Can someone tell me 'Why?'

[REFFI]

My shop consists of my driveway and about half my garage.  All my power equipment is on wheels.  I must, perforce, connect to my dust collector with flexible hoses  Why is it that the fittings I buy to make my various connections don't fit, even if I buy them from the same vendor?  I recently purchased a garbage can lid type separator.  It consists of two pieces (the lid and an elbow), presumably from the same manufacturer.  The elbow wouldn't stay in the lid!  I had to put layers of painter's tape around the fitting to get it to defy the force of gravity inside the garbage can.  I've had the same, or similar, problems with other pieces of my equipment in both 4" and 2 1/2" sizes.  I'm tired of turning on the collector, then the tool and watching the hose drop blithely to the ground.  Does anybody have a reliable solution, short of glue or screws?

[Dave H]

I'm pretty sure everyone has a similar tale to tell. I have the fittings that work for me now sand paper is the answer for to tight a fit just a mater of elbow grease. To loose the fix I used is a plumbing boot a rubber sleeve with hose clamps  

Home Depot plumbing section also I've used PVC plumbing pipe and fittings you just have to be creative and try not to throw a hammer at the wall ( don't ask me how I know this ).

[Pixxture]

I have used Rocklers dust rite connectors, combined with their small tool dust accessories.  I have had great luck with them.  I have used them for 2 years now, no breakage, no hoses falling out.  They fit all of my round dust collection ports (except my hitachi miter saw).  To adapt the small tool accessories to my vacuum I need the plumbing adapter shown by higtron.  

I had tried the fazlok system from Woodworkers supply.  Liked the quality better than Rocklers but the fazlok “system” is very incomplete, very few of my machines fit it. 

With regards to that garbage can lid, I bought a similar thing from Grizzly,  same issue you had, took tons of tape to stop the air leaks.  Don’t know why it is so hard to make a garbage can lid that doesn't leak air.

[REFFI]

The hose-clamped fittings imply a level of permanency.  I have to change hoses from machine to machine.  Fortuitously, none are too tight, they all seem to have some degree of "looseness."  I have the Rockler small tool hose and I had to 'pad' my PC sander to get a snug enough fit, but it does work well for it, my belt sander, and my Leigh router jig dust collector attachment.  It's the big (ger) fittings that are the problem.  By the way, my garbage can top from Woodcraft seals very well around the rim with a foam ring.  My only problem with it has been the inner elbow kept falling out of the lid fitting.  I've fixed it with tape, for now, but, since that is the only use for that elbow, I may just put a couple of self-tapping screws for a 'final solution.'

 

[Wimayo]

Those fittings are usually tapered a bit and they wedge themselves together with a push and a twist. I bought some new ones some years ago that, like yours, would not stay together. I finally discovered that I could my heat gun to warm (Be careful. Don't over do it) the female member of each pair and then gently press them together with a gentle twist. This reshaped them just enough that they would then stay put.

[Just Bob]

3 hours ago, REFFI said:

Does anybody have a reliable solution, short of glue or screws?

I saw these being used by Marc in one of his videos, https://magport.net/

Now they are on my list because they look like they are well worth the money.  

[Coop]

I’ve yet to find a connection on the “big stuff” that Rockler couldn’t resolve. For the small stuff like the ros, I finally spent the bucks with Festool and have never looked back. 

[Chet]

1 hour ago, Just Bob said:

I saw these being used by Marc in one of his videos, https://magport.net/

I saw the same video... I think it was his most recent shop tour video and if I was in Reffi's situation I would take a serious look at these.

[G Ragatz]

12 hours ago, REFFI said:

The hose-clamped fittings imply a level of permanency.  I have to change hoses from machine to machine.  Fortuitously, none are too tight, they all seem to have some degree of "looseness."  I have the Rockler small tool hose and I had to 'pad' my PC sander to get a snug enough fit, but it does work well for it, my belt sander, and my Leigh router jig dust collector attachment.  It's the big (ger) fittings that are the problem.  By the way, my garbage can top from Woodcraft seals very well around the rim with a foam ring.  My only problem with it has been the inner elbow kept falling out of the lid fitting.  I've fixed it with tape, for now, but, since that is the only use for that elbow, I may just put a couple of self-tapping screws for a 'final solution.'

 

Like you, all my tools are mobile, and I attach/detach dust collection (a shop-vac with Dustopper or a small Delta dust collector with a Super Dust Deputy) machine by machine.  It IS frustrating that there isn't better standardization in the dust collection world, but I've managed to find workable solutions for everything in my shop.

I use the type of fitting @higtron suggests on my bench-top jointer and bench-top band saw.  I have them set up as a "permanent" attachment to the tool, and have tightened the other clamp just enough to provide a snug fit for a shop-vac sized hose - works pretty well for me.

I also have a set of the Rockler small-port adapters, as well as their "Quick Change Multi-Port" set.  Finally, I have a shop-vac adapter kit from Ridgid:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-Hose-Diameter-Adapter-Kit-for-Wet-Dry-Vacs-3-Piece-VT1755/202077239

With this collection, I have a (relatively) easy-on/easy-off connection for all of my tools.  The tough part is remembering which adapter I need for each tool - need to figure out a labeling system someday... 

[Minnesota Steve]

I've used a number of Rockler adapters... the dustright quick connects from Rockler work pretty well.

The only thing I don't like is that they tend to stick out the tool a fair bit which can get in the way at times when moving them around.

And yes it means you have to semi-permanently attach a fitting on every single tool, which adds up as they're like $10/each.

 

Oh and when all that fails, I've had good luck with Gorilla brand duck tape.   The stickem allows you to pull the tape off if needed, unlike regular duck tape.

[JohnG]

I almost created a thread a couple weeks ago to vent my frustration with the dust collection fitting industry. It seems that each company does their own thing and you can’t count on anything being standard or consistent. None of the fittings I’ve seen advertise whether the size listed is the ID or OD so you are left guessing how the company chose to make it on that certain day. My table saw has a 2.5” port so I bought a 4” to 2.5” reducer and it didn’t fit, I had to buy the 4” to 2.25” to make it work. My dust collector has a 5” inlet so I bought a 5” to 4” reducer so that I could remove the split, and that didn’t fit. Some hoses are right-hand spiral and some are left-hand. There’s got to be a better way. 

 

[REFFI]

Thanks for the input.  Harbor Freight currently has a heat gun on sale.  That may be my answer.  As to a Festool, I'm retired and my income/budget would never have that kind of wiggle room.  My brother-in-law came to visit this past summer and he brought his Domino with him so I could use it on a project that has been stalled due to my need for the Domino. (Long story, shortened:  I was building a table in a wood working class when a small disaster (not caused by me, but by school personnel moving my project haphazardly) greatly slowed the progress of my project.  Corrective surgery on the project resulted in the semester running out with the project unfinished.  I can't repeat the class, but I can spend $350 to take a non-focused class where I would have access to a Domino, but that seems a little steep for 16 mortises.  Hence, the brother-in-law solution.  I'll watch the video link and see if any inspiration resides there.  Thanks to all.

[Mark J]

@REFFI, I share your pain, too.  Somewhere on the forum I have a post where I had to mount a DC fitting on the lathe and turn down the ID.  I also made a 4 to 2.5" adapter out of a 1 quart yogurt carton.  Shouldn't have to do these things, but your ingenuity will prevail.

On the more general subject of connecting and disconnecting machines I put those Dust Right quick connects on all my machines.  This is a more expensive solution as you have to buy a hose and quick connect for each machine rather than just one to share between machines, but I no longer have to clamber on the floor behind equipment or under outfeed tables to connect machines.  And I can see at a glance what machine is connected.

[curlyoak]

If you need to add tape that is easy. If the connection is too tight tape won't help....Adding tape if you start out close, will allow you to dial in the right amount of tape. I'd hate to grind a fitting...