Dust extractor autostart

Depending on the voltage and current draw you may be able to get away with a Sears Craftsman Auto Switch. See:

This is clearly designed for the UK/Irish market, but I'm guessing it's probably available in a form suitable for left-pondian electricity too somewhere.

Bill as I see it you have three options other than buying a purpose made item such as that already suggested from Axminster.

1] If you need the 10sec delay, which for Lathe Work in my opinion is not neccessary, if you really need a delay why not just stand back and admire your work for 10sec before hitting the switch, then you can get a Timer such as an "Off Delay / Constant Supply" or a "True Off Delay" but these are generally available with ACII Contact Ratings of only 3/4Amps so you will require a suitabley rated Contactor to actually switch the Motor.

2] You can use the live feed from the NVR Switch on the Lathe to Power the Dust Extractor? but only if the NVR Switch is rated to the Total Amperage of both the Lathe + the Extractor.

3] Again by using the live feed from the NVR to control a Contactor, rated to suit the Extractor, you can switch both units on and off from the Lathe.

I have used this method and it works fine for me, the only addition is I have an on/off switch in the live to the Contactor so I can overide the auto on/off of the Extractor.

I have also done the same with my Bandsaw and its Extractor.

Richard

BillR wrote:

I know this isn't what you asked for, but I use one of those wireless remotes for my dc. It's a three part system, the little remote unit (tied to some of that orange high visibility tape so it is easy to find), a receiver that plugs into a nearby wall socket, and a unit that switches the collector on and off. This has the advantage that I can use it at the lathe, bandsaw, buffer, or any other machine I add in the future.

That's it. I'm in the UK.

I had my elbow on the Axminster catalogue when I typed the original post. So near yet so far.

BillR

See inserts below.

Not to fussed about having a delay. I figured that if I knew how the device worked and had to build one I could build a RC circuit to hold the contactor/relay in for some time after the power went off.

I like your thinking. Didn't want to do this as I would have to go inside the lathe and intercept the feed to the motor.

The link on Alun's post indicates that the unit senses the magnetic field when current flows in the circuit. Something in the back of my memory says Hall Effect (college 40 years ago). I will have to investigate, if only out of curiosity.

See reply to 2]

Thanks for your reply.

Also your site is great. I would recommend any woodturner to take a look. With 82 hints & tips (or was that last week) there has to be something there for everyone.

I should have guessed from the (correct!) spelling of "neighbour" :)

As a general note, it's always a good idea to state where (i.e. what country) you're located when asking questions like these, especially when your email address, fake or otherwise, doesn't give any clues.

Here in the USA, there is a readily available relay controller that senses current and can do this with ease. It SHOULD be around for y'all too, although I suspect it would be an item from a "real" electrical supply house - not one that caters to the typical home owner. Fine Woodworking magazine (I think)- had an article on wiring up this circuit within the past couple of years. It is pretty simple to do, actually, but, as with all things electrical requires a certain amount of care and attention to detail. As I recall the sensor is not all that expensive - $70 or so. In short - you run the hot leg of the circuit for your tool through a donut coil on the sensor block. You attach a relay of appropriate capacity to the control outlets of the sensor block. You then hook the dust collector up to the power, through the relay. When you turn on the tool, the sensor sees the current flow, and automatically switches on the dust collector. I believe that some models will also allow you to specify a short delay for on/off, to ensure that both the electrical load is lowered, and, the last of the chips will get pulled away when the working machine is turned off. I have considered this for my shop, but, at the moment it is sitting in the "projects it would be NICE to do" bin. A lack of time and money and the fact that I have wired the switch for the dust collector in a very handy spot has made it less urgent. Actually, when woodworking in the shop, I tend to simply turn the collector on and let it run the entire time I am making dust. I find that not only does it do a great job of picking up the immediately created sawdust, but, it keeps the air cleaner in the process - and that makes finishing the project a happier and easier process. Regards Dave Mundt

Sears sells a switch for this purpose called an autoswitch.

It's only for 110V though and works well with my shop vac and saw. I have not tried it on my HF DC yet as I have not run the duct yet so do not know if the load will be too much for both on the same circuit. Chuck

BillR wrote: : My neighbour had a tradesman come round to fit some doors. He had a hand : planer and a vacuum cleaner. The planer plugged into a socket on the vacuum : . When he switched the planer on the vacuum came on also - when the planer : was switched off the vacuum ran for 10 secs and switched itself off.

Probably the Fein model III.

: This sound like a good idea to adapt to my dust extractor and lathe. I can't : figure out how to do it and don't know what the device was called, so that I : can 'google' it.

: Does anyone have a circuit diagram or know how such a device works?

Woodwork magazine had an articleon setting up your own system -- this was about a year ago -- check their site at

Just checked -- it's the Feb. 05 issue. There was also a followup in the next issue on some parts numbers that weren't in the original.

You can also buy a system from Oneida Air, I think it's called Eco-Gate.

-- Andy Barss

Thanksfor reply. See inserts below.

I tried multiple coils (20) of thin wire around the hot leg of the circuit but couldn't detect any voltage. I figured that the field generated by the hot wire was perpendicular to my coil wires and should have been in parallel as they are in a transformer.

Your description has given me an idea. I think I can find a toroid on an old circuit board and make a simple transformer which will give me better coupling. If I can get any volts out I'm OK with the relay side of it.

Why would I bother doing this? It would be nice to have but not worth buying at the prices they are charging in the UK. If I get it to work I will post a solution.

It should be easier in the USA as I see from other posts that you have twice the current flowing in your circuit (110V vs 230V).