Monthly Woodshop Meeting - June 1st, 26We held our monthly woodshop group meeting this Monday to discuss current news, and have a bit of a refresher on the dust collector. There have been some issues with the dust collector not being set up properly after a bag change or a barrel level check.

A couple of notes on this:

The handle on the collection barrel has to be facing forward on the machine. It is the position that the locking handle fits over it.

The lid that moves up and down with the locking handle has to fit over the edge of the dust collection barrel.

Bags need to be untorn or taped and seated all the way to the bottom of the barrel.

If the handle is hard to close, then the lid is not positioned properly. The lid, that moves up and down with the locking handle must be OVER the edge of the barrel all the way around. You may need to wiggle the barrel around a little bit to get the proper alignment, but it is crucial for proper dust collection that the lid is over the edge of the collection barrel. As with most mechanical thing, if you need to force it or it seems hard to get in place (the locking handle in this case) then there is a high likelihood that something is not right. If you are unable to properly fit the cover over the barrel with the handle on the barrel in the proper position facing forward (facing the router table) then please see me or one of the other folks in the shop so we can help you and show you how it needs to be done.

If you have any questions about proper set up of the dust collector, please ask for guidance.