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General Category => Tutorials, Techniques and Tips => Topic started by: TripleB on March 08, 2011, 04:01:37 pm
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I bought my saw used and the blower didn't work, the diaphragm is bad, so I found a little personal fan at Wallmart for $6.00 and this is what I ended up with. It works surprisingly well as long as your saw doesn't vibrate too much...You might want to wear an apron or a work shirt as the dust does tend to blow back on you.
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Some of the folks on this forum have recomended using a fish tank air pump in place of the saws blower when it breaks. I bought one at PETCO which came with all the tubing and zip-tied it to my saw using the existing flexible nozzle and it works great.
Hope this helps, and good luck.
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Drat went back to look at the photo again and lost all I had written.
My thought was you could make a swivel arm to mount the fan on, that you could swing away or back to you as needed. Cut a piece long enough and strong enough to support the fan. Drill a hole through it and the board you have zip tied to the saw. Use a bolt with a couple of flat washers and a NYLOCK nut to mount it and keep it from coming loose. You would want to snug it up enough for friction to keep it where you placed it. Should be handy too when the weather warms up even if you get an aquarium pump. Grin!
Gabby
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It needs to blow from the side or over your shoulder to keep the dust off you. I have a fan the blows from behind me to keep me cool and help direct more dust into the hood I made to keep dust from my shop. The aquarium pump works great too. :)
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What size pump did you buy. Mine is too small and don't do much. Paid 12 bucks for it.
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I bought the 40 gal. one ( I think). It has 2 outlet, so I used both outlets and used a "T" fitting to merge them into one. Hope this helps.
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using a fish tank air pump
*thumps up*
yep, that's best. I use one too (smallest one available is enough). Mounted some silicon tube at the arm and a small pipe at the front. It works really good.
I also dismounted the original dust blower - this made my saw a lot quieter.
regards
Torsten
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I to use an aquariumpump just because I found my saw did not have enough blowing power. Attached it to the original nozzle and it works great. Use the tetratec APS 100, if in the tank it would work for a 50-100 l tank not sure what that would be in gallons.
David
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This is how it looks on my saw:
(http://www.torsten-harms.de/holz/div/dustblower.jpg)
A small fish tank pump behind my saw, the tubing ends in a pipe at the front. Simple & effective. The pump starts when I switch on power and stops when I leave my shop. They are build for permanent run - so I don't care.
The gray cap on the top of the saw is where the original bellows was mounted. I dismounted it completely.
regards
Torsten
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The idea behind using an aquarium pump to replace the original equipment is ingenious. I guess a scroller is not only an artist, but also part engineer.
Louis
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Louis, in that, you are absolutely correct!
Graybeard's theory of "Pragmatic Engineering"...If it works when I get done and does what I want it to do I must have done a good job!
We all have little things we 'engineer' for our own use and this is a great place to show others HOW we solved a problem!
~~~GB~~~
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At wal-MArt they sell a fish tank pump for a 30-60 gallon tank for 22 bucks you may want to see if yours is selling it there and if so grab one and hook it up.
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I tried the one from Wal Mart and it wasn't strong enough. I "blow" better than it did. ;D
Need to find my way to a pet store and see if I can't find one with a little more power. I have learned that I can't cut and have candy in my mouth at the same time and try and blow away the dust !!
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Marion, are you challenged by trying to walk and chew gum too?
snicker
Gabby
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Marion that goes along with trying to smoke a cigar while wearing a dust mask...
It just don't work!
~~~GB~~~
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Bought a 80 gal pump yesterday at Petsmart ... my project for today is to see if it works .. one of my biggest problems is that I can't see to cut with my contacts so I wear my glasses .. then I can't see with my glasses so I take them off and lay them down ... then I have to go put my contacts in to see when I put my glasses !!!!! This getting old is not that great !!
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Hey Marion I'll bet you're near sighted. I wear contacts too 50 years worth, then I have 2 pair of reading glasses from the drug store, a strong pair for reading and close work, and another pair for the computer so I can read the monitor. Got a pair of glasses for emergency's from the optometrist with the graduated grind for near and far, they suck, I go around bobing my head like a chicken, trying to find the sweet spot so I can see. I have one of those lighted magnifying inspection lamps for scrolling. With that I can see the fuzz on a frog's bu- er posterior. LOL
Gabby
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All set ... the blower is working out great. I want a magnifying lamp, but Harbor Freight is out of them at this time so need to find somewhere else to get one.
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Magnifier lamps.
Check this link out. I've had good service from Amazon, several different models on this page.
Gabby
http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Lighted-Magnifying-Daylight-Clamp/dp/B0009VU81Q
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I mounted a IKEA-LED lamp to a shelf (also IKEA :-/ ) above my saw. When mounting it to the sawtable itself, the light was shaking and making it a stroboscope kind of action :-(
regards
Torsten