can plane and thickness in relative peace?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[CHJ]

Is the fan Metal or Plastic ? immaterial really but does have a bearing on the risk factor regarding possible damage.

The simple answer is to remove the grill *, the only downside to doing this on my two HVLP chip collectors is that sometimes when shavings volume is high they get entangled in the vanes of the fan and have to be removed.

A word of caution, the grill also prevents hands from touching the fan, you are now the only safeguard in this respect if you remove the grill, always unplug the extractor from the supply when servicing, don't rely on the switch.

On the risk to the fan, mine has been known to digest a 50mm cube of wood and got away with it.

* alternate is a drop box or cyclone in the run.

 

[The Gent]

The fan is metal, I think that I will give it a go making a drop box or cyclone first.

Just have to see where I would fit it in my tiny shop.

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[jimi43]

Word of warning with removing the grill option....the fan can rotate for ages after power-down.

I had a whole bunch of shavings stuck in mine...which is like prison bars...and the bearings on my old system are so darn good...I didn't hear the fan rotating at all....and this was after I had taken the bag off and maybe about 20 seconds of debris removal. I put my fingers in to get the rest out and the end of the fan clipped them.

It wasn't rotating fast at this point but enough to make me jump! I am now going to remember FLOUNDER's excellent tip in the Tips and Wrinkles thread.... :mrgreen:

Jim