Last week, we introduced Rockler’s Dust Right dust collection components. This new system of integrated fittings and attachments is designed with the hobbyist woodworker’s dust collection needs specifically in mind, and we think has the potential to become the standard in smaller woodshops everywhere. This week, we’d like to direct your attention to the Dust Right system’s perfect companion: The Rockler Wall Mount Dust Collector. This portable dust containment solution offers true dust moving power in a uniquely compact and affordable package.

We say “true” dust and debris moving power to emphasize an important point, namely that a dust collector and a shop vacuum are not two “sizes” of the same thing. In a quest to find an affordable, compact solution to their wood dust woes, woodworkers time and time again test the fact, only to find that even the best  shop vac simply isn’t up to the task of keeping up with almost any piece of stationary woodworking equipment. 

The reason is a matter of physics. While these two types of machine do essentially the same thing, they do it in fundamentally different ways. A vacuum is designed to create a high level of suction – enough to compensate for a low volume of air movement and sufficient to keep small amounts of debris moving through the narrow space of a vacuum hose. By contrast, a dust collector uses a powerful induction motor to move comparatively huge volumes of air through much larger ductwork or dust collection hose at a sufficient speed to keep dust and debris aloft and on its way.

But there’s more to it than that. In designing dust collection systems, woodworkers confront another bare fact of physics: the effect of friction on air movement. Long runs of ductwork, changes in air flow direction and steps down in the pipe diameter can quickly reduce a hefty volume of air movement to a trickle. The answer in commercial shops is simply to design a system of ductwork as logically and efficiently as possible and then throw at it whatever air moving power is necessary. Not all of us have that luxury. With steps up in air moving capacity come commensurate steps in cost, electrical power requirements, noise, and demands on precious shop space.

Instead, many small-shop owners opt to bring dust collection to each machine only when they are using it. Hooking up to each machine individually using a shorter, single run of dust hose allows them to use a smaller, less expensive portable dust collector, without sacrificing the air volume necessary to service stationary woodworking equipment. In exchange for the small amount of work involved in moving the dust hose connection from tool to tool – a task the Dust Right system greatly simplifies – they are rewarded with more shop space, less cost, less noise and reduced power demands.

The Wall Mount Dust Collector is simply the next step in this move toward compact, efficient dust collection. At 50 lbs. it’s one of the lightest on the market. Its low-profile wall mount design gives it the smallest footprint attainable for a machine powerful enough to service typical stationary woodworking tools. In a typical hobbyist woodshop, the unit is more than up to the task of servicing a core group of tools from a single up-and-out-of-the-way location. Given reasonably short runs of  4” dust hose, its 650 cfm capacity will provide ample air movement for all but the most industrial-sized power tools. And for larger shops or more remotely located tools, a tool-free z-bracket mounting system makes moving the Wall Mount Dust Collector from location to location not only possible, but a simple matter.

Together, the Wall Mount Dust Collector and the new Dust Right system of components make up an ideal dust management system for smaller shops. With the Dust Right’s tool-free dust ports, moving dust collection from one machine to the next takes only a couple of seconds. An integrated floor sweep and bench nozzle let you apply your dust collector’s powerful air moving capacity to the shop floor and other surfaces with equal ease. And with the wall mount Spring Clips included in the Dust Right Master system, you’ll be able to keep the whole works up organized and out of the way.

Better still, you can have the whole system – the Wall Mount Dust Collector, hose and a complete set of Dust Right components – for less than you could easily spend on a dust collector alone. Together, the Wall Mount Dust Collector and Dust Right system are our answer to a call for a dust management solution that makes sense for small woodshops. And considering cost, versatility, compactness, and self-containment, we feel confident that we’ve met the challenge with exceptional success.

Over the past several years, woodworkers in greater and greater numbers have started taking woodshop dust control seriously. As this new health and safety awareness has spread, we’ve seen the demand for dust collectors and dust collection equipment grow exponentially. To keep up, we’ve greatly expanded our selection of dust containment tools, adding everything from a range of dust collectors to specialized dust ports and fittings.

In doing so we’ve paid special attention to our core constituents - hobbyists and small-shop owners who may not have the need (or funds) to call in a consultant and set up an industrial-class system. In keeping with that, we’re proud to introduce Dust Right™, a new system of integrated components that we think has the potential to revolutionize dust control in shops on the more compact end of the spectrum.

The Dust Right system is really about appropriate dust collection. In a one or two-person shop, hooking up dedicated dust collection to every single tool on the floor and powering the system with a giant cyclone can be a cumbersome, expensive and unnecessary enterprise. With the ever-broadening variety of small to intermediately-sized portable dust collectors available, moving portable dust collection from tool to tool is now the most sensible solution in a great many cases.

The Dust Right system, with its easy-to-attach tool ports and quick-connect fittings, is designed to make tool-to-tool portable dust collection as efficient and hassle-free as possible. Beyond that, the Dust Right system lets you harness the air and debris moving capacity of your dust collector for use in cleaning up the floor, your bench top, and any out of the way crevice in your shop. With its easy-to-connect floor sweeps and bench nozzles, large port sizes, 4” diameter wand and dust collector-class air volume, the Dust Right system will make piles of shavings and debris that would choke even the best shop vacuum disappear in an instant.

We’re excited about the Dust Right system, and about the way we expect it to interface with both the needs of the weekend woodworker and the equipment already out there in countless shops. And we’re not stopping there. In the near future, look for other small shop solutions, like an affordable wall-mount dust collector designed to maximize precious shop space. In the mean time, to help you see how much sense this all makes, here’s more on the Dust Right system (from a recent press release):
 
The new Dust Right™ accessories center around a hard plastic handle component that connects to 4" hose, linking it to the dust collector. The handle/hose assembly then fits over the other Dust Right accessories (including attachments for cleaning floors, benchtops, and more) to eliminate dust — instead of simply pushing it around — and fully utilize the dust-collection systems most woodworkers already own.

“When you put a 3/4 or one-horsepower system behind 4" hose and these wide accessories,” said Dan Banasik, a Rockler product developer, “the volume of air-flow is so much greater than anything a shop vac can generate—it's really amazing. Dust just disappears.”

In addition to strong suction, the Dust Right accessories provide unprecedented convenience. Just slide the handle over the Extension Wand and Floor-Sweep to clean floors in seconds. Connect the Bench Nozzle and make quick-work of messy surfaces. And with Tool Ports attached directly to table saws, jointers and other power tools, controlling dust while working is as easy as moving the handle from tool to tool. Plus, when you’re not using them, the accessories stay out the way on wall-mounted spring clips.

“This system allows you to clean your shop so easily, and in so little time that it stops being a hassle,” said Banasik, “It’s even kind of fun.”

If you’re like many turners, the mainstay of your turning stock is chosen from species that are readily available in your area. That makes perfect sense. Many of the best turning projects start out with a trip to the scrap bin or a nearby grove of trees.  But just in case you have a mind to broaden your turning stock horizons, we want you to know that Rockler has you covered like never before. Over the last year or so we’ve greatly expanded our selection of exotic and domestic turning blanks, all of which are selected and prepared with specific lumber needs of a woodturner in mind. Here are a few departures to consider:

East Indian Rosewood is a current favorite turning stock choice. An extremely dense and hard wood it makes an excellent choice for work with fine detail. The heartwood is generally purplish-brown with darker streaks that add figure. If it has a down side, it’s that it’s a little on the abrasive side and not as tool-friendly as some other species. But most turners find a little extra tool honing time a reasonable tradeoff for the rich color and exceptional polish-ability. Like most of the turning blank species Rockler offers, East Indian Rosewood is available in sizes suitable for everything from table legs to serving-sized bowls. Rosewood blanks we’ve seen go out the door have received excellent marks in our customer reviews, and are finding a home in everything from hand planes to pepper mills.

Cocobolo, another rosewood cousin, is a long-time turning stock favorite. An ideal turning candidate, Cocobolo is prized for its almost unparalleled luster, its distinctive grain pattern and its exceptional color scheme, which includes a spectrum of red, orange and yellow tones punctuated by darker streaks.  An extremely hard and durable wood, the species is a great choice both for detailed work, and for any finished product that will have to stand up to a hard use. Cocobolo is a very oily wood and is essentially waterproof, making it a popular material for cutlery handles, bowls and anything else that will meet regularly with water.  Cocobolo turning blanks are also receiving praise from our customers in reviews like these:

"One of the most beautiful pieces of wood that I have ever seen. Will be definitely ordering more of your woods."

Richard Brooks, from Eatonton, GA

"This stick lived up to its reputation-Beautiful. I am surprised to see a company that seems to specialize in tools, etc. can offer such exceptional quality!"

James Fay, from Norfolk, MA

"A great looking piece of wood."

Robert P. Giese, from Bedford, WY

Black Palm is another species you won’t find stacked near the two-by-fours at you local building materials supplier. A knockout to look at, Black palm gives the appearance of a deep brown background overlaid with darker flecks or streaks that shine with an orange translucency in bright light. The end grain offers a completely different and equally striking effect, a unique speckled appearance that is sometimes likened to lizard skin. Tight grained and stable, Black Palm is an excellent candidate for small ornamental projects where an exceptional visual effect is the goal. Take, for example, the pen you see below. This remarkable specimen was turned by a Rockler customer who was kind enough to send us the image along with the following review:

"I will very highly recommend the Black Palm Turning stock from Rockler, The stock turned very easily on my Lathe and came out looking great. Thanks again Rockler for the great service and speedy service."

(Image and review submitted by Raymond E. James, from Morehead, KY)

Of course, when you’re picking out turning stock, you don’t necessarily have to choose wood. For a truly unusual turning experience, try your hand at a Banksia Pod. These otherworldly looking things are actually the seed pod of the Banksia tree, an evergreen native to Australia. Popular for use in everything jewelry to knife handles, Banksia nuts (as they are alternatively called) are remarkable for the multiple voids that radiate from their center. The pods turn readily – although they can be a little on the dusty side – and have an interior color similar the walnut burl and a figure that resembles bird’s eye.

Other out of the way turning stock options include Pink Ivory, Black and White Ebony, Pau Ferro, Tamboti, and African Blackwood (to name just a few). A great way to find out which ones you like best is to take a tour of some of the most popular exotic turning woods with a 20 piece or 48 piece Exotic Turning Blank Assortment.  If pen turning is your game, you’ll find a huge selection of pen blanks here at Rockler, including a number of interesting and unusual acrylic and Inlace Acrylester man-made blanks. On the other hand, if you’re just looking for good old fashioned domestic turning stock, you’ll find a variety of sized or ready to turn blanks in all of the most common domestic species.

Or, maybe you’ve been meaning to try the all time classic turning project: a baseball bat. We’ve got hand-selected Baseball Bat Blanks in Ash and Maple that are all ready the lathe. To give you an idea of how that might turn out - for you and perhaps some (other?) lucky kid – we’ll leave you with this sample from our bat blank customer reviews:

"My son needed to do a woods shop project. He is very big in baseball so it was a baseball bat he chose. The wood was great to work with he is very proud of the bat it is on display at his school ‘til the end of the school year. He has taken it outside and tried it out - works GREAT. It came very fast, very nice bat blank finally produce can out great thanks."

Bonnie, from Barron, WI

"I turned a 30" bat for my 9 year old grandson who wants to be the next Albert Pujols. It turned our better than I expected and he and my son both were very happy with it. I couldn't be more pleased."

Gregory Wapelhorst, from Pearl, MS

"I made the first bat from the ash blank for my grandson. I am now making the second bat out of the maple blank so I can compare the two. Great product."

Roger Noebel, from Irvine, CA

"I bought the bat blank to make a bat for my Grandson Kelton. He is 2-1/2 years old so we needed a 24 inch bat. The wood was perfect and turned very well. I did not know whether to get the Ash or Maple. I tried the ash. I am using the other piece to make an 8 inch pepper mill. Great Service from Rockler and a good project. I can't wait to see Kelton's face."

Laddie G. Matusek, from Palacios, TX

(Read more reviews)