Comments on: Whatever Happened To Sweeping?

By: james b

james b — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:45:03 +0000

You gotta cut the corners off of that style blast gate, and they work great. The corners get sawdust built up and won’t close completely. Lift the gate up, saw a 3/4″ width off the corner, then when it closes the still square gate pushes the sawdust out of the cut every time it is closed.

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:41:05 +0000

In my lazy world I’d mount the blast gate high enough off the floor so I didn’t have to bend over to open it! (maybe that’s why my gut continues to grow)

By: Mrten

Mrten — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:12:27 +0000

Only appropriate for large(r) chips like the ones make with chiseling, sweeping sawdust to the gate will send up a lot into the air (and your lungs). Better get the vacuum to clean up the finer particles.

By: BC

BC — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:38:51 +0000

I’m also not a big fan of blast gates - every one I’ve ever owned has leaked and made noise.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:18:35 +0000

Be sure that the dust collector is designed to take the kind of stuff that is being swept: you don’t want contact with a rotating fan blade to turn offcuts into projectiles.

By: Greg A.

Greg A. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:09:47 +0000

I’ve installed and used these before and their great, as long as you make sure they are secured properly and flush to the ground, otherwise they become more trouble than they are worth.

By: Wayne D.

Wayne D. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:58:55 +0000

These are great. My High School wood shop had something like this in the corners. Made cleanup real quick.